Published on June 17, 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
June 17, 2010
MEDIA CONTACT:
Tracey Young
(703) 837-3687
tracey.young@preventcancer.org
The Prevent Cancer Foundation Offers Tips for Healthy Living
ALEXANDRIA, VA — June is Men’s Cancer Prevention Awareness Month and the Prevent Cancer Foundation wants to remind men to eat a healthy diet, exercise, cut out tobacco use, and get regular medical screenings to reduce their risk of cancer.
“This month is a great time for men to think about how they can take control of their health and protect themselves against cancer,” says Carolyn R. Aldigé, President and Founder of the Foundation. “Making these changes can improve the chances of living a long and healthy life.”
Recent statistics from the American Cancer Society show that men are most affected by lung, prostate, colon and skin cancer. This year, an estimated 86,220 men will die from lung cancer; 32,050 from prostate cancer; 26,580 from colon cancer; and 7,910 from skin cancer (primarily melanoma, the most fatal form).
“In addition to lifestyle changes men need a primary clinician and they need to go for regular checkups,” says Richard Wender, MD, Professor and Chair of Family Medicine at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia and member of the Foundation’s Medical Advisory Board. He recommends a few things that men should do:
· Get at least one routine physical by age 40
· Get a routine physical every three years from age 40 to 50
· Get annual checkups after age 50
· Get screened for colon cancer by age 50, (younger if you have risk factors)
“Getting a colonoscopy every ten years or a stool-blood test every year are easy things that men can do to stay healthy,” Dr. Wender says. “Delight and surprise the women in your life. Call your primary clinician today and let them know you want to be screened for cancer.”
The Prevent Cancer Foundation is celebrating 25 years of providing communities with cancer prevention and early detection strategies, screening guidelines, and ways to reduce cancer risk through healthy lifestyle choices – healthy eating, exercise and regular screenings. The Foundation focuses on the eight preventable cancers (breast, cervical, colorectal, lung, oral, prostrate, skin, and testicular). For more information on how you can take ownership of your health and reduce the risk of cancer, go to the Prevent Cancer Foundation’s web site atwww.preventcancer.org. To read Dr. Wender’s blog post on men’s cancer prevention awareness, visit blog.preventcancer.org.
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About The Prevent Cancer Foundation
The Prevent Cancer Foundation was started in 1985. Today, it is one of the nation’s leading health organizations and has catapulted cancer prevention to prominence. Through healthy lifestyle choices, you can reduce your risk of breast, cervical, colorectal, lung, oral, prostate, skin and testicular cancers.
Since its inception the Prevent Cancer Foundation has provided more than $113 million in support of cancer prevention and early detection research, education and community outreach programs across the country. The Foundation’s peer-reviewed grants have been awarded to nearly 400 scientists from more than 150 of the leading academic medical centers nationwide. This research has been pivotal in developing a body of knowledge that is the basis for important cancer prevention and early detection strategies. For more information, please visit www.preventcancer.org.
