Cancer is
one of the most commonly used health terms. With six letters and
two syllables, it is relatively easy to spell and pronounce
compared to other common diagnoses such as myocardial infarction
and hyperlipidemia. But cancer is far from simple. Although most
Americans know someone who was diagnosed with cancer, many people
don’t understand what cancer is.
“font-size: 9pt; font-family: Verdana;”>The term cancer is used for abnormal cells that are growing out of control and can spread to other organs or tissues.
“font-size: 9pt; font-family: Verdana;”>A cell is the basic functional unit of life and humans have trillions of cells. Each cell contains DNA, a genetic code, which tells the cell how to form and operate.
“font-size: 9pt; font-family: Verdana;”>Amazingly, cells grow and divide into new cells in a very controlled manner. When cells become damaged, they are either repaired or replaced. Each time a cell divides, its DNA must be copied. In some cases, the DNA is not copied correctly and a change (mutation) results. Most genetic mutations are due to environmental factors such as diet or smoking and only about 10 percent are inherited from family.
“font-size: 9pt; font-family: Verdana;”>If the DNA changes, cells can be made that are irregular and grow uncontrolled. If these uncontrolled cells have the ability to damage normal cells and can spread to other cells, they are called cancer cells. Often these cancer cells form a mass called a tumor (although not all tumors are cancer). Cancer cells can also be found in the blood, which is leukemia, or in the immune system, which is lymphoma or myeloma.
“font-size: 9pt; font-family: Verdana;”>There are more than 100 different cancers and these are usually named for the organs from which they developed, for example prostate cancer or lung cancer.
“font-size: 9pt; font-family: Verdana;”>Early diagnosis and treatment of cancer, dramatically improves the chance of a cure. There are some types of cancer that can be found using screening tools. For instance, many breast cancers can be found with mammograms, colon cancers by colonoscopy, and cervical cancer using Pap tests.
“font-size: 9pt; font-family: Verdana;”>
“font-size: 9pt; font-family: Verdana;”>Here are some tips to reduce your risk of cancer.
“margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;”>
“font-size: 9pt; font-family: Verdana;”>1.
“font: 7.0pt”> “font-size: 9pt; font-family: Verdana;”>Avoid tobacco use. Smoking is associated with several cancers including lung cancer, bladder cancer and kidney cancer. Being exposed to secondhand smoke can also increase your risk of lung cancer. And it’s not just smoking. Chewing tobacco has been linked to head and neck cancer.
“margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;”>
“font-size: 9pt; font-family: Verdana;”>2.
“font: 7.0pt”> “font-size: 9pt; font-family: Verdana;”>Maintain a healthy weight. Being overweight (BMI, Body Mass Index, of 25-30) or obese (BMI of greater than 30) is associated a number of cancers including breast, colon, ovarian, cervical, and kidney. Staying physically active is an important factor in maintaining a healthy weight.
“margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;”>
“font-size: 9pt; font-family: Verdana;”>3.
“font: 7.0pt”> “font-size: 9pt; font-family: Verdana;”>Eat a healthy diet. Even if you have a healthy weight, eating a diet high in fruits, vegetables and whole grains, and low in fat.
“margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;”>
“font-size: 9pt; font-family: Verdana;”>4.
“font: 7.0pt”> “font-size: 9pt; font-family: Verdana;”>Get screened. Guidelines exist for screening for a number of cancers including skin, colon, cervical and breast. Screening for cancer is based on your age, family history and other risk factors. Talk to your health provider about your risk for cancer and determine which screening tests you need and when.
“margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;”>
“font-size: 9pt; font-family: Verdana;”>5.
“font: 7.0pt”> “font-size: 9pt; font-family: Verdana;”>Know your family history. It is often difficult to talk about the medical history of your family members especially if the health conditions resulted in death. Cancer is often considered a ‘bad’ word so that can be even more difficult to discuss. However, knowing your family’s health history is an important factor in determining whether you are at increased risk for diseases, especially cancer. Honor your family members by learning their history by trying to prevent the same conditions from affecting you. “font-family: Verdana;”>
“font-size: 9pt; font-family: Verdana;”> For more information about cancer, visit “font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria;”>
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>
