Dr. Tariq Jagnarine
Family Medicine/ Endocrinology
Cancer is a disease in which some of the body’s cells grow uncontrollably and spread to other parts of the body. Cancer can start almost anywhere in the human body, which is made up of trillions of cells. Normally, human cells grow and multiply (through a process called cell division) to form new cells as the body needs them.
When cells grow old, or become damaged, they die, and new cells take their place.
Sometimes this orderly process breaks down, and abnormal or damaged cells grow and multiply when they shouldn’t. These cells may form tumours, which are lumps of tissue. Tumours can be cancerous, or not cancerous (benign).
Cancerous tumours spread into, or invade, nearby tissues, and can travel to distant places in the body to form new tumours (a process called metastasis). Cancerous tumours may also be called malignant tumours. Many cancers form solid tumours, but cancers of the blood, such as leukemias, generally do not.
Benign tumours do not spread into, or invade, nearby tissues. When removed, benign tumours usually don’t grow back, whereas cancerous tumours sometimes do. However, benign tumours can sometimes be quite large, and can cause serious symptoms or be life-threatening, such as benign tumours in the brain.
CANCER PREVENTION
Approximately one of every three persons would develop some form of malignancy during his or her lifetime. Despite these grim statistics, doctors have made great progress in understanding the biology of cancer cells, and have already been able to improve the diagnosis and treatment of cancer.
Nevertheless, instead of just waiting for new breakthroughs, here are some suggestions to protect ourselves. Screening tests can help detect malignancies in their earliest stages, but persons should always be alert for symptoms of the disease. The American Cancer Society developed this simple reminder years ago:
C: Change in bowel or bladder habits
A: A sore that does not heal
U: Unusual bleeding or discharge
T: Thickening or lump in the breast or elsewhere
I: Indigestion, or difficulty in swallowing
O: Obvious change in a wart or mole
N: Nagging cough or hoarseness
It’s a rough guide, at best. The vast majority of such symptoms are caused by nonmalignant disorders, and cancers can produce symptoms that don’t show up on the list, such as unexplained weight loss or fatigue. But it is a useful reminder to listen to your body, and to report sounds of distress to a doctor. Health professionals estimate that up to 75% of cancer deaths can be prevented.
The 10 commandments of cancer prevention are:
1. Avoid tobacco in all its forms, including exposure to secondhand smoke.
2. Eat properly. Reduce the consumption of saturated fats and red meats, which may increase the risk of colon cancer and bring on a more aggressive form of prostate cancer. Increase consumption of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
3. Exercise regularly. Physical activity has been linked to a reduced risk of colon cancer. Exercise also appears to reduce a woman’s risk of breast and possibly reproductive cancers. Exercise will help protect people even if they don’t lose weight.
4. Stay lean. Obesity increases the risk of many forms of cancer. Calories count; if there’s a need to slim down, take in fewer calories, and burn more with exercise.
5. If drinking is an issue, limit oneself to an average of one drink a day. Excess alcohol increases the risk of cancers of the mouth, larynx (voice box), esophagus (food pipe), liver, and colon. It also increases a woman’s risk of breast cancer. Smoking further increases the risk of many alcohol-induced malignancies.
6. Avoid unnecessary exposure to radiation. Get medical imaging studies only when needed. Check homes for residential radon, which increases the risk of lung cancer. Protect yourselves from ultraviolet radiation in sunlight, which increases the risk of melanomas and other skin cancers, but don’t worry about electromagnetic radiation from high-voltage power lines or radiofrequency radiation from microwaves and cell phones; they do not cause cancer.
7. Avoid exposure to industrial and environmental toxins such as asbestos fibres, benzene, aromatic amines, and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs).
8. Avoid infections that contribute to cancer, including hepatitis viruses, HIV, and the human papillomavirus. Many are transmitted sexually or through contaminated needles.
9. Make quality sleep a priority. Admittedly, the evidence linking sleep to cancer is not strong, but poor and insufficient sleep increases are associated with weight gain, which is a cancer-risk factor.
10. Get enough Vitamin D. Many experts now recommend 800 to 1,000 IU a day, a goal that’s nearly impossible to attain without taking a supplement. Although protection is far from proven, evidence suggests that Vitamin D may help reduce the risk of prostate cancer, colon cancer, and other malignancies. However, do not count on other supplements.
There’s no sure way to prevent cancer, but people can help reduce their risk by making healthy choices, like eating right, staying active, and not smoking. It’s also important to follow recommended screening guidelines, which can help detect certain cancers early.
