Guys, not interested in going to the doctor? Procrastinating your next exam? Anthony Macaluso Jr., M.D., a colorectal surgeon on the medical staff at Baylor Regional Medical Center at Plano, understands. “Men don’t like to go to the doctor,” he says. But from one man to another, he says, it’s critical to your health that you do.

Q: Which health conditions should I know about?

A: Heart disease and cancer are the top two killers of men, according to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention. What can you do? Get your health screenings, including blood pressure and cholesterol tests, prostate-specific antigen tests, and yes—your colonoscopy.

“The most important thing men need to know is that colorectal cancer is one of the truly preventable cancers—if you undergo the right tests at the right times,” Dr. Macaluso says.

Q: What are the risk factors for colon cancer?

A: The major risk factors for colon cancer are being over the age of 50 and a family history of the disease. In addition, new research suggests that African Americans are at higher risk for colorectal cancer, Dr. Macaluso says. And watch for these signs: rectal bleeding, blood in the stool, abdominal pain, and unintentional or unexplained weight loss.

“A lot of men out there who will see blood on the toilet paper and they’ll think it’s from hemorrhoids and they’ll ignore it,” Dr. Macaluso says. “Don’t.” Colon cancer can also appear with no symptoms at all, which is why it’s important to get screened.

Q: What do I need to know about screenings?

A: There are many screening tools available, but the “gold standard” remains the colonoscopy. “No other screening method is as thorough as a colonoscopy,” Dr. Macaluso says.

If you have no symptoms and no risk factors, start your screenings at age 50. Those with risk factors or a primary family member who had cancer should start their screenings earlier.

Q: How long does a colonoscopy take?

A: You may be at the doctor’s office for two to three hours, but the procedure itself—which is painless—takes just 10 to 20 minutes. And you can expect to be back at work the next day.

Q: Should I make any lifestyle changes to reduce my risk for colon cancer?

A: Want to prevent cancer and heart disease? There are plenty of often-conflicting studies that suggest various tactics, but at the end of the day, Dr. Macaluso says, it comes down to those basic things we’ve been taught all along.

• Eat a high-fiber, low-fat, low-cholesterol diet

• Drink plenty of water

• Exercise regularly

• Don’t smoke

• If you drink alcohol, drink in moderation.

Mark Your Calendar: Join us for “It’s a Guy Thing” men’s health day June 20, 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. at Baylor Plano, 4700 Alliance Blvd. in Plano. To register, call 1-800-4BAYLOR or click here.