World Cancer Day takes place on 4 February every year. The day aims to raise awareness, improve education and compel action to reduce the devastating impact that cancer has on the world. It’s led by the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) and supported by various other organizations involved in cancer care and research.
Around the world:
● one in five people develop cancer during their lifetime, and
● one in eight men and one in 11 women die from the disease.
● In 2018, 18 million people world-wide were diagnosed with cancer.
● 10 million people die from cancer every year.
● Cancer is the second-leading cause of death worldwide.
Chances are, most of us know at least one person affected by cancer, but not many of us know much about cancer or what actions and activities might put us at risk for developing cancer.
Keep reading to find out a bit more about cancer and a few tips to reduce your risk.
Cancer is a disease which occurs when changes in a group of normal cells within the body lead to uncontrolled, abnormal growth forming a lump called a tumour; this is true of all cancers except leukaemia (cancer of the blood). If not detected on time, tumours can grow and spread into the surrounding normal tissue, or to other parts of the body via the bloodstream and lymphatic systems, and can affect the digestive, nervous and circulatory systems or release hormones that may affect body function.
Cancer tumours can be divided into three groups: benign, malignant or precancerous
● Benign tumours are not cancerous and are usually not life threatening. They tend to grow quite slowly, do not spread to other parts of the body and are usually made up of cells quite similar to normal or healthy cells. They can cause discomfort or press on other organs if they grow very large, for example a brain tumour inside the skull.
● Malignant tumours are faster growing than benign tumours and have the ability to spread and destroy surrounding tissue. Cells of malignant tumours can break off from the main (primary) tumour and spread to other parts of the body through a process known as metastasis. These secondary sites are known as metastases and the condition is referred to as metastatic cancer.
● Precancerous (or premalignant) describes the condition involving abnormal cells which may (or is likely to) develop into cancer. This is seen very commonly in cases of cervical cancer.
Unfortunately, despite years of research, science has still not given us any answers as to how we can definitely ensure that we never develop any cancer. However what science has found is a few things that people who tend to suffer from this disease have in common. These risk factors include:
Alcohol – Evidence has shown a direct link between alcohol and a number of cancers. Alcohol can increase the risk of six types of cancers, including bowel (colorectal), breast, mouth, pharynx and larynx (mouth and throat), oesophageal, liver and stomach.The evidence suggests that in general, the more alcohol drinks people consume the higher the risk of many cancers, and that even moderate alcohol intake increases the risk of cancer.
Being overweight or obese – excess weight has been linked to an increased risk of developing 12 different cancers, including bowel and pancreatic cancers. In general, excess weight gain, particularly as adults, is associated with increased cancer risks.
Diet and nutrition – Experts suggest that diets and nutritional intake, particularly diets high in red meats, processed meats, salted foods and low in fruits and vegetables have an impact on cancer risks, particularly colorectal, nasopharynx and stomach
Tobacco – Tobacco smoke contains at least 80 different cancer-causing substances (carcinogenic agents). When smoke is inhaled the chemicals enter the lungs, pass into the bloodstream and are transported throughout the body. This is why smoking or chewing tobacco not only causes lung and mouth cancers but is also related to many other cancers. The more a person smokes, the younger they start, and the longer they keep smoking, all further increase the risk of cancer. Currently tobacco use is responsible for around 22% of cancer deaths.
Infection – Infectious agents are responsible for around 2.2 million cancer deaths annually. This does not mean that these cancers can be caught like an infection; rather the virus can cause changes in cells that make them more likely to become cancerous.
Around 70% of cervical cancers are caused by Human papillomavirus (HPV) infections, while liver cancer and Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma can be caused by the Hepatitis B and C virus, and lymphomas are linked to the Epstein-Barr virus.
Bacterial infections have not been thought of as cancer-causing agents in the past, but more recent studies have shown that people who have helicobacter pylori infection of their stomach develop inflammation of the stomach lining, which increases the risk of stomach cancer.
These are some of the more common modifiable risk factors for developing cancer.
There are other risk factors which we can’t do anything about such as age and genetics which play a major part in the development of cancer. The important thing to note is that cancer diagnosed at an earlier stage is more likely to be successfully treated.
If you notice any unusual symptoms which last more than a few weeks, however mild you think they might be, please make arrangements to see your doctor. The sooner you speak to your doctor, the sooner a diagnosis can be made, the sooner treatment can start, and the better the chance for survival.
