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Article Category: Highlights

Your Men’s Health Playbook

Decade-by-decade strategies to keep you in the game

Published on June 26, 2024

Last updated 02:18 PM June 10, 2025

Group of men of different ages jogging.

Your late teens, 20s & 30s
Striving for top health performance
You may feel on top of your game—even unbeatable—In your 20s and 30s. You may be tempted to think, “Why even bother with a physical?” Yet this is training season for building up lifelong healthy habits.

Establish your care coach: In your late teens to early 20s, transition from your pediatrician and establish yourself with a primary care physician, nurse practitioner or physician assistant by scheduling a physical.

“When young men show up for preventive care, we talk about the future,” said Dr. Dean Seehusen, chair of Family & Community Medicine at Wellstar MCG Health Medical Center in Augusta. “Then we talk about what that’s going to take habit-wise. What you can do in your 60s and 70s is based on what you’re doing in your 20s, 30s and 40s.”

Stay on top of your stats: The information from your annual exam can help you stay on track to live out your vision, measured in part by important health stats—like glucose and cholesterol levels, body mass index and blood pressure. Staying on top of your trending numbers can help prevent heart disease, stroke and diabetes down the road.

It’s also a good time to talk about your vaccine status, such as tetanus (needed every 10 years) and HPV. To protect yourself and your partner, it’s important to test for human papillomavirus. Also known as HPV, it’s the most common sexually transmitted infection and can cause several types of cancer for men and women, even though you likely won’t have symptoms. You may have already received this vaccine in your teens, but if you haven’t yet, it’s recommended through the age of 26.

Men may also consider self-screening for testicular cancer through self-exams during these earlier healthcare years, according to John Aaron III, a physician assistant who cares for patients at Wellstar Family Medicine in Alpharetta.

Look for weaknesses: Make your health team aware of your family medical history, from heart disease and stroke to cancer. This will help them create a personalized health plan for you. You may need screenings or tests for certain health conditions at an earlier age than the average population.

Find a Men’s Health care team near you, including the Wellstar KSU Health Center for Kennesaw State University for students.

 

What you can do in your 60s and 70s is based on what you’re doing in your 20s, 30s and 40s.

- Dr. Dean Seehusen

Chair of Family & Community Medicine at Wellstar MCG Health Medical Center in Augusta

Listen to CJ's Story

Your 40s: Adding new health plays
Starting in your 40s, it’s time to add some new healthcare plays—like getting screened for colorectal cancer and discussing whether prostate cancer screening is right for you.

Put colorectal cancer on the defense: Colorectal cancer is the third-leading cause of cancer-related deaths in men, according to the American Cancer Society. For men at average risk, talk to your primary care professional about colorectal cancer screening at 45—or earlier if you have a family history or colon cancer-related genetic syndromes.

“If you love yourself, then you need to get yourself checked out,” said CJ Stewart, former Chicago Cubs outfielder and Wellstar patient. “You can definitely take it from me—someone who was fearful of the process—that if I can do it, you can do it.”
 
Make smart prostate plays: Depending on personal factors, this may also be the time to start conversations with your doctor about your family history with prostate cancer, and whether screening with a simple prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test is right for you. Men at higher risk for prostate cancer may need to start their screening in their 40s. If you’re not at high risk, you can discuss whether screening is right for you in your 50s. According to the American Cancer Society, Black men have more than twice the risk of dying from prostate cancer than white men. This is an important reason for Black men to proactively discuss screening for prostate cancer with their physician.

Regular screenings can help identify if you might have prostate cancer, and if it may cause harm if left untreated. Schedule an appointment with your primary care clinician or urologist. Or if you’re at higher risk, contact the Wellstar Prostate Health Program for a personalized approach.

Discuss making smart health moves with a primary care professional near you.

Your 50s, 60s & 70s: Staying in the game
In your 50s and beyond, it’s important to maintain your relationship with your primary care health team, who can help you update your playbook so you can keep doing what you love in the long term.

Get defensive: It’s time to review your vaccine status, such as your tetanus, pneumonia and shingles shots.

Strengthen your heart: Ask if you need a heart screening (coronary artery calcium scoring) and discuss ways to lower your risk for heart disease, the leading cause of death in the U.S. for men, women and most racial and ethnic groups. There are easy, delicious meal options that follow American Heart Association nutrition guidelines for lowering your risk of heart disease and stroke.

Get ahead of cancer: If you didn’t talk to your doctor about prostate cancer screening in your 40s, now’s the time to consider if this is the right approach for you. And, men with a history of smoking should ask about lung cancer screenings. According to the American Cancer Society, Black men are about 12% more likely to develop lung cancer than white men. Low-dose CT scans help detect early-stage lung cancer before clinical signs or symptoms become evident. When identified early, lung cancer can be more easily treated and more frequently cured than later-stage cancers.

Staying mentally strong: Consider how you can stay mentally strong. Symptoms of dementia or late-onset Alzheimer’s—namely memory loss and poor judgment-making—may appear in your 60s. About 1 in 9 people 65 and older have Alzheimer's disease in the U.S., according to the Alzheimer's Association. If you or a man in your life show signs of Alzheimer’s disease or dementia, your doctor may refer you to a neurologist for further assessment, to help manage the symptoms and slow down the progression of the disease.

Schedule an appointment with a Wellstar physician, nurse practitioner or physician assistant to help you stay in the game.

What about other conditions men live with?
Read more about how teaming up with your doctor can help you manage erectile dysfunction and sex drive alongside other health conditions that are more common for men.


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Family Medicine - 2450 Old Milton Parkway Suite 201 John M Aaron III Dean Allen Seehusen
Cancer Care Digestive Care Mens Health
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Robert, a new grandfather, poses proudly with his daughter and her infant son. With Wellstar helping him manage his HCM, he can keep making memories with his growing family.

PeopleCare

RobertCare

Robert Frederick was living a typical life, going to work and spending time with his mother, siblings and children. But then it became hard to breathe when walking short distances or climbing stairs. He got dizzy. Perhaps most disturbingly, he passed out several times—once at a Braves baseball game he attended with his siblings.

"I didn't know what was going on!" Robert recalled.

Difficulty controlling AFib with medication

After passing out the first time, he went to urgent care and was then taken to the hospital by ambulance. He learned his symptoms were caused by atrial fibrillation (AFib), an irregular heartbeat.

Robert began to see Dr. David Caras, a Wellstar general cardiologist, and learned AFib is related to high blood pressure. Successfully managing high blood pressure often helps people keep AFib under control. Despite their efforts, AFib sent Robert to the emergency room two more times.

Suspicion of HCM

Dr. Caras reviewed Robert’s hospital records and found he had increased wall thickness of the left ventricle and a gradient—a pressure difference between the left ventricle and the aorta when the heart pumps. These findings were consistent with a condition called hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). Characterized by abnormal thickening of the heart muscle, this disease makes it difficult for the heart to pump blood effectively.

Dr. Caras referred Robert to Dr. Melissa Burroughs, an HCM specialist at Wellstar. As a Center of Excellence designated by the Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Association, Wellstar is one of the leading providers of comprehensive HCM care in Metro Atlanta.

"We have physicians in the group—designated HCM specialists—that are the point person of the patient’s care," Dr. Burroughs explained. “This includes close communication and collaboration with electrophysiologists, surgeons, advanced heart failure specialists, social workers and behavioral health professionals.”

A rare finding leads to Mayo Clinic Care Network collaboration

Robert said, “Dr. Burroughs wanted to do genetic testing to verify that I had HCM."

But genetic testing revealed a rare genetic variant—one not known to be associated with HCM. Dr. Burroughs called it a “diagnostic conundrum.” The genetic variant found was typically associated with a different cardiac disease that Robert did not have. However, he did have clear signs of HCM.

To investigate further, Dr. Burroughs collaborated with other HCM experts through the Mayo Clinic Care Network, of which Wellstar is a member. Mayo Clinic, which is also an HCM Center of Excellence, provided access to its unpublished database, finding Robert’s rare mutation was present in two other family groups with HCM.

“It’s very important that we add to the science—that we include our patients in the registry to enhance what is already known about HCM,” Dr. Burroughs said.

Robert added, “Dr. Burroughs is very persistent. She wanted to know, ‘Why are you having these problems? What’s the root cause?’ She went above and beyond to find that out.”

Keep reading
At 26, Maria receives chemotherapy as part of her breast cancer treatment plan, determined to complete her interior design degree on time.

PeopleCare

MariaCare

Maria Fernanda Ortiz was a college junior, pursuing a degree in interior design. But at just 26 years old, her life took an unexpected turn. She discovered a lump in her breast, which led to a cancer diagnosis and expert, multidisciplinary care at Wellstar that would shape her professional aspirations in the future. Maria feels her hopeful attitude and compassionate care team at Wellstar helped her come through treatment with positive outcomes.

Feeling heard in healthcare

After Maria discovered a lump, she initially saw a doctor who went through the motions but didn’t seem to take her concerns seriously. 

“He was so sure it was nothing because I am so young,” she remembered. “I didn’t think it was cancer, but I wanted someone who would get to the bottom of it.”

She then saw her OB/GYN who referred her to Dr. Laura Pearson, a Wellstar breast surgeon at Wellstar North Fulton Cancer Center, for a second opinion. 

Maria got what she was looking for: a doctor who listened and would help her find answers. 

“Maria is the perfect example of a patient advocating for themselves,” Dr. Pearson said. “She did exactly what she was supposed to do for someone her age who finds a lump. When it didn’t go away, she got it looked at. When she didn’t feel like she was being heard, she didn’t let it go.”

 

A surprising cancer diagnosis

Dr. Pearson immediately performed an ultrasound in the office, followed quickly by a biopsy, which came back positive for cancer. 

"The diagnosis was scary," Maria said. “Dr. Pearson made it as simple as possible to understand by making sketches. She took the time to answer my questions—and she gave me hugs.”

Dr. Pearson added, “I try hard to be methodical and build a story: ‘This is what this means. This is how it applies to you.’ It’s important for patients to understand their plan and how it’s based very specifically on their situation.”

Maria was diagnosed with stage 2A breast cancer, meaning it was a small tumor but had spread to a nearby lymph node. 

“The stage helps us understand how the patient is going to do with standard treatment,” Dr. Pearson explained. “At stage 2A, we’re looking at a 90% survival rate.”

Keep reading
Illustration of group of men

Highlights

Prostate Cancer Screening in Black Men

Screening for prostate cancer is crucial for early detection and to help provide the best possible outcome. It is especially important for Black men to be vigilant about screening, as they are disproportionately impacted by this cancer.

About 1 in 6 Black men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime, compared to 1 in 8 white men, according to a report from the American Cancer Society. Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in Black men.

The American Cancer Society recommends that men at an average risk of developing prostate cancer begin screening when they are 50, but Black men should start earlier—at age 45 if they have no family history of prostate cancer, and at age 40 if any of their male relatives have had prostate cancer. Wellstar takes a personalized approach to cancer screenings, with clinicians discussing benefits versus risks of screening and helping patients evaluate their risk.

“Despite many physicians being aware of this and following this practice, Black men continue to be diagnosed with and die from metastatic prostate cancer. This is a trend that desperately needs to be reversed,” said Wellstar Primary Care Physician Dr. Earl Stewart. “We have adequate screening tools that do not even require a digital rectal examination.”

The Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) blood test is more accurate than the digital rectal examination in helping to detect prostate cancer, according to Dr. Stewart. Patients should also discuss family history with their relatives. “Patients knowing their family history is so crucial in having those discussions with primary care physicians to determine the best age at which to start screening,” Dr. Stewart said.

Screening for prostate cancer is as simple as making a preventive appointment with your primary care physician, discussing your family history with him or her, and having a PSA blood test. This test may be performed during an annual physical or wellness visit. Shared decision making between physician and patient is important to discuss your risk, your need for testing and next steps to take if your PSA level is elevated and concerning. Knowing your risk can save your life.

“I know many personally who are near and dear to me who had the disease and who unfortunately died from complications of metastatic prostate cancer,” Dr. Stewart said. “I know many more who lived because they had the conversation and dared to move forward with appropriate screening at the appropriate age.”

Learn more about prostate cancer care at Wellstar.

Keep reading
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