Just a mere suspicion of having any form of Cancer sends shivers to anybody and it is natural to feel intimidated and terrorized. Based on the cancer registry data it is estimated that there will be about 800,000 new cancers cases in India every year. At any given point there is likely to be 3 times this load that about 240,000 cases. Yet, many of these deaths can be avoided. Over 30% of all cancers can be prevented. Others can be detected early, treated and cured. Even with late stage cancer, the suffering of patients can be relieved with good palliative care.
Cancer can affect just anyone – the young, the old, the rich and the poor, men, women and children – and represents a tremendous burden on the patients, their families and the society. Cancer is one of the leading causes of death in the world, particularly in developing countries. It is anyone’s diseases and not someone else’s disease. It is time that we must act now; else we may be too late!
Cancer is no more a dreaded and mysterious disease. A lot of developments and researches have taken place in the past two decades. We have new surgical techniques, new drugs, new radiation machines all which has changed the outcome of the disease, we now are into organ preservation and improved quality of life for the affected. The problem is that, still, patients come for treatment at a very advance stages. If we have to win over cancer we have to change this scenario. The message which needs to be propagated is “BE CAREFUL NOT FEARFUL”. Cancer of the breast, oral cavity and cervix constitutes almost 60% of cancer in India.
One third of the cancer in India are preventable. The seven steps of prevention include:
- step 1: Don’t use tobacco
- step 2: Eat a variety of healthy foods
- step 3: Stay active and maintain a healthy weight
- step 4: Protect yourself from the sun
- step 5: Get immunized
- step 6: Avoid risky behaviors
- step 7: Get screened
A cancer winner can spend his or her life in two ways – one is silently, pitying herself/himself, the other is to come out and speak aloud about the fight, to win over this dreaded disease. Today we have so many cancer winners with us and I really congratulate them for having taken this path of speaking out.
Cancer prevention: 7 tips to reduce your risk
Concerned about cancer prevention? Take charge by making small changes in your daily life, from eating a healthy diet to scheduling regular cancer screenings.
You’ve probably heard conflicting reports about cancer prevention. Sometimes the specific cancer-prevention tip recommended in one study or news report is advised against in another. If you’re concerned about cancer prevention, take comfort in the fact that small changes in your daily life can make a big difference. Consider seven real-life cancer prevention tips.
- Don’t use tobacco
Using any type of tobacco puts you on a collision course with cancer. Smoking has been linked to various types of cancer — including cancer of the lung, bladder, cervix and kidney — and chewing tobacco has been linked to cancer of the oral cavity and pancreas. Even if you don’t use tobacco, exposure to secondhand smoke may increase your risk of lung cancer.
Avoiding tobacco — or deciding to stop using it — is one of the most important health decisions you can make. It’s also an important part of cancer prevention. If you need help quitting tobacco, ask your doctor about stop-smoking products and other strategies for quitting.
- Eat a healthy diet
Although making healthy selections at the grocery store and at mealtime can’t guarantee cancer prevention, it may help reduce your risk. Consider these guidelines:
- Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables.Base your diet on fruits, vegetables and other foods from plant sources — such as whole grains and beans.
- Limit fat.Eat lighter and leaner by choosing fewer high-fat foods, particularly those from animal sources. High-fat diets tend to be higher in calories and may increase the risk of overweight or obesity — which can, in turn, increase cancer risk.
- If you choose to drink alcohol, do so only in moderation.The risk of various types of cancer — including cancer of the breast, colon, lung, kidney and liver — increases with the amount of alcohol you drink and the length of time you’ve been drinking regularly.
- Maintain a healthy weight and include physical activity in your daily routine
Maintaining a healthy weight may lower the risk of various types of cancer, including cancer of the breast, prostate, lung, colon and kidney. Physical activity counts, too. In addition to helping you control your weight, physical activity on its own may lower the risk of breast cancer and colon cancer.
As a general goal, include at least 30 minutes of physical activity in your daily routine — and if you can do more, even better. Try a fitness class, rediscover a favorite sport or meet a friend for daily brisk walks.
- Protect yourself from the sun
Skin cancer is one of the most common kinds of cancer — and one of the most preventable. Try these tips:
- Avoid midday sun.Stay out of the sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., when the sun’s rays are strongest.
- Stay in the shade.When you’re outdoors, stay in the shade as much as possible. Sunglasses and a broad-rimmed hat help, too.
- Cover exposed areas.Wear tightly woven, loosefitting clothing that covers as much of your skin as possible. Opt for bright or dark colors, which reflect more ultraviolet radiation than pastels or bleached cotton.
- Don’t skimp on sunscreen.Use generous amounts of sunscreen when you’re outdoors, and reapply often.
- Avoid tanning beds and sunlamps.These are just as damaging as natural sunlight.
- Get immunized
Cancer prevention includes protection from certain viral infections. Talk to your doctor about immunization against:
- Hepatitis B.Hepatitis B can increase the risk of developing liver cancer. The hepatitis B vaccine is routinely given to infants. It’s also recommended for certain high-risk adults — such as adults who are sexually active but not in a mutually monogamous relationship, men who have sex with men, and health care or public safety workers who might be exposed to infected blood or body fluids.
- Human papillomavirus (HPV).HPV is a sexually transmitted virus that can lead to cervical cancer. The HPV vaccine is available to both men and women age 26 or younger who didn’t have the vaccine as an adolescent.
- Avoid risky behaviors
Another effective cancer prevention tactic is to avoid risky behaviors that can lead to infections that, in turn, may increase the risk of cancer. For example:
- Practice safe sex.Limit your number of sexual partners, and use a condom when you do have sex. The more sexual partners you have in your lifetime, the more likely you are to contract a sexually transmitted infection — such as HIV or HPV. People who have HIV or AIDS have a higher risk of cancer of the anus, cervix, lung and immune system. HPV is most often associated with cervical cancer, but it may also increase the risk of cancer of the anus, penis, throat, vulva and vagina.
- Don’t share needles.Sharing needles with an infected drug user can lead to HIV, as well as hepatitis B and hepatitis C — which can increase the risk of liver cancer. If you’re concerned about drug abuse or addiction, seek professional help.
- Take early detection seriously
Regular self-exams and professional screening for various types of cancers — such as cancer of the skin, colon, prostate, cervix and breast — can increase your chances of discovering cancer early, when treatment is most likely to be successful. Ask your doctor about the best cancer screening schedule for you.
Take cancer prevention into your own hands, starting today. The rewards will last a lifetime.