Men's Health: Make the Right Call

You’ve drafted a QB for your fantasy football team, and now you’re tracking the stats, watching the rankings...all important numbers. But your most important call of the season may be to run a hitch route to your family physician.

It’s no secret that men need to pay more attention to their health. Because many of the major health risks that men face, like prostate cancer, can be treated and potentially even cured with early diagnosis, it’s important to have regular checkups and screenings with a primary care provider. But according to the National Institutes of Health, men can often be their own worst enemy because they don’t seek medical help as often as women.

Can you make the right call? Test your men’s health IQ with the quiz below:

Q: More men die from prostate cancer than any other cancer. True or False?

A: False. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in both men and women in the US. Although prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men, it is the second leading cause of death. The American Cancer Society estimates that one in 36 men will die from prostate cancer.

Q: The only way to diagnose prostate cancer is the PSA test. True or False?

A: False. A Prostate Specific Antigen test (PSA test) is only one tool used to screen for early signs of prostate cancer. Another common screening test, usually done in addition to a PSA test, is a digital rectal exam. Neither the PSA test nor the digital rectal exam provides enough information for your physician to diagnose prostate cancer. Abnormal results in these tests may lead a doctor to order a prostate biopsy. A diagnosis of cancer is based on biopsy results.

Q: Men do not get breast cancer. True or False?

A: False. Although the majority of breast cancer patients are women, men can have breast cancer and die from it. About 1,500 new cases of breast cancer are diagnosed among men annually, and 400 men die from it each year.

Q: Osteoporosis doesn’t affect men. True or False?

A: False. One out of eight men over the age of 50 is at risk. The disease is under-diagnosed, under-reported and inadequately researched in men, according to the National Osteoporosis Foundation. Eating a diet rich in calcium and vitamin D, avoiding tobacco and limiting excessive alcohol consumption may help combat the disease.

Q: Men experience menopause. True or False?

A: True. Hormone changes are a natural part of aging. The term “male menopause” is sometimes used to describe decreasing testosterone levels or a reduction in the bioavailability of testosterone related to aging. In men, hormones decline more gradually. The effects include changes in sexual function, energy level, mood and sleep patterns. Physical changes, like increased body fat, loss of hair or tender breasts, also are related to hormone changes in men.

Q: Cholesterol is always bad. True or False?

A: False. There are two types of blood cholesterol: LDL (bad) and HDL (good). Healthy levels of both types are an important part of a healthy body. Your body needs cholesterol to produce cell membranes and certain hormones and plays an important role in other bodily functions.

Q: Men are at greater risk of heart attack than women. True or False?

A: True. Not only are men at greater risk of heart attack than women, they have heart attacks earlier in life.

Q: Colorectal cancer is a man’s disease, and it can’t be prevented. True or False?

A: False. Colorectal cancer is just as common among women as men. About 150,000 Americans are diagnosed with colorectal cancer annually, and more than 50,000 die from it. In many cases, it can be prevented. Colorectal cancer almost always starts with a small growth called a polyp. If the polyp is found early through screening tests like colonoscopy, physicians can remove it and stop colorectal cancer before it starts.

To schedule an appointment with Drs. Stephen Graham and Brad Lake or Nurse Practitioner Kimberly Marcel at Northshore Urological Associates at (985) 230-APPT (2778) in Hammond or 1 (844) APPT-NOW (277-8669) in Livingston.