martes, 14 de junio de 2016

Overwhelmed by Too Many Health Tips? Cheat Sheet for Men’s Cancer Screenings and Good Health | The Topic Is Cancer | Blogs | CDC

Overwhelmed by Too Many Health Tips? Cheat Sheet for Men’s Cancer Screenings and Good Health | The Topic Is Cancer | Blogs | CDC



Today on CDC's Cancer blog, Lisa C. Richardson, MD, MPH, director of CDC's Division of Cancer Prevention and Control and the lead investigator of CDC's Preventing Infections in Cancer Patients program, provides a "cheat sheet" for navigating the different types of cancer screenings that are available to men.
Every year, more than 300,000 men in the United States lose their lives to cancer. The most common kinds of cancer among men in the U.S. are skin cancer, prostate cancer, lung cancer, and colorectal (colon) cancer. While there may be screenings for each type of these cancers, CDC supports screening for colorectal and lung cancers as recommended by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF).
Dr. Richardson encourages men not only to refer to the "cheat sheet" but also to add their doctor's recommendations for further screenings or tests based on their own health, family health history, and age.
Men's Cancer Screening Cheat Sheet

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. CDC twenty four seven. Saving Lives, Protecting People

Overwhelmed by Too Many Health Tips? Cheat Sheet for Men’s Cancer Screenings and Good Health

Posted on  by DCPC



Photo of Dr. Lisa Richardson

By Lisa C. Richardson, MD, MPH
Director of CDC’s Division of Cancer Prevention and Control
Several weeks ago I wrote a blog post that really hit the mark for many women. I heard from many readers asking for this same type of information for men. So in honor of Men’s Health Week and Father’s Day, I hope this information finds its way to all of the special men in our lives.
If you’re like my husband, you get a lot of health tips from your wife, mom, coworkers, and friends. Some of them are scientific, while others are just general healthy living tips that someone read in a magazine or heard on a talk show: exercise, get more sleep, get a flu shot, get a colonoscopy, don’t smoke, watch your cholesterol, wear sunscreen, check your blood pressure…the list goes on.
While there are many things you can do to stay healthy, as an oncologist and the director of CDC’s Division of Cancer Prevention and Control, I want to focus on cancer screenings (checking your body for a disease before you have symptoms).
Every year, more than 300,000 men in the United States lose their lives to cancer. The most common kinds of cancer among men in the U.S. are skin cancer, prostate cancer, lung cancer, and colorectal (colon) cancer. While there may be screenings for each type of these cancers, CDC supports screening for colorectal and lung cancers as recommended by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF).
To help you manage your cancer screenings, I’ve created your very own cheat sheet for cancer screenings and good health. I’ve started your cheat sheet off with the screenings that are available for some of the cancers that most often affect men. But I challenge you to add to it with your doctor’s recommendations for further screenings or tests based on your own health, family history, and age. Download this printable fact sheet[PDF-113KB] to take to your next appointment.

Your Cheat Sheet to Cancer Screenings and Good Health

Type of CancerScreening MethodWhen to Get Screened*
Colorectal (colon) cancerColonoscopy, sigmoidoscopy, or fecal occult blood testing (FOBT)If you are 50 to 75 years old, get tested. The schedule depends on the type of test used.
Lung cancerLow-dose CT scanIf you are 55 to 80 years old and are a heavy smoker or a past smoker who quit within the last 15 years, get a low-dose CT scan every year.
Prostate cancerDigital rectal exam (DRE) and prostate specific antigen (PSA) testTalk to your doctor. The USPSTF recommends against PSA screening for men who do not have symptoms.
Skin cancerPeriodic total-body examinations by a clinicianTalk to your doctor. The USPSTF has concluded that there is not enough evidence to recommend for or against routine skin cancer screening.
*Talk with your doctor about when and how often you should be screened. Depending on your personal health history, family health history, or screening results, your doctor may recommend a different screening schedule.
Printable Cheat Sheet for Men’s Cancer Screenings and Good Health
Printable Cheat Sheet for Men’s Cancer Screenings and Good Health[PDF-113KB]
After reading the cheat sheet, you may be wondering why you shouldn’t get screened if a cancer screening test exists. Good question. Some tests have been shown to find both cancer early and to lower the chance of dying from cancer. Others have been shown to find cancer early, but do not lower the risk of dying from cancer. In a nutshell, the benefit of screening doesn’t always outweigh the harms associated with screening.
While these screenings are important, there’s more to your health than just cancer screenings. Here are some simple things you can do every day to stay heathy:
  • Maintain a healthy weight.
  • Exercise regularly.
  • Get plenty of rest.
  • Don’t drink alcohol, or limit it to no more than two drinks a day.
  • Don’t smoke.
  • Protect your skin from the sun, and avoid tanning beds.
  • Get a checkup every year.
Lastly, to all of you fighting cancer or caring for someone who is fighting this battle, I encourage you to take steps to stay as healthy as you can during treatment. For more information, visit CDC’s Preventing Infections in Cancer Patients Web site for staying healthy during cancer treatment and 3 Steps Toward Preventing Infections During Cancer Treatment from the CDC Foundation.
Posted on  by DCPC

Tags 

No hay comentarios:

Publicar un comentario