OCTOBER is CANCER AWARENESS MONTH
 Outline:
- What is Cancer
- What is Breast Cancer
- What is Testicular Cancer?
- Detailed Guide: Testicular Cancer
What is Cancer?
Cancer is an abnormal, uncontrolled growth of cells, which will
ultimately cause death if left untreated by the individual.
Every case of cancer begins in within a cell. The cancer begins
because a change within the cell allows it to grow and multiply
when in actuality it should not. Many cells that are regulating
themselves normally create new cells only as fast as those that
are dying. For example, when a person cuts their finger, the skin
cells around the cut multiply faster than they
normally would to heal the cut. This is exactly what happens with
cancer, except for the fact that there is no need for the increased
creation of cells. A cell that divides with no regard for reason
it termed malignant.
Over time this malignant cell will produce
a tumor, which is an abnormal mass of cells. It takes approximately
one billion cells to make a tumor the size of a pea. The divisions
that a malignant cell makes to produce a tumor in insurmountable.
There are certain check-ups that individuals can have to make
sure that they are cancer free. The following are some guidelines
for individual check-ups for people without any symptoms of something
being wrong or abnormal:
Individuals age 20-40:
Uterus
- Pelvic examination every three years.
Cervix
- Pap-test—After three initial negative tests one year
apart—at
least every three years. This includes women under the age of
20 if they are sexually active.
Testes
- Self examination every month.
- Consult a doctor when an abnormality
is present.
*The key is to know your body so that you will recognize
the difference when it appears.
Individuals age 40 and Over:
Uterus
- Pelvic examination every year.
Cervix
- Pap-test—After three initial negative tests one year apart—at
least every three years.
Endometrium
- Endometrial tissue sample at menopause if the individual
is at risk..
Testes
- Self examination every month.
- Consult a doctor when an abnormality
is present.
Colon and Rectum
- Manual rectal examination every year.
- Proctoscopic exam.
Prostate
- Digital rectal exam every year.
Here are the seven major warning signs of cancer to keep in the
back of your mind. Think of the word CAUTION to remember the seven
different indications that an individual may have cancer:
- Change in bowl or bladder habits.
- A sore that does
not heal.
- Unusual bleeding or discharge.
- Thickening or lump
in the breast or elsewhere on the body.
- Indigestion
or difficulty in swallowing.
- Obvious change in a wart or
mole.
- Nagging cough or hoarseness.
Early detection with any kind of cancer is key, so be sure to
have a sense of your body so that you may have an indication of
something being wrong. There are many different treatments for
cancer and the prognosis for all of the different types gets better
everyday. We all just need to catch a change in our body as soon
as possible.
Information for this article was provided by:
Core Concepts in Health 8th edition, By Paul M. Insel
and Walton T. Roth Understanding Your Health 6th edition, by
Wayne A. Payne, Ed.D and Dale P. Hahn, Ph.D.
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What is breast cancer?
Breast cancer is a type of cancer where cells in
the breast tissue divide and grow in a way that is abnormal to
normal death and division.
What are the signs of breast cancer?
 Signs of breast cancer greatly
vary from woman to woman. While some women experience several signs,
others experience none they can see.
- A lump, hard knot or thickening
- Swelling, warmth, redness or
darkening
- Change in breast size or
shape
- Dimpling or puckering of the skin
- Itchy, scaly sore or rash on
the nipple
- Pulling in of your nipple
or other parts
- New pain in one spot
Note: The picture to the right illustrates several types of noncancerous
breast annomalies that may feel like lumps, but are of no concern.
For a correct diagnosis, one must see a doctor.
Who is at risk for breast cancer?
All women are at risk for getting
breast cancer. Keeping this in mind, there are certain risk factors,
some controllable some not,
that increase a woman’s
chances.
Controllable Factors
- having more than one drink of alcohol per
day
- being overweight after menopause or gaining weight in adulthood
- taking
birth control pills for five years or longer
- late or no
pregnancies
- currently or recently using hormone replacement
therapy for five years or longer
- being exposed to large amounts of radiation
Uncontrollable Factors
- aging (the older you get, the greater your
risk)
- personal history of breast or ovarian cancer
- your mother, sister
or daughter had breast cancer
- being younger
than twelve at the time of your first period
- starting menopause
after 55
If you are at a higher risk for breast cancer, talk with your
doctor about risk assessment and possible risk reduction options.
What are the most common breast cancer treatments?
Breast cancer
treatments are generally divided into two categories: local and
systematic. Local treatments are those that include surgery and radiation
therapy. Chemotherapy and hormone therapies are systematic treatments.
These treatments are commonly used together tough to provide the
best chance of
recovery.
For More Information…
The National Breast Cancer Foundation www.nationalbreastcancer.org
The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation www.komen.org
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What Is Testicular Cancer?
Testicular cancer is cancer that typically develops
in one or both testicles in young men. It is a highly treatable
and usually curable form of cancer.
 The testicles (also called
the testes; a single testicle is called a testis) are a part
of the
male reproductive system. These 2 organs,
each normally somewhat smaller than a golf ball in adult males,
are contained within a sac of skin called the scrotum, which
hangs beneath the base of the penis.
The testicles manufacture the
male hormones, most of which is testosterone. They also produce
sperm. Sperm cells are carried
from the testicle
by the vas deferens to the seminal vesicles, where they are
mixed with fluid produced by the prostate gland. During ejaculation,
sperm cells, seminal vesicle fluid, and prostatic fluid enter the
urethra, the tube in the center of the penis through which both
urine and semen are passed.
The testicles contain several types
of cells, each of which may develop into one or more types of
cancer. It is important to distinguish
these types of cancers from one another because they differ in
their prognosis (the outlook for chances of survival) and in
the ways they are treated.
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Detailed Guide: Testicular Cancer
What Are The Key Statistics For Testicular Cancer?
The American Cancer Society estimates that in the
year 2003 about 7,600 new cases of testicular cancer will be diagnosed
in the United States. An estimated 400
men will die of testicular cancer in the year 2003.
Testicular cancer is one
of the most curable forms of cancer. Studies show that the cure
rate exceeds 90% in all stages combined. The 5-year survival
rate for
stage I testicular cancer is 99%. The 5-year survival rate for stage II disease,
in which cancer has spread to local lymph nodes, is 95%. If the cancer has
spread beyond the lymph nodes (stage III), the 5-year survival
rate is around 75%.
The 5-year survival rate refers to the percentage
of patients who live at least 5 years after their cancer is diagnosed.
Five-year rates are used to produce
a standard way of discussing prognosis. Of course, many people live much
longer than 5 years. Five-year relative survival rates exclude
patients dying of other
diseases. This means that anyone who died of another cause, such as heart
disease, is not counted.
Keep in mind that 5-year survival rates
are based on patients diagnosed and initially treated more than
5 years ago. Improvements in treatment often
result in a more
favorable outlook for recently diagnosed patients.
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