In Kansas, 198 of every 100,000 males die annually from cancer. Research shows men are less likely to visit the doctor regularly than women, so they may be missing out on important preventive health visits and screenings. This is especially concerning because men are more likely to die from cancer than women. About 856,370 men in the U.S. will be diagnosed with cancer in 2018, and an estimated 323,630 will die of the disease this year.

Fortunately, the most commonly diagnosed cancers in men—prostate, lung and colorectal cancers—can often be prevented or detected early. June is Men’s Health Month, and there’s no better time to make an appointment with your health care professional or encourage the men in your life to schedule theirs. Make the most of the visit by learning your cancer risk factors (including family history) and screening recommendations before you go.

Aside from skin cancer, prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in American men, affecting mainly those ages 65 and older. African-American men are more than twice as likely to die from prostate cancer as any other racial or ethnic group. Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing may help detect prostate cancer early, but you should talk to your health care professional about the benefits and harms of screening.

Lung cancer is the most deadly form of cancer for both men and women. About 80 percent of cases are attributed to smoking, but nonsmokers are at risk through secondhand smoke and environmental exposure to radon or other carcinogens, which could be found in your home or office building. If you’re a heavy smoker or former smoker, that has smoked two packs of cigarettes per day for 15 years, low-dose CT screening can help find lung cancer early, when successful treatment is more likely.

Colorectal cancer is most common in those ages 50 and over, but rates in younger people are increasing. Risk factors include inflammatory bowel disease, such as Crohn’s disease, a family history of colorectal cancer or colorectal polyps, smoking, being overweight or obese, consuming alcohol in excess and eating a lot of red or processed meats. Screening is recommended for those at average risk beginning at age 50 and can detect pre-cancerous polyps or cancer cells early, when they can be removed or treated more easily.

Visiting a health care professional and getting recommended screenings are important parts of cancer prevention, but you can also reduce your risk by maintaining a healthy weight, exercising regularly, not smoking, limiting alcohol intake and eating a nutritious diet. To learn more about cancer prevention and early detection, visit www.preventcancer.org.

Laina Marshall is the spouse of Representative Roger Marshall, MD and a member of the Prevent Cancer Foundation’s Congressional Families Cancer Prevention Program. Statistics provided by the American Cancer Society, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the National Cancer Institute.