Denton County Living Well Magazine March/April 2018 | Page 17

in men whose diets are high in calci-
um, so one way to lower risk would be
to reduce dairy intake.
Promising research: For men who
develop prostate cancer, “one type of
radiation treatment is proton therapy,”
Dr. Holguin says. “This treatment de-
livers the radiation very specifically to
the cancer and may decrease the tox-
icity to the surrounding tissue.”
3. LUNG CANCER
Prevalence: About 1 in 4 cancer
deaths is attributed to lung cancer,
making it the deadliest kind in both
men and women.
Primary protection: Don’t smoke.
“The vast majority of lung cancer is
clearly a result of smoking and other
exposures [to tobacco smoke], but
predominantly smoking,” Dr. Holguin
says.
Promising research: People who
are at high risk for lung cancer can
be screened and diagnosed before
symptoms develop through use of a
low-dose computerized tomography
(CT) scan. A study conducted by the
National Cancer Institute showed
that screening people at high risk
of lung cancer with low-dose CT
scans reduced mortality from lung
cancer by 20 percent, contributing
to more than 70,000 lives saved
each year.
4. SKIN CANCER
Prevalence: Skin cancer is the most
commonly diagnosed cancer in both
men and women.
Primary protection: Minimize ex-
posure to the sun. Wear sunscreen
and clothing that provides adequate
coverage.
Promising research: “A new class
of drugs is adding significant survival
benefits in patients with advanced
melanoma,” Dr. Holguin says. “These
checkpoint inhibitors help ‘unmask’
the cancer so that the immune system
can recognize it and fight it off.”
5. COLORECTAL CANCER
Prevalence: Although colorectal
cancer is still one of the most common
cancers, the rate of new cases has
decreased steadily over the last 10
years.
Primary protection: Get a colo-
noscopy. This screening not only helps
detect cancer, but it’s also used by
doctors to remove precancerous pol-
yps, effectively preventing the disease
from developing. Start colonoscopies
at age 50 and then get one every 10
years thereafter.
Promising research: “Treatment
has improved through the addition
of targeted therapy to standard
chemotherapy approaches,” Dr.
Holguin says. “Also important has
been the recognition of several ge-
netically related colon cancer fami-
lies, the early identification of indi-
viduals at risk and careful following
of those patients.” If colorectal can-
cer runs in your family, consider ge-
netic testing.
For a physician referral or for more information on Cancer Care services at a Baylor
Scott & White Health location near you, call 1.844.BSW.DOCS or visit us online at
www.BSWHealth.com/Cancer.
Physicians provide clinical services as members of the medical staff at one of Baylor Scott & White Health’s subsidiary, community or affiliated medical centers and do not
provide clinical services as employees or agents of those medical centers, Baylor Health Care System, Scott & White Healthcare or Baylor Scott & White Health.
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