DailyExpertNews
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It’s World Cancer Day and the prospects for winning the war against this deadly disease are both good and bad.
In the United States, cancer deaths have declined by 33% since 1991, with an estimated 3.8 million lives saved, primarily due to advances in early detection and treatment. Yet in 2020, 10 million people worldwide lost their lives to cancer.
“For the past three years, the number 1 leading cause of death in the world has actually been cancer, not Covid-19,” said Dr. Arif Kamal, chief patient officer of the American Cancer Society.
Can mimic cancer symptoms those of many other diseases, so telling them apart can be difficult, experts say. Symptoms include unexplained weight loss or gain, swelling, or nodules in the skin groin, neck, abdomen or armpits and fever and night sweats, according to the National Cancer Institute.
Bladder, bowel, skin and neurological problems can be signs of cancer, such as changes in hearing and vision, seizures, headaches and bleeding or bruising for no reason, the institute said. But most cancers don’t cause pain to begin with, so you can’t rely on that as a sign.
“We tell patients that if they have symptoms that don’t get better after a few weeks, they should see a doctor,” Kamal said. “However, it doesn’t mean the diagnosis will be cancer.”
Instead of waiting Symptoms, the key to keeping cancer at bay is prevention, along with studies to control the disease at an early stage. That’s critical, experts say, as there are new cases of cancer emerging worldwide.
A surprising number of new diagnoses are in people under 50, according to a 2022 review of available research by Harvard University scientists.
Cases of breast, colon, esophagus, gallbladder, kidney, liver, pancreas, prostate, stomach and thyroid cancer have increased in 50s, 40s and even 30 year olds since the 1990s.
That’s unusual for a disease that typically affects people over 60, Kamal said. “Cancer is generally considered an age-related condition because you give yourself enough time to have a genetic whoopsie of sorts.”
Older cells undergo decades of wear and tear from environmental toxins and less favorable lifestyle choices, making them prime candidates for a cancerous mutation.
“We thought it takes time for that to happen, but when someone is 35 when they get cancer, the question is ‘What could have happened?'” Kamal asked.
No one knows for sure, but smoking, alcohol consumption, air pollution, overweight, a deficiency of physical activity and a diet low in fruits and vegetables are the main risk factors for cancer, according to the World Health Organization.
Add those up and you have a potential culprit for the advent of early cancers, the Harvard researchers said.
“The increased consumption of highly processed or Westernized foods along with lifestyle changes, the environment … and other factors may all have contributed to such changes in exposures,” the researchers wrote in their 2022 review.
“For example, you don’t have to eat crispy, charred or processed meat as your main meal for 65 years,” Kamal added. “What you need is about 20 years, and then you start seeing stomach and colon cancer even at a young age.
So how do you fight back against the big C? Start in your twenties, Kamal said.
Many of the most common cancers, including breast, colon, stomach and prostate cancer, are genetic – meaning if a close relative has been diagnosed, you may have inherited a predisposition to developing that cancer at.
That’s why it’s critical to know your family’s health history. Kamal suggests that young people sit down with their grandparents and other close relatives and ask them about their illness – and then write it down.
“The average person doesn’t actually know the level of granularity that is useful for accessing risk,” he said.
“When I talk to patients, they’ll say, ‘Oh, yeah, grandma had cancer.’ There are two questions I want to know: what age was the cancer diagnosed and what specific type of cancer was it?I need to know if she had cancer in her 30s or 60s because that determines your risk level.But they know often not.”
The same goes for the type of cancer, Kamal said.
“People often say ‘Grandma had bone cancer.’ Well, multiple myeloma and osteosarcoma are bone cancers, but both are relatively rare,” he said. “So I don’t think Grandma had bone cancer. I think Grandma had another cancer that had gone to the bone, and I need to know that .’
Next, doctors need to know what happened to that family member. Was the cancer aggressive? What was the response to treatment?
“When I hear mom or grandma was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 40 and died at age 41, I know that cancer is very aggressive, and that changes my sense of your risk. I can add additional tests that are not in the guidelines for your age.
Cancer screening guidelines are based on a population level assessments, not individual risk, Kamal said. So if cancer (or other conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer’s or even migraine) runs in the family, you become a special case and need a personalized plan.
“And I’ll tell you that the whole scientific community is observing this younger age shift for different cancers and wondering, ‘Should the guidelines be more aware and more intentional for younger populations to give them some of this advice?”
If your family history is free of cancer, that lowers your risk — but doesn’t eliminate it. You can reduce your risk of cancer by eating a healthy, plant-based diet, getting the recommended amount of exercise and sleep, limiting alcohol consumption, and not smoking or vaping, experts say.
Protecting yourself from the sun and tanning beds is also important, as harmful ultraviolet rays damage the DNA in skin cells and are the main risk factor for melanoma. However, skin cancer can also occur where the sun doesn’t shine, Kamal said.
“There’s been an increase in melanoma popping up in not exposed to the sun areas like the armpits, genital area and between the toes,” he said. “So it’s important to check your entire body once a year — or have a partner or dermatologist check it.”
Skin Check: Take off all your clothes and carefully examine your entire skin, including the palms of your hands, soles of your feet, between your toes and buttocks, and in the genital area. Use the A, B, C, D, E method to analyze areas of concern, then see a specialist if you’re concerned, the American Academy of Dermatology advised.
Also see a dermatologist if you experience itching, bleeding or see a mole that looks like an “ugly duckling” and stands out from the rest of the spots on your body.
Get vaccinated if you haven’t already done so: Two vaccines protect against cervical and liver cancer, and others against cancers such as melanoma are in development.
Hepatitis B is transmitted through blood and sex fluids and can cause liver cancer and cirrhosis, a scarred and damaged liver. A series of three injections, starting at birth, is part of the US recommended childhood vaccination schedule. Unvaccinated adults should check with their doctor about eligibility.
The HPV vaccine protects against several strains of the human papillomavirus, the most common sexually transmitted infection, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Human papillomavirus can cause deadly cervical cancer, as well as vaginal, anal, and penile cancer. It can also cause cancer in the back of the throat, including the tongue and tonsils.
“These HPV-related head and neck cancers are more aggressive than the non-HPV-related ones cancer,” said Kamal, “both boys and girls should be vaccinated.”
Since the vaccine was approved in the US in 2006 for adolescents From 11 to 13, the number of cervical cancer cases dropped by 87%. Today, the vaccine can be given up to age 45, the CDC said.
Breast self-examination: According to WHO, breast cancer is the most common cancer worldwide, followed by lung, colon, prostate, skin and stomach cancer.
Both men and women can get breast cancer, so men with a family history should also be aware of the symptoms, experts say. These include pain, redness or irritation, dimpling, thickening or swelling of part of the breast. New lumps, either in the breast or armpit, any retraction of the nipple, and nipple discharge other than breast milk are also worrisome symptoms, according to the CDC.
Women should do a self-exam once a month and see a doctor if there are any warning signs, the National Breast Cancer Association advised. Choose a time when the breasts are less tender and lumpy, which is about seven hours up to 10 days after the start of menstruation.
Screenings and tests: Home tests and vaccinations can save lives, but many cancers can only be detected through lab tests, scans, or biopsies. The American Cancer Society has a list of recommended screening by age.
Doing those in a timely manner increases the chances of early detection and treatment, but it’s still each person’s responsibility to know their risk factors, Kamal said.
“Remember, guidelines are only for those at average risk,” he said. “The only way anyone can know if the guidelines apply to them is to really understand their family history.”