Men and women face different cancer risks, due to differences in biology and lifestyle.
The most common forms in men are prostate cancer, lung cancer, and colorectal cancers. Aside from prostate cancer, cancers that affect only men include testicular cancer and penile cancer, both of which are very rare.
Prostate Cancer:
The Facts... The prostate is a gland in the male reproductive system about the size of a walnut. It’s located in front of the rectum, under the bladder, and it surrounds the urethra. The prostate creates part of the semen expressed during ejaculation.
Risk factors... Age is a key risk factor in prostate cancer. Your risk of getting the disease increases as you get older. Your risk is higher if you have a family history of prostate cancer or if you are African-American.
Lung Cancer:
The Fact...Lung cancer is the deadliest form of cancer for men and women, and the second most common type of cancer in men, accounting for 15 percent of newly diagnosed cancer cases.
Risk factors... Smoking or exposure to second-hand smoke causes most cases of lung cancer. Exposure to chemicals or environmental factors like pollution or asbestos can also cause lung cancer.
Colorectal Cancer:
The Facts...The colon and rectum are parts of the digestive system, with the colon making up most of the large intestine and the rectum making up the final inches.
Statistics...The third most common type of cancer affecting men, cancers of the colon and rectum accounted for 77,250 newly diagnosed cases of cancer in men, about 10 percent, in 2008, and about 24,260 deaths. There is a five-year survival rate of 64 percent.
Risk factors... Age, family history, and genetics have been linked to the incidence of colorectal cancer. Some studies suggest a high-fat diet low in fruits and vegetables also might be a contributing factor. Doctors have found that colorectal cancer can grow from polyps found on the inner wall of the colon or rectum.
Testicular Cancer:
The Facts...The testicles are the pair of male sex glands located below the penis that produce and store sperm and are a man's main source of testosterone.
Statistics... Testicular cancer accounts for only 1 percent of all cancers in men, or about 8,000 men each year, and about 390 U.S. men die from it annually. Most cases are diagnosed in young and middle-aged men. The five-year survival rate is 96 percent.
Risk factors. ..Men suffering from an undescended testicle or with birth defects of the testicles have an increased risk of testicular cancer.
Penile Cancer:
The Facts...The penis is also susceptible to cancer.
Statistics... There were about 1,250 new cases of penile cancer in the United States in 2008, and about 290 deaths. The five-year survival rate is 78 percent.
Risk factors... Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection has been linked to an increased risk of penile cancer. Poor personal hygiene among uncircumcised men also is a risk factor.
Many of the cancers affecting men can be either prevented or successfully treated if caught early. So it only makes sense for men who are at risk and all men over 40 to receive regular check-ups that include screening for the most prevalent types of cancer.
