CANCER: IT IS NOT CANCEL Dr. Jigar G. Patel M.D.,D.M. Medical oncologist and haematologist
What cancer means?
What cancer actually do?
Why to talk about cancer? With a million (10 lakh) new cases being reported every year, cancer seems to be tightening its grip on India. Experts say the incidence of the killer disease(?) is expected to rise fivefold by 2025. Cancer is one of the leading causes of deaths in India, which has nearly 3 million patients suffering from the disease. Annually, nearly 500,000 people die of cancer in India. The WHO said this number is expected to rise to 700,000 from 2015.
Deaths from infectious diseases come down significantly Childhood mortality has gone down Longevity has increased over the years Adoption of Western Life style Cigarette Smoking Higher consumption of saturated fat Consumption of Calorie dense foods Physical activity
Cancer in INDIA According to WHO, Most common among men - lung, oral, lip, throat and neck cancers while Women suffer more from cervix, breast and ovarian cancers
Cancer in INDIA Ignorance among the public, delayed diagnosis and lack of adequate medical facilities has given cancer the dubious distinction of being a "killer disease". However, the fact remains that if cancer is detected in its early stages, it can be treated and an individual can lead a healthy life
AGE(IN YEARS) AND CANCER IN INDIA Age Group % of cancer % of Population 00-14 4 35 15 34 10 39 35 64 62 22 65 + 24 3
In India tobacco chewing and smoking are the most common and most dangerous risk factors. Most people in India start smoking at very young age many a times just because of fun or so called kick from smoking. It becomes habit over years without even their knowledge and end up in having one or more deadly diseases in many of them.
TOBACCO RELATED CANCERS(TRC) In our country TRC Constitute half of all cancers in males and one-third in females, i.e. Overall about 35-40 percent of cancers are related to the use of tobacco
The Good News many people feel that having cancer will automatically lead to death but many types of cancer today are successfully treated the quality of cancer care in India has increased enormously in recent years increasing numbers of people in India are surviving cancer and leading a normal life
The Not So Good News Survival rates for many forms of cancer are worse in India than in rest of the world Many people are dying of cancer whose lives could have been saved Delayed diagnosis is the major reason for high death rate
Why are our Survival Rates not as good as the best? Many people don t know enough about the key symptoms and signs of cancer Many people are so worried about cancer that they put off going to the doctor for as long as possible Thus, by the time it is diagnosed, cancer is often very advanced may need very extensive treatment may not be treatable at all
DANGER A change in bowl and bladder habits Any abnormal discharge or bleeding from any site A non healing ulcer in any part of body Change in voice, difficulty in swallowing, pain while eating Any swelling in breast or any other part Persistent cough or breathlessness.
Know Your Body and What is Normal for You If you start to get new symptoms/signs that aren t going away (e.g. 3 weeks or more), then make an appointment with your physician to get them checked If it turns out not to be serious, you ve got peace of mind If it is serious, by getting treatment early you have the best chance of making a good recovery
Knowing symptoms and signs are very important part in cancer diagnosis and management. SO PLEASE DON T IGNORE IT. Avoiding diagnosis or treatment just don t help at all. You always land up losing your life if you choose not to fight your fears. Another important thing is prevention as it is said prevention is always better than cure.
PREVENTION Your age and your family history (genetics) are important influences on your chance of getting cancer. But 4 out of every 10 cancers are due to lifestyle and are therefore preventable.
How to reduce your chance of developing cancer Smoking: don t smoke Diet: eat a balanced diet with plenty of fruit and vegetables Weight: don t be overweight or obese Take exercise: e.g. walking Alcohol: don t drink above recommended limits
2/3 of all cancers may be prevented by Avoiding tobacco Avoiding/limiting alcohol Consumption Eating adequate fruits and vegetables daily Knowing family history of cancer Limiting exposure sun/radiation
Choosing healthy food reduces cancer risk by 30 40% Eating a low fat diet Regular exercising Maintaining healthy weight throughout life
Another important thing for prevention is screening. Screening means to identify those with high risk of developing certain disease or to identify those with disease has started developing
Screening for cancer Early detection provides the best opportunity for successful treatment Cancer screening examinations are medical tests performed when you re healthy Reliable screening tests are available for certain cancers Ex: Cervix, Breast, Colon etc.
Common risk factors for breast cancer are no breast feeding, no child, having child at age more then 30, two or more female with breast cancer in family, any male member with breast cancer in family, use of hormone replacement therapy.
If one has any of above risk factors then ideal is to go for mammography at age of forty or at earlier age then of family member whichever is earlier. For those who have no family risk they should ideally go for mammography at age aroung 40-45 years. Even those who have no risk factor at all should go for mammo at around age of 45-50 years.
Lung Cancer Facts Most common type of cancer in men in India as per globoon 2012 data Globally also the most common cancer Most diagnosed are smokers, however incidence in non smokers and females also rising No effective screening test IF FOUND EARLY CAN OFTEN BE TREATED
Lung Cancer Risk Factors Smoking by far the biggest risk Radon gas exposure Industrial exposure (arsenic, diesel, herbicides) Air Pollution (particulates from diesel traffic fumes) Family History
Lung Cancer Symptoms New and persistent cough for more than 3 weeks Blood flecks in Phlegm Recently started feeling breathless New chest or shoulder pain longer than 3 weeks Unexplained loss of weight /appetite Fatigue Chest infection that doesn t get better after antibiotics Hoarseness/loss of voice but no sore throat.
So the most effective way of preventing lung cancer is to stop smoking. As there are not much screening tools available, to keep an eye on symptoms is very important for early diagnosis.
Head Neck cancer One of the most common forms of cancer in India Tobacco Products: Chewing gutkha : a common cause Smoking Tobacco Cigarettes Cigars Pipes Chewing Tobacco Snuff Ethanol Products Chemicals: Asbestos Chromium Nickel Arsenic Formaldehyde Other Factors: Ionizing Radiation Plummer-Vinson Syndrome Epstein-Barr Virus Human Papilloma Virus
Warning Signs of Head and Neck Cancer Hoarseness Erythroplasia Referred otalgia Persistent sore throat Epistaxis Nasal obstruction Serous otitis media Neck mass Non-healing ulcer Dysphagia Submucosal mass Not all cancers present with symptoms at early stages!
Colon cancer: Third most common cancer in men and women with over 200,000 cases per year. Risk factors: over 50 years old, obese, family history of colon or rectum cancer or polyps, diets high in fats, low in fiber, smoking, high alcohol consumption, lack of exercise 90% of colorectal cancers are preventable
Prevention: regular exercise, a diet heavy in fruits and plant-origin foods, a health weight, and control in alcohol consumption. Screening colonoscopy if family history of colon cancer
Key Messages Be aware of the early warning signs for Cancer Encourage and help people to speak to their physicians if needed Avoid tobacco and smoking Encourage people to take part in cancer screening programmes Spread the good news - If caught early enough, many types of cancer can be cured
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