Cancer: Risk, Treatment and Prevention Presentation

Cancer

Definition: – A condition characterized by abnormal cells that do not function usefully in the body, thereby destroying normal body tissues (Barrett, 2013).

Cancer facts

• Cancer is the second leading killer in the United States.
• One out of four deaths result from cancer in the U.S.
• In 2011, the ACS approximates that about 572,000 million Americans died of cancer.
• In 2011, the ACS estimates that 1.6 million new cases of invasive cancer were discovered.
• No best single treatment so far, for all cancers.
• Each cancer has its unique characteristics.
• Cells are similar, hence difficult to kill abnormal cells and leave normal ones.
• No single solution is expected in the foreseeable future.

Cancer Risk Factors

Environmental:

• Tobacco smoking: – Responsible for 85% to 90% of lung cancer cases, mouth, pancreas, larynx, esophagus, and other organs.
• Excess alcohol consumption (increase risk for mouth, rectum, liver, esophagus cancers.
• Radiation – increase leukemia and skin cancers.
• Certain sexual patterns, infections, drugs, and/or occupational exposures.
• Pollution – Heavy chemicals such as benzene, asbestos increase cancer risk

Note:- Effect of diet on cancer is not clearly established although it is attributed to a number of cancers.

Genetic causes.

Preventive measures

Primary prevention:

• The most important measure taken before cancer occurrence;
• Avoid cigarettes and other tobacco products;
• Regular exercise;
• Avoid excess alcohol consumption.

Secondary:

• Periodic physical examinations,
• Pap smears,
• Colonoscopy,
• Mammography.

Note: Thermography and trans-illumination are not valid breast cancer testing techniques (Barrett, 2013).

Evidence-based treatment methods

Surgery

• Used commonly for major cancer forms in the early stages.
• Involves tumor and cancer containing nearby tissue removal.

Radiation therapy

• Ionizing radiation used internally or externally.
• Destroys cancer cells.
• The high risk of destroying non-cancer cells.

Chemotherapy

• Increasingly becoming effective in treating cancer.
• Drugs attack cancer cell to prevent them from spreading to distance places.
• Curative doses have severe side effects.

Other: Photodynamic, Localized hyperthermia, Marrow transplants, interleukins.

Susceptibility to cancer quackery

• The cancer field is susceptible to unproven fraudulent treatments.
• Questionable treatment methods used because of fear that cancer is incurable and costly to treat.
• Factors that influence cancer patient to seek unconventional treatment methods.
• Believing that cancer has been cured.
• Slow-growing cancer patients misrepresented as cured.
• Non-standard methods are explained in common-sense terms hence seem plausible.
• Promoters encouraging patient to believe they blame themselves because they are ill.

Questionable Methods

• Definition: – they are diagnostic tests that promote the general use of cancer prevention, treatment, and diagnosis which are not scientifically proven (Barrett, 2013).
• Cancer management includes:
• Corrosive agents,
• Plant products,
• Diets and dietary supplements,
• Drugs (Iscador),
• Correction of imbalances,
• Biological methods,
• Device therapy among others.

Promotion of questionable methods

Dubious information sources

• Personal contacts;
• Magazines and books;
• Proponent organizations;
• Commercial information services;
• Radios and television programs;
• Internet channels;
• Sponsorship from prominent individuals;
• Integrative cancer centers (Barrett, 2013).

Trustworthy Information sources

• NCI, ACS, and University of Pennsylvania Cancer Center Web Sites;
• ACS and NCI telephone queries, printed material;
• NCI computerized databases.

Consumer protection laws

• FDA fights fraudulent cancer treatment

The state licensing agency regulations of professional.

Reference

Barrett, S. (2013). Consumer health: A guide to intelligent decisions. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.