Six common cancers in men

Cancer has claimed so many lives and left loved ones affected over the years. Different types of cancer such as breast cancer, melanoma and brain cancer affect people irrespective of their races and ages.

While not all cancers lead to death, in some cases many have been able to undergo treatments to control and remove the cancer cells. There are patients who have been able to make complete recovery from cancer and live long, fulfilling lives.

As the world becomes more aware of the different factors surrounding the illness, it’s more evident that some affect men and women differently. Some cancer types are more common in men due to varied reasons.

Below are some types of cancer that men are more likely to get as compared to women.

Lung cancer

Cancer of the lungs is one of the leading causes of death in men. It’s a type of cancer that mostly occurs in two types, small cell lung cancer and non-small cell.

Someone is likely to develop lung cancer due to smoking, family history of cancer and exposure to harmful chemicals. When it comes to smoking, people assume that it’s only the smokers who get cancer. The fact is, you can also develop lung cancer from second hand smoking. The lungs usually try to repair themselves but overtime, they become more exhausted and unable to recover.

Exposure to harmful elements such as radon, uranium and nickel also puts people at risk of developing lung cancer.

Prostrate cancer

Did you know that both men and women have prostate glands? In women, the glands are referred to as skene glands and they produce similar hormones as male prostrates. However, it’s rare for women to develop prostate cancer.

In men, there are some predisposing factors such as race, lifestyle factors and family history that cause the prostate glands to mutate. Hereditary causes are unavoidable. But for causes such as poor dieting, it’s best to eliminate the risk factors by maintaining a healthy weight and exercising regularly.

Colorectal cancer            

Studies have shown that colorectal cancer is one of the most common cancers in men. This type of cancer is a combination between rectal cancer and colon cancer. In many cases, these two types of cancers have been found to develop together because they involve the digestive tract.

People who have been diagnosed with colorectal cancer experience severe abdominal pain, rectal bleeding and bloody stool among other symptoms. For this reason, men are encouraged to go for a colonoscopy in order to detect any irregularities early.

Skin cancer

Melanoma or cancer of the skin is also one of the common types of cancer in men especially those under 40. Specialists have found that in certain age groups, men are more likely to develop skin cancer as compared to women in the same age group.

Experts always advise people to use sunscreen in order to reduce to radiation exposure from the sun. However, men are still less likely to use sunscreen. To the majority, sunscreen is looked at as a beauty product rather than a necessity.

Pancreatic cancer

This type of cancer is considered one of the deadliest cancers in men. The causes can run from poor lifestyle habits to hereditary mutations. Men who expose themselves to habits such as excessive drinking, eating a lot of processed meat and smoking are at a high risk of developing pancreatic cancer. It is therefore important to live a healthy lifestyle and be aware of the risk factors within your family.

Cancer of the bladder

Bladder cancer is a type of mutation where cancerous cells affect the lining of the bladder. According to experts, men are three or four times more likely to develop cancer of the bladder as compared to women. Some of the symptoms associated with it are, discoloured urine, clots in the urine as well as painful short calls. Some of the major causes include exposure to carcinogens, hormonal factors and family history.

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