Male-related
Cancer Information
The following
information includes information on the leading causes of cancer
deaths for men. Each of the Top 5 cancer sites has a link that will
take you directly to specific information on the American
Cancer Society website. Visit the site, as well as the Centers
for Disease Control, to find more information on risk factors,
prevention strategies, as well as frequently asked questions and
treatment options.
Leading
Causes of Cancer Deaths for Men:
Prostate
Pancreas
In 2002 there
will be about 169,400 new cases of lung cancer in the United States,
90,200 among men and 79,200 among women, and about 154,900 people
(89,200 men and 65,700 women) will die of the disease. Lung cancer
is fairly rare in people under the age of 40; average age at diagnosis
is 60.
Most lung cancers
start in the lining of the bronchi, but can also begin in other
areas of the lung such as the trachea, bronchioles, or alveoli.
Lung cancer often takes many years to develop but once it occurs,
cancer cells can break away and spread to other parts of the body
in a process called metastasis. Lung cancer is a life-threatening
disease because it often spreads before it is found.
There are two
main types of lung cancer:
Small cell
lung cancer accounts for about 20% of all lung cancers. Although
the cancer cells are small, they can multiply quickly and form large
tumors that can spread to the lymph nodes and then to other organs.
This kind of cancer is almost always caused by smoking; it is very
rare for someone who has never smoked to have small cell lung cancer.
Non-small
cell lung cancer is the most common type of lung cancer, accounting
for almost 80% of lung cancers. There are three subtypes within
this group.
- Squamous
cell carcinoma is linked to a history of smoking. It tends to
be found centrally, near a bronchus. - Adenocarcinoma
is usually found in the outer region of the lung. - Large-cell
undifferentiated carcinoma can appear in any part of the lung
and tends to grow and spread quickly, resulting in a poor outlook
for the patient.
The best way
to prevent lung cancer is not to smoke and to avoid people who do.
2. Prostate
Prostate cancer
starts in the prostate gland, which is found just below the bladder
and in front of the rectum in men. In 2002, there will be about
189,000 new cases of prostate cancer and about 30,200 men will die
of the disease in the United States. Although men of any age can
get prostate cancer, it is found most often in men over 50. In fact,
more than 70% of all prostate cancers are diagnosed in men over
the age of 65. Prostate cancer is about twice as common among African-American
men as it is among white American men. More cases occur in North
America and northwestern Europe than in Asia, Africa, and South
America.
Most of the
time, prostate cancer grows very slowly, but can sometimes grow
quickly, spreading to other parts of the body. Cancer cells can
enter the lymph system and spread to lymph nodes (small, bean-shaped
collections of cells that help in fighting infections). If cancer
is in the lymph nodes, it has likely spread to other organs as well.
Because the
exact cause of prostate cancer remains unknown, it is not known
whether the disease can be prevented. A high-fat diet may be linked
to prostate cancer, so a diet low in animal fat and high in vegetables,
fruits, and grains is recommended. Tomatoes, grapefruit, and watermelon
are rich in a substance (lycopenes) that helps prevent damage to
DNA and may help lower prostate cancer risk.
Beginning at
age 50, all men who have at least a 10-year life expectancy should
be offered both the PSA blood test and a digital rectal exam annually.
Men in high-risk groups (African Americans, men with close family
members who have had prostate cancer) should begin testing at 45
years.
Colorectal cancer
begins in either the colon or the rectum, both part of the digestive
tract. In 2002, there will be about 107,300 new cases of colon cancer
and 41,000 new cases of rectal cancer in the United States. Colon
cancer will cause about 48,100 deaths and rectal cancer about 8,500
deaths.
Cancer can develop
in any of the four sections of the colon or in the rectum. Cancer
beginning in these different areas may cause different symptoms.
Colorectal cancers probably develop slowly over a period of several
years. Before a true cancer develops, there are often earlier changes
in the lining of the colon or rectum. One type of change is a growth
of tissue called a polyp. Removing the polyp early may prevent it
from becoming cancer.
It is important
to eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grain foods and to
limit the amount of red meats you eat, especially those high in
fat. Some studies suggest that taking a daily multivitamin containing
folic acid or folate can lower colorectal cancer risk. Other studies
suggest that getting calcium with supplements or low-fat dairy products
can help, and that getting enough exercise is important as well.
Beginning at
age 50, both men and women should follow one of these five screening
options:
- Yearly fecal
occult blood test (FOBT) - Flexible
sigmoidoscopy every 5 years - Yearly fecal
occult blood test plus sigmoidoscopy every 5 years - Double-contrast
barium enema every 5 years - Colonoscopy
every 10 years
4. Pancreas
The pancreas
is found behind the stomach and functions as two separate glands.
Some cells in the gland make pancreatic juice, which contains enzymes
that break down fats and proteins so the body can use them for growth
and repair. Other cells in the pancreas, known as islets, release
two hormones that help control the amount of sugar in the blood.
Both kinds of pancreatic cells can form tumors, but those formed
by the first type (called the exocrine pancreas) are more common
and more likely to be cancerous.
In 2002, an
estimated 30,300 people in the United States will be diagnosed with
pancreatic cancer and about 29,700 will die of the disease. As these
numbers indicate, pancreatic cancer is deadly; about 2 out of 10
patients with cancer of the pancreas will live at least 1 year after
the cancer is found, but only a very few will survive for 5 years.
The best advice
for prevention is to avoid smoking and to eat a healthful diet with
plenty of fruits and vegetables while cutting down on high-fat foods
from animal sources. However, many people with the disease do not
have any risk factors and could not have prevented it.
Non-Hodgkin’s
lymphoma is cancer that starts in lymphoid tissue (also called lymphatic
tissue), which is important for filtering germs and cancer cells
as well as fluid from the extremities and internal organs. Other
types of cancer can spread to lymphoid tissue, but these cancers
are not lymphomas. About 53,900 Americans (28,200 men and 25,700
women) will be diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and approximately
24,400 Americans (12,700 men and 11,700 women) will die of this
cancer in 2002. Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma is more common in men than
in women. Whites are affected more often than African Americans
or Asian Americans.
Although some
types of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma are among the most common childhood
cancers, over 95% of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma cases occur in adults.
The average age at diagnosis is in the early 40s. The risk of developing
non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma increases throughout life, and the elderly
have the highest risk. The increasing average age of the American
population is expected to contribute to the increase in non-Hodgkin’s
lymphoma cases during the next few years.
Most people
with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma have no known risk factors and, there
is no way to prevent their lymphomas from developing. For now, the
only opportunity for prevention of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma is by
preventing known risk factors such as acquired immune system deficiencies
(AIDS).