12 Most Aggressive Cancers That Affect Men

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Men face a significant risk of developing Cancer, with lung, prostate, and colorectal cancers being the most common. Understanding these risks and the importance of early screening can help you manage cancer and reduce the impact of these diseases.

Thankfully, survival rates overall are improving, even for some difficult-to-treat cancers.  Better treatments and early detection—especially for colon cancer—are saving lives. Still, for males, the average risk of developing cancer at some point in their lives is 40.5% or nearly one in two.

PROSTATE CANCER:

Prostate Cancer is the most common cancer among men aged 50 and older. It ranks as the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths among all men.  Black men have higher rates of prostate cancer and are often diagnosed at younger ages compared to other racial and ethnic groups.  Although more men are diagnosed with prostate cancer—about one in eight during their lifetime—the 5-year survival rate is nearly 99%. In contrast, lung cancer has a lower survival rate, leading to more deaths than prostate cancer.

For stages 1 and 2, Prostate Cancers have a 5-year survival rate of 99%. Most prostate cancers are very slow-growing or remain stable and are very treatable.

Most men are diagnosed before they have prostate cancer symptoms. Be sure to let your healthcare provider know if you have a family history of prostate cancer, which may increase your risk for the disease.

COLORECTAL CANCER

Colorectal cancer, which includes both colon and rectal cancers, is the third most common cancer and the third leading cause of cancer death among men.  Regular colon cancer screening, such as a colonoscopy, is vital as it can save lives by detecting early-stage cancers, allowing for better treatment outcomes. A colonoscopy serves two critical purposes: preventing colon cancer and detecting it early:

LUNG CANCER

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in men, accounting for more fatalities than prostate and colorectal cancers combined.  Symptoms of lung cancer in males may include: Persistent cough, Coughing up blood, Hoarseness, Shortness of breath. While smoking is a major risk factor, other factors include exposure to radon gas, which causes up to 14% of lung cancers worldwide and is the primary cause among non-smokers.

SKIN CANCER

Men are more likely to die of melanoma than women at any age. White adolescents and young men are around twice as likely to die from melanoma as white women of the same age. By age 80, men have triple the risk. Melanoma is the most dangerous form of skin cancer.  There are some possible explanations for this disparity between the sexes. Men typically tend to be: Less likely to use sunscreen. Less knowledgeable about skin cancer risks. Less aware of skin changes or growths. Less likely to seek medical evaluation. Less likely to wear sun-protective clothing and hats. Spending more time outside for work or recreation.

TESTICULAR CANCER

Testicular cancer is most typically diagnosed in men aged 15 to 45, with an average age of about 33, but it can occur at any age.  While the exact cause is unknown, researchers believe that a combination of genetic, physiological, and environmental factors is involved.

Testicular cancer: One of the Most Curable Types

The cure rate for testicular cancer, at around 95% for all men treated, is excellent. Signs and symptoms of testicular cancer can include: A lump or swelling in one testicle, Breast growth or tenderness, Heaviness or an achy feeling in the lower abdomen or scrotum, See your healthcare provider if you feel any of these signs or symptoms.

PANCREATIC CANCER

Pancreatic cancer is the fourth most fatal cancer in men. It occurs far less often than prostate or even colon cancers, but the survival rate remains quite poor.  The overall 5-year survival rate is 13%, but that drops to just 3% when people are diagnosed at the later stage of the disease.   Unfortunately, most of them are, in large part because early-stage symptoms are either vague or non-existent.  There is currently no screening test for the general population, but screening may be needed for some people with a genetic predisposition. Because there may be a genetic element, it’s a good idea to share a thorough family medical history with your healthcare provider.

LIVER AND BILE DUCT CANCER

Cancers of the liver and bile duct are the fifth leading cause of cancer-related deaths in men. If a cancer originates in the liver, it’s called primary liver cancer. It’s important to distinguish liver cancer from metastases to the liver, as many people who speak of liver cancer are actually referring to cancer that has spread to the liver from other regions of the body.  Common symptoms of liver cancer in both males and females include jaundice, loss of appetite, and abdominal pain.  Currently, there is no general screening test available for liver cancer. Testing may be recommended for some people at risk, such as people with chronic hepatitis B infection or cirrhosis.

LEUKEMIA

Leukemia is not one disease but rather several types of blood-related cancer. The causes of leukemia vary depending on the type. Because it’s a blood-related cancer, symptoms are not usually related to one specific region of the body. In addition, symptoms of leukemia often overlap with those of other conditions.

ESOPHAGEAL CANCER

Esophageal cancer is the seventh most fatal cancer in men. There are two primary types of cancer of the esophagus:  Adenocarcinoma, Squamous cell carcinoma. These differ by the types of cells in which the cancer began. Squamous cell carcinoma was more common in the past, but adenocarcinoma is now the most common form of the disease. The risk factors vary depending on the type of esophageal cancer. Symptoms of esophageal cancer may include: Persistent cough, Hoarseness, Trouble with swallowing, Feeling of something stuck in the throat. Esophageal cancer is often diagnosed in the later stages of the disease, in part because the symptoms are common in other conditions, too.

BLADDER CANCER

Bladder cancer is the eighth leading cause of cancer-related death, and the fourth most common cancer diagnosed in men.  There are several types of bladder cancer, the most common being transitional cell carcinoma.  In roughly 50% of men, bladder cancer is diagnosed at an early stage when it affects only the inner layer of cells in the bladder.  This underscores the need to know the risk factors and symptoms in the hopes of an early diagnosis, especially because there is not yet a general screening tool.  Smoking is believed to be the cause in almost 50% of men with bladder cancer.

NON-HODGKIN’S LYMPHOMA

Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL) is the ninth most fatal cancer in men. This cancer begins in the lymphatic system, which is part of your immune system.  Specifically, NHL starts in lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell found in structures called lymph nodes. These nodes are found in various locations, including the neck, armpits, between the lungs, and others.  There are over 30 types of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. They are broken down into two major groups depending on whether the affected lymphocytes are B cells or T cells. The behavior of these tumors varies widely, with some lymphomas being very slow-growing and others being quite aggressive.  Symptoms of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma depend on which lymph nodes are affected, although it’s important to note that this type of cancer tends to spread throughout the system before it is found.  Some risk factors differ from those implicated in other cancers. These may include: Long-term infections such as Helicobacter pylori. Exposures to work or household chemicals and pesticides. Radiation exposure.

BRAIN AND OTHER NERVOUS SYSTEM CANCERS

Brain cancer, along with related nervous system cancers, is the 10th most common cause of cancer-related deaths in men. Symptoms can include: Headache, Seizure, Nausea and vomiting, Blurred vision. These cancers are primary brain and nervous system cancers, like gliomas or central nervous system (CNS) lymphoma. That means they did not start somewhere else, like the lung, and spread there.

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