Men's Health: Are You Up for the Challenge?

Question for men: Are you making your health a priority?



Whether you are a man or a woman, preventive care and regular check ups are important investments in your overall good health. However, a recent survey by the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics indicated that at least nine million men have not seen a doctor in the last five years. According to the survey, some men may feel uncomfortable with the prospect of discussing physical problems with a doctor, or they don't see the value in visiting their doctor when they’re feeling healthy. Even when symptoms arise, many men will continue to wait it out before heading to the doctor’s office.

But why wait until something is wrong? Due to the prospect of breast cancer and other serious medical conditions, most women view regular check ups and early detection screenings as a way of life -- and that's an important lesson for men too! By visiting your doctor regularly and getting all recommended screenings, potential medical problems can be detected early. For a serious men's medical condition such as prostate cancer, early detection can mean the difference between life and death.

So what can you do to get your health on track? If you have symptoms to discuss with your doctor, make a point of having that conversation as soon as possible. If it’s been a while since you’ve had a physical exam – even if you feel perfectly fine – call to make an appointment today. Your good health depends on it!

Stay a Step Ahead of Prostate Cancer

According to the Prostate Cancer Foundation, one in six men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer. The good news is, when it is detected and treated early, prostate cancer has a cure rate of 90 percent. However, early stage prostate cancer often has no symptoms, so men should participate in regular screenings and not wait until symptoms appear. For more information, visit www.prostatecancerfoundation.org.



How much do you know about prostate cancer?

Take the WebMD quiz below, and then check your answers.

What do you know about prostate cancer?

1.True or False: “Watchful waiting” is a good option for this slow-growing cancer.


2.True or False: Prostate cancer surgery always causes impotence or incontinence.


3.True or False: Tests can help determine if you’re at risk for prostate cancer recurrence.


4.True or False: There are drugs that can slow the progression of advanced prostate cancer.


5.True or False: Most men with prostate cancer will eventually die of the disease.

Answers:


1. “Watchful waiting” is a good option for this slow-growing cancer.


FALSE: While watchful waiting was once a leading option for many men, these days it's recommended mostly for elderly men, or those with serious health issues, who have early-stage, slow-growing prostate cancer. The odds are they will die of some other cause before their cancer affects their health. For most men, doctors now recommend treatment with surgery, radiation, and/or hormone therapy. Today's treatments are less likely to cause major side effects, so the benefits of treatment usually outweigh the risks.



2. Prostate cancer surgery always causes impotence or incontinence.


FALSE: For most men, doctors now recommend treatment with surgery, radiation, and/or hormone therapy. Today's treatments are markedly improved, and less likely to cause major side effects. So the benefits of treatment usually outweigh the risks. Watchful waiting (closely monitoring a patient's condition without treatment) may be recommended for elderly men, or those with serious health issues, who have early-stage, slow-growing prostate cancer. The odds are they will die of some other cause before their cancer causes poor health.

3. Tests can help determine if you’re at risk for prostate cancer recurrence.


TRUE: The Gleason Score, based on how prostate cancer cells look under a microscope, indicates how likely it is that the cancer will spread. Scores range from 2 to 10. The higher the number, the more aggressive the cancer and the more likely it is to spread. A PSA blood test, which measures level of a protein produced by normal and cancerous prostate cancer cells, can help determine if prostate cancer has recurred. If PSA levels begin to rise at any time after treatment, a recurrence may be occurring.

4. Some drugs can slow the progression of advanced prostate cancer.


TRUE: Most prostate cancers need male hormones, such as testosterone, to grow or spread. Hormonal treatments can slow a tumor's progress by cutting off the supply of male hormones or by blocking or countering their effects. Hormone therapy is often used to control prostate cancer that has spread. But it can eventually become ineffective, so a man may need alternative hormone drugs or chemotherapy drugs to prolong life. Researchers are also testing other ways to control prostate cancer. For example, an experimental vaccine called Provenge has been shown to increase survival in men with widespread prostate cancer.

5. Most men with prostate cancer will eventually die of the disease.


FALSE: About one in six men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during his lifetime, but only one in 34 will actually die of the disease. Most men with prostate cancer die from old age or another cause.

You Don’t Have to Sing the Blues: Why Is Depression Different in Men?

Although depression affects more than 19 million Americans each year, men account for only 1 in 10 diagnoses of depression. Also, according to the Men’s Health Network, men are four times more likely to commit suicide compared to women.

Why the gender gap? Depression in men often goes undiagnosed. America’s cultural norms may be partly to blame by setting the expectation that showing emotion is a feminine trait. As a result, men may be more likely to hide symptoms of depression in order to present a brave face to family and friends. Over time, the stress of holding emotions in can lead to additional health problems.



Common symptoms to watch for are low self-esteem, fatigue, changes in appetite, loss of interest in pleasurable activities, sleep disturbances or thoughts of suicide. The best thing you can do for anyone who is battling depression is to support their efforts to get help.

Taking Men’s Health to Heart

Men should count heart disease and stroke among their top health concerns. Heart disease is an equal opportunity killer, cutting lives short regardless of gender; however, heart disease reigns supreme as the #1 killer of men. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention attributes 70 percent of premature heart disease deaths to men. A recent WebMD article entitled “Men’s Top 5 Health Concerns” showed that heart disease and stroke go hand-in-hand, with the incidence rate of stroke stated as 1.25 times greater for men than women.



Healthy lifestyle choices and regular screenings/checkups are the key to keeping heart disease at bay. Also, take steps to manage other health concerns that can make heart disease worse, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes.

What else can you do to keep your heart healthy? You’ve seen this list before, but it’s worth repeating:

-Don't smoke or use other tobacco products.



-Eat a varied diet rich in fruits and vegetables, and avoid high-fat foods.



-Maintain a healthy weight.



-Get at least 30 minutes of exercise most days of the week.



-Take a daily dose of aspirin, if your doctor OKs it.

Make Time for Health Screenings

Health Screenings is the final topic in this series of wellness tips about Men’s Health. Wellness tips in August will focus on Questions to Ask Your Doctor.

Two of the most important ways you can support your good health are to schedule regular checkups with your primary care physician and keep up with recommended health screenings. The time you spend with your doctor is your opportunity to review your health status, discuss any concerns you may have, and make appointments for screenings as appropriate.



If your doctor recommends that you pursue a particular health screening, don’t put it off. Screenings serve an important purpose in your overall health by improving your odds for early detection of serious medical conditions, often before you even experience symptoms. By detecting a medical condition early, you have the best possible chance to treat it before it’s out of control, or -- better yet -- to beat it altogether.