Samadi Challenge for Men's Health Month: Screening and Prevention Guidelines

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Jun 09, 2015, 05:37 ET

NEW YORK, June 9, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- World renowned prostate cancer surgeon and men's health specialist, Dr. David Samadi, calls for women to take the Samadi Challenge during Men's Health Month and creates a screening and prevention guide for men by age.

Dr. Samadi urges all women to take the Samadi Challenge this June as part of Men's Health Month and get the men in their lives to commit to screening and prevention.

World renowned prostate cancer surgeon and men's health specialist, Dr. David Samadi, calls for women to take the Samadi Challenge during Men's Health Month and creates a screening and prevention guide for men by age.

The goal of the Samadi Challenge is to unite all women to:
-Learn the risk factors of common diseases in men
-Improve the lifestyles of the men in their lives
-Encourage men to get screened annually
-Seek treatment in case of a positive diagnosis

For men in their 30s
-Complete physical every 2 years
-Get blood pressure checked every year
-Cancer screenings for thyroid, testicles, lymph nodes, mouth and skin every three years
-Cholesterol test for total LDL, HDL (the good kind) every three years
-Testicular self-exam every month

For men in their 40s
-Get blood pressure checked every year
-Cancer screenings for thyroid, testicles, lymph nodes, mouth and skin every three years
-Cholesterol test for total LDL, HDL (the good kind) every three years
-Testicular self-exam every month
-Complete physical every 2 years
-Baseline prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test and digital rectal exam (DRE)
-Stool test (for colon and rectal cancers) every year

For men in their 50s
-Get blood pressure checked every year
-Cancer screenings for thyroid, testicles, lymph nodes, mouth and skin every three years
-Cholesterol test for total LDL, HDL (the good kind) every three years
-Testicular self-exam every month
-A sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy (for colon cancers) every three to four years or as recommended by your healthcare provider
-PSA and DRE exam every year

Men live an average of 5 years less than women. More men suffer and die from chronic illnesses than women. They're 1.3 times more likely to have cancer than women and 2 times more likely to die from liver disease. The evidence is clear and the risk is high; men need to be more attentive to their health.

"Getting men to care about their health is a real issue and we know that women are vigilant when it comes to screening. We need them to motivate the men in their lives to have that same proactive attitude towards their health," said Dr. Samadi.

Statistics show that women make over 70% of the medical decisions in a household. Women are proactive and anticipate health issues and practice prevention. Research also shows that they ask a lot of questions of their doctor and want to make an informed decision regarding their health.

"My husband of 27 years was diagnosed with prostate cancer and is now cancer free thanks in part to the PSA screening. I want to challenge my female friends to get all of the men in their lives tested. It's the numbers that save lives. Symptoms do not have to be present for cancer to be present. The PSA is an early indicator of prostate cancer," says Lisa Hill who took the Samadi Challenge in 2014.

"I cannot stress enough the importance of being your own advocate. But most male patients I see either come with, or are encouraged to go to the doctor by their wife, mother, daughter or girlfriend. Women are the ones who can push men to educate themselves and make their health a priority and personal responsibility," said Dr. Samadi.

Learn more about the Samadi Challenge for Men's Health.

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150609/221685-INFO

SOURCE Dr. David Samadi