Disease Affects Genders Differently; Here Are The 5 Most Dangerous Types Of Cancer For Men And Women

Along with heart disease, cancer is still one of the leading causes of death in American adults — surpassing the number of lives claimed by chronic lower respiratory diseases, stroke, or diabetes by thousands. And among the nearly 600,000 people who die from cancer every year in the United States, there are a few types of cancers that are not only the deadliest, but some of the most difficult to treat.

In the infographic below, Unity Point Health aggregates data from the American Cancer Society’s Cancer Facts & Figures 2013 to help provide a sense of cancer statistics. For reference, the latest report from 2016 mirrors the same top five deadliest cancers for both men and women — so it’s still relevant.

For both men and women, lung and bronchus cancer is the deadliest cancer, with some 87,260 men and 72,220 females dying from it in 2013. Though lung cancer rates have dropped in the past decade due to fewer people smoking, they still remain high: Lung cancer takes more lives than pancreas, breast, and colon cancers combined, according to the American Lung Association. That’s likely due to the fact that lung cancer symptoms are often invisible or unclear until it’s too late. Coughing, a change in your cough, shortness of breath, aching in your chest, or weight loss could all be signs of lung cancer that many people don’t take seriously.

For men, prostate cancer takes the second spot, with statistics showing that one in six men in the U.S. will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during their lifetime. Early detection is key for prostate cancer: The survival rate of men who are diagnosed early is 98 percent. For women, breast cancer is the second most dangerous cancer. Colon and rectum cancer ranks third deadliest for both men and women.

Although it can appear as though death by cancer is unpreventable, this data shows that lifestyle changes and early screening could be key to cancer prevention. According to Unity Point Health, “By being diligent with screenings and avoiding triggers such as smoking, poor nutrition, heavy alcohol use, obesity and low activity levels, many cancer-related deaths are theoretically preventable.” In addition, performing self-exams regularly, getting vaccines for infection-related cancers like cervical cancer, and lowering your exposure to environmental pollutants will all work towards your favor.