Publications
Men: Health Tips for Your 50s and Older
Focused on Health - September 2011
by Adelina Espat
Staying in fighting shape is one of your best defenses against cancer and other diseases. Use these tips to help you look and feel good in your 50s and beyond.
Screening Exams: Just What the Doctor Ordered
PROBLEM: Cancer is more likely to show up in men age 50 and older. That’s why the majority of cancer screening exams begin at this age.
Cancer screening exams are medical tests done when you’re healthy. So, don’t wait for signs of illness to show up to get your check-up. You may think you don’t need to get tested because your body is working just fine – but that’s not true. Cancer in its earliest stages usually has no telltale signs.
And, finding and treating cancer as early as possible is your best chance at beating the disease. In the case of prostate cancer (the most common cancer in men), treating the disease at an early stage means you’ll be less likely to experience long-term side effects like impotence.
FIX: Talk to your doctor about screening exams recommended for you. Your doctor can help you learn about your personal risk for cancer, and tell you what exams you should get and how often.
Can a Pill a Day Keep the Doctor Away?
PROBLEM: For some men age 50 and older, taking a daily supplement may help lower their chances of getting cancer and other diseases. But, our experts say beware. Supplements are not right for everyone. And, researchers are still unsure about whether or not supplements actually help prevent cancer.
FIX: Thinking of taking supplements? Speak with your doctor or a registered dietician first. He or she can decide which pills you really need and what dose you should take. Even if your doctor recommends taking a supplement, your top priority should be getting the nutrients you need from the food you eat.
Get more health tips by age
“Practicing these healthy behaviors is important for all men, regardless of age,” says Therese Bevers, M.D., medical director of MD Anderson’s Cancer Prevention Center. “So take note of all of these tips — even the ones directed toward men older or younger than you.”
Men's Health Tips for Your 20s
Men's Health Tips for Your 30s
Men's Health Tips for Your 40s
Current Issue - April 2013
Your Cancer Prevention Tips
Learn about yoga's health benefits. Find low-cost cancer-fighting foods.
Subscribe to Focused on Health
Content - September 2011
Show You Care!
Cancer Risk Check
Could you be more likely to get cancer?
Find out by taking MD Anderson’s Cancer Risk Check.