Health Watch is a Public Service of the Office of News and Publications and is intended to provide general information only and should not replace the advice of a medical professional. You should contact your physician if you have questions about any of these topics.
This week on "Healthwatch," we're focusing on ways to prevent or minimize disease. One issue of concern to men is prostate cancer. This is the most common kind of cancer in men other than skin cancer. It affects about one in six men.
Doctors at UT Southwestern Medical Center say that, unfortunately, most of the risk factors for prostate cancer are things you can't do a lot about, such as age and heredity. Eating a low-fat, balanced diet may help you prevent prostate cancer and other cancers, and there are drugs being studied for preventing cancer in high-risk patients.
Otherwise, the best thing to do is detect prostate cancer early while it can be treated more easily. A yearly physical exam and blood test are important for diagnosing prostate cancer.
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Feb. 2005
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