NU 629 Week 6 Discussion 1: Men’s Health Planning

Initial Post

This discussion will allow you to examine several different preventive guidelines related to men’s health. Choose one of the following topics and respond to the thread corresponding to the question you select. Please include at least three scholarly sources within your initial post.

Note: As you are choosing a topic, please try to make sure that all topics are chosen by at least one person. You can see this by noting if anyone has posted to the topic within the corresponding threads.

Topic 1: Colorectal Cancer Screening

A 47-year-old man presents to your clinic for a routine physical. He considers himself to be “fairly healthy” and doesn’t routinely go to the doctor. His last physical was five years ago. In reviewing his chart, you see that his BMI is 30, he exercises twice a week at the local gym, and he does not take any medication. Part of your discussion during today’s visit is about screening for colorectal cancers. He did endorse some constipation in the review of systems. He noted an uncle in his family history who was diagnosed at age 54 with colon cancer. You begin to talk about colorectal screening, and the patient interrupts you and tells you that he is only 47 and that he should not have to worry about it until he is 50.

1. What are the recommendations and source(s)/options for the colorectal cancer screening test?
2. The patient thinks he does not have to worry about “being screened” until age 50. Is he correct? Why or why not?
3. What age would you recommend screening for this patient and why? Does his family history come into play here?

Topic 2: Prostate Cancer Screening

Your patient is an otherwise healthy, white 55-year-old man who presents for his annual physical. He has a history of hypertension and takes Losartan 50 mg daily. His family history is negative for cardiovascular disease or cancer. His review of systems is negative. The patient is a paramedic and exercises regularly. The patient’s BMI is 23. He states that one of his friends was diagnosed with prostate cancer and asks if he needs to be screened.

1. Which screening guidelines would you utilize?
2. Keeping the guideline you used in mind, explain and provide rationales for whether you would change your recommendations if:
   1. The patient had a family history of prostate cancer.
   2. The patient was African American.
   3. The patient was 76 years old.

Topic 3: Testicular Cancer Screening

A 35-year-old African American male is being seen for a pre-employment physical. His father was recently treated for prostate cancer. His BMI is 24, and his past medical history was negative except for an appendectomy 15 years ago. He states he is too young to be screened for prostate cancer, but he wants to be screened for testicular cancer.

1. What are the primary risk factors for testicular cancer?
2. What are the screening options for testicular cancer and which guidelines did you utilize?
3. Is screening recommended for this patient, and how would you counsel this patient?

Reply Posts

Review the initial post of two other peers who chose different topics. When replying to your peers, answer at least ONE of the following questions based on each topic:

Colorectal Cancer Screening

1. Does insurance/cost of tests come into your decision-making? Why or why not?
2. What about patient reliability?

Prostate Cancer Screening

1. How would you counsel this patient?
2. How do some of the various guidelines for prostate cancer screening differ? Compare at least two.

Testicular Cancer Screening

1. Discuss the health plan you would develop for this patient considering his age, race, and family history.
2. Are there community-level plans that could influence your individual health plan for this patient?

Reply to at least two of your classmates who picked two topics different from yours on two separate days (minimum) utilizing at least two scholarly references per peer post.

Please refer to the Grading Rubric for details on how this activity will be graded.