Cancer - Know, Prevent, Detect, Treat, Fight, Defeat and Live a normal life.

Introduction: All over the world, millions of people are suffering from cancer. The death rate is also very high. Treatment is also expensive. Therefore, it is imperative to know about cancer, its awareness, preventive measures, diagnosis, treatment, diet, risk factors, social support, etc. Our aim is to spread awareness among the common people for a healthy, wealthy, and happy life. In this blog, we will try to understand the basic things about cancer.

What is Cancer? Cancer is a lump in any part of the body. It is developed as a disease when changes in some normal cells of the body take place abnormally and its uncontrolled growth makes a lump. However in the case of blood cancer (Leukemia), the lump is not seen. The lump is also called a tumor. Cancerous tumors may affect the surrounding tissues and other parts of the body. It may affect the functioning of multiple organs of the body. A person may have more than one type of cancer at a time. Every tumor may not be  cancerous as described below:

Every tumor may not be cancerous. As described below:

Benign: It is mostly a non-cancerous tumor. Its growth is slow. It does not affect other body parts if the size is not large. If the size is large, it may compress the functioning of adjacent body parts like brain tumors.

Malignant: May be cancerous. They grow faster than Benign tumors. It may destroy healthy tissues of other body parts after splitting and spreading. May continue to split, and grow in a new body part.

Precancerous (Premalignant): Already having abnormal cells. Likely to develop cancer.

  

Reasons behind the Cancer: There may be so many reasons behind the cancer. Some are unavoidable and some are avoidable reasons. We cannot do anything for unavoidable reasons, however, we can minimize the risk of cancer by keeping away the avoidable reasons. It is elaborated below:
Unmodifiable (unavoidable) reasons: Aging factor: more age, more prone to cancer. Genetics: Some people are prone to cancer by birth. Immunity: weak immunity increases the risk of cancer. HIV or Aids patients. Some medicines for successful transplants may increase the risk of cancer.
Modifiable (avoidable)  reasons: Sedentary Lifestyle. Unhealthy diet. Lack of knowledge. Government policies. Poor financial capabilities Market propaganda to sell unhealthy food. Obesity, Smoking, tobacco,  Alcoholic drinks, drug abuse. Delay in preventive measures, diagnosis, and treatment. Harmful radiation and infection. Exposure to harmful substances.
As mentioned above, by avoiding or minimizing the modifiable reasons, we can do a lot to avert the spread of cancer. Some of the modifiable reasons are described here:
Alcohol: Alcoholic drinks are injurious to health and scientific evidence is available for this effect that  it may cause Different types of cancers like:
Bowel cancer	Breast cancer
Mouth cancer	Throat cancer
Liver cancer	Stomach cancer
Obesity: Obesity may  be the cause of different diseases in the body. It may increase the risk of various types of cancers like bowel cancer or pancreatic cancer.
Unhealthy diet: It is observed that the high content of animal products (fat, red/processed meat, etc.) and low content of fruits & vegetables in daily diet may increase the risk of stomach cancer etc.
Smoking & Tobacco: Smoking or use of tobacco in any form is injurious to health. It contains various types of cancerous contents. It is responsible for increasing the cancer risk in the mouth, lungs, voice box, pancreas, bladder, kidney, cervix, etc. It may badly affect other body parts also. It is learned that roughly more than 20% of cancer patients are dying due to the use of tobacco/smoking.
Harmful radiation: High energy and high-frequency radiation is also one of the reasons to develop cancer. Harmful radiation may come to you in any form like excessive exposure of X Rays, Gamma rays, radon gas etc. Excessive exposure to Ultraviolet rays from the sun also increases the risk of skin cancer. White skin with moles may further, increase the risk of skin cancer.
Exposure to harmful substances: People exposed to harmful substances are prone to develop cancer. Harmful substances may be Asbestos, chemical dye, etc. Asbestos may cause lung disease and bladder cancer. Chemical dyes may increase the risk of cancer around the lungs.
Exposure to harmful infections: (Virus and Bacteria) Infections due to various harmful viruses and bacteria may be responsible for increasing the risk of different types of cancer. It is one of the reasons for cervical cancer, liver cancer, stomach cancer, etc.

Different types of cancers: Cancer may affect any part of the body, accordingly, various types of cancers have been detected so far. Some names are mentioned below:

(Examples)

 

Blood cancer

Nervous system cancer

Mouth cancer

Throat cancer

Bladder cancer

Oral cancer

Vulva cancer

Cervix cancer

Ovarian cancer

Digestive and upper respiratory tracts cancer

Colorectal cancer

Small intestine cancer

Anus anal canal cancer

Genital system cancer

Testicular cancer

Bowel cancer

Spinal cord cancer

Liver cancer

Cervical cancer

Uterus cancer

Vagina cancer

Endometrial cancer

Head and neck  cancer

Pancreatic cancer

Tongue cancer

Eye and orbit cancer

Soft tissue & heart cancer

Urinary system  cancer

Note: This is not an exhaustive list. Other types of Cancer also exists.

Symptoms and signs of cancer: There are so many symptoms and signs of different types of cancer. Symptoms and signs vary from one type of cancer to another and also vary at one stage or other of the same cancer. Sometimes, similar symptoms or signs may be due to non-cancerous problems. Therefore, Diagnosis and detections will be done by the concerned specialist or doctors only.   Here we are going to write some symptoms and signs which may be due to cancerous and non-cancerous problems. If we are feeling the similar symptoms, it is better to consult the specialists, medical doctors, an expert or healthcare provider for screening tests, diagnosis, etc.

Example of Symptoms: Unusual painless lump or swelling which increases over time. Change in bowel habits, constipation, diarrhea, blood in the stool. All of a sudden, unexpected weight loss within a few months. Unknown pain. Pain and abnormal signs (frequency, volume, flow, etc.) of urination. Unexplained Loss in appetite. Unknown, continuous, and painful heartburn or indigestion. Fever. A lump, pain, ache in the scrotum. Coughing, breathing, and swallowing problems. Unexpected bleeding from the vagina, unexpected bleeding during coughing unexpected bleeding during urination. Fatigue with other symptoms. A new mole or  unexplained rash on skin, change in skin color or changes in shape, size, color, and other conditions of the old mole.     Pain and change in size, shape, and feel skin of the breast. The problem is healing wounds, ulcers, and sore, including mouth ulcers. Unknown heavy sweets during the night. Anemia. Bloating and belly pain.

Prevention of cancer: The risk of some types of cancer can be reduced or minimized by adopting a healthy lifestyle, awareness, vaccination, screening tests, timely diagnosis, treatment, firm determination to fight, social, emotional, moral and financial support from family members, friends, office, organizations, government, etc. Some of the preventive measures are described below:

Physical exercise: To burn out the calories, regular physical exercise (walking, running, Gym, swimming, games, sports, etc.)is necessary. Each  exercise may not be equally suitable to everyone, Consultation with a specialist is needed. By physical exercise, Body Mass Index (BMI) will remain in control. In addition, it  will reduce the risk of colon cancer, breast cancer, uterus cancer, etc.

Reduce or stop the use of tobacco and alcohol: Study suggests that excessive use of alcohol increases the risk of certain types of cancer like breast, colon, lung, kidney etc. Some contradictory study suggests that use of alcohol in very limited amounts may  lower the risk of certain types of cancer in a specific age group and specific gender. To avoid any confusion, It is better to consult a medical expert, to stop or to reduce the use of alcohol.

Healthy diet:  It is learned that plant-based food (fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, nuts, legumes, etc.)  may lower the risk of cancer.      Our diet should be low in animal-based products (red meat, processed meat, animal fat, etc.). Diet Low in sodium, calories, refined sugar etc. tends to reduce the chances of cancer. Olive oil over butter and fish over red meat/processed meat may be better options. Some specific diets may be more beneficial. For example: Fatty fish, spices, berries, broccoli, carrots, beans, cinnamon, nuts, olive oil, turmeric, citrus fruits, flaxseed, tomatoes, garlic, etc.   Moreover, the use of Multivitamins supplement containing Folate (Vitamin B9), vitamin D etc. may lower the risk of certain types of cancer. However consultation with a dietician and a medical expert is needed to fix the diet and multivitamin supplements.

Other Preventive measures: Reduce the exposure to harmful radiation. Reduce exposure to harmful chemicals & substances. Reduce exposure to different types of pollution. The use of some illegal drugs increases the chances of cancer. Avoid them.

Reduce exposure to harmful infections: In poor countries, roughly 20% cases of cancer are detected  due to harmful infection. In the US, it is much less. Some examples of harmful infection (virus or bacteria) are given below: Hepatitis B & C, HIV, HPV, Helicobacter pylori, etc. HPV is a sexually transmitted virus. Don't share the needles of the injection/syringe. Adopt safe sex.

Sun protection: Chances of skin cancer may be reduced or prevented by Adopting suitable norms like: Excessive ultraviolet (UV)  rays from the Sun may increase the risk of skin cancer etc. Avoid exposure to midday sunlight when the rays are strong. Avoid using a tanning bed or sunlamps. During exposure to the sun, use a good quality sunscreen lotion with SPF more than 30%, a suitable hat, sunglasses, a full sleeve shirt and full trousers.

Vaccination: Take vaccinations and screening tests against infection etc. after consultation with  a medical expert or healthcare provider. Note: In some cancers, symptoms may appear at a later stage. Therefore, it is supposed to have regular screening tests without any symptoms under the guidance of an expert or healthcare provider.

Detection: Most of the cancer can be prevented or curable at the beginning stage. Early detection of cancer is helpful in treating at initial stage with minimum side effects and less expenditure and more probability of defeating it. In case of doubt of having cancerous signs or for preventive measures, it is needed to consult an expert for a screening test etc.

Some examples of screening Tests are given below: PAP Smear - Cervical cancer in women. HPV- Cervical cancer in women. Mammography - Breast cancer. Low dose CT - Lungs. For colon (intestine) cancer: Colonoscopy, Flexible Sigmoidoscopy, CT colonography, Fecal Occult Blood Test (gFOBT), Fecal Immunochemical Test (FIT) Prostate Cancer (Men): Prostate Specific Antigen Test (PSA). Ovarian cancer etc. Blood test - Cancer Antigen 125 (CA-125) Pancreas cancer etc. Blood test- CA 19.9 (Carbohydrate antigen -19.9). Cancer antigen - GI. Spread of Breast cancer etc. Blood test -  CA-15.3 Simple Blood test for multiple cancers: With the help of a simple blood test Screening of the following cancers may be done: Adenocarcinoma (AD), Anorectum, Bile duct, Bladder, Bone, Breast, Cervix, Colon, Esophagus, Gallbladder, Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors (GIST), Head, Hepatocellular  Carcinoma, Liver, Lung, Neck, Ovary, Pancreas, Penis, Prostate, Kidney, Rectum, Renal Pelvis, Renal Cell Carcinoma (RCC), Sarcomas, Salivary Gland, Small Intestine, Soft tissue, Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), Stomach, Thyroid, Transitional Cell Carcinoma (TCC), Urachal Carcinoma (URC), Ureter, Uterus, Vagina, Vulva, etc. Biopsies and other tests: As decided by a medical expert.

Stages of Cancer: Medical science has divided the stages of cancer for the better treatment of the patient. In medical terms,  it is called TNM. For common people, roughly we can divide the stages into the Following: The first stage of the cancer describes the size of the Primary (main) tumor. It is called T. The second stage of the cancer describes the condition of the primary tumor whether it has spread to the nearby nodes. This stage is called N. The third stage of the cancer described the condition of the primary tumor whether it has been spread to other parts of the body. It is called M.

Treatment: The suitable treatment for cancer is decided by the medical expert and concerned team after taking into account for the patient's condition and other factors. Some common names of treatment are given below:
Surgery If the cancer is not spread to other parts of the body, Medical experts can remove the required cancerous part of the body.	Chemotherapy Certain chemicals are used to destroy the cancerous cells.
Radiotherapy Medical experts use high-energy rays to treat the cancer.	Hormone Therapy Specific hormone production in the body is changed to stop the growth or to destroy the cancer cells.
Immunotherapy The immune system of the body is used to treat cancer.	Gene Therapy It is used to replace the damaged genes with suitable ones to treat the cancer.
Bone marrow transplant	Autologous  or Allogeneic  transplant
Note: These are some examples. Other modes of treatment may also be given by the expert.

Fight and Defeat:   In addition to treatment, cancer patients need External and Internal support, Palliative care etc. to fight and defeat the Cancer as illustrated below:
External and Internal Support: Cancer patients need psychological, economic, physical, mental, social, and emotional support. It may be given by the hospital team, family, friends, relatives, social groups, office, organizations, government, self will power, disciplined life, healthy diet, physical exercise etc.	Palliative care: Various side effects (fatigue, anemia, nausea, vomiting, pain, chemotherapy brain fog, fever, headache, cough, weight loss, breathing problems, blood in pee or poop, sores on lips or mouth, etc.) may be developed due to cancer treatment. Palliative care is given to subsidize the side effects of cancer treatment. It improves the quality of life of the cancer patient.

Normal Life with Cancer:  Most of the cancers are curable if detected, diagnosed, and treated at an early stage. By adopting the required norms, we can live a normal life with cancer. Mediation and yoga can reduce the stress level and cancer patients will feel relaxed [physically and mentally]. Get sound sleep.     Avoid screen time before going to bed. Reduce the intake of stimulants like alcohol, caffeine, etc. Do physical activity regularly. Take a healthy diet. Reduce or stop the use of tobacco and smoking. Get screening tests and treatment timely. Follow the guidelines of medical specialists or healthcare providers. The outcome of the treatment depends upon the stage and type of the cancer, treatment, etc. Palliative care, Social, family, economic, mental, Psychological, and emotional support, willpower, firm determination to fight, positive attitude will help to live a normal life. Social support makes the quality of life better, and cancer patients live longer with social support. So cancer patients should join the social group and ask for support. Advanced research is going on to find out the better prevention and treatment of cancer. We may expect more advanced ways of prevention and treatment in the future and it will help to lead a normal life for cancer patients.

World Cancer Day:

World Cancer Day is celebrated on 04 February 2024.      The main focus of World Cancer Day is to spread awareness worldwide. It was organized with a slogan to close the care gap and a call to unite our voices and take action.

Cancer fact sheet of India:

Increasing cases of cancer patients in India is a big challenge for the Government.

In 2022, roughly 98000 women died due to breast cancer.

As per data of 2022: Around 1% of people in India expect to visit a hospital for cancer screening tests or treatment during their life. Lung cancer and breast cancer are prominent in males and females respectively. During the span of 05 years (2020-2025), cancer cases are expected to increase by roughly 13%. The highest burden is in the north and northeast regions of India. It is the second leading cause of death. Death due to non-infectious diseases, 18% died from cancer. It is needed to take all necessary steps including awareness to lower the risk of cancer. Childhood cancer is on the rise in India. It is needed to enhance the treatment facilities. The use of Artificial Intelligence and machine learning for better cancer treatment has been started in India.

Roughly less than 1500,000 cancer cases are estimated in 2023, an increase of around 35000 cases compared to 2022.

Cancer fact sheet around the world:

It is the second leading cause of death worldwide, including in the US.

Roughly 10 million people die globally every year from cancer.

Roughly one-third death of cancer patients may be prevented by removing modifiable reasons like smoking, drug abuse, lethargic lifestyle, alcoholic drinking, malnutrition, etc.

Roughly one-third of deaths of cancer patients may be prevented by regular and preventive screening tests, early diagnosis, proper treatment, all-around support, and firm determination to fight cancer, etc.

Roughly two-thirds of cancer patient deaths occur in poor countries.

Smoking or tobacco causes roughly 5 million deaths in a year worldwide.

Globally it is increasing pressure on Government, Hospitals, concerned institutions, patients, family members etc. by way of quality treatment, expenditure, social, emotional, psychological, physical, economical support etc.

In the US, roughly 30% of total cancer patients are caused due to smoking, and roughly 90% of lung cancer cases are due to smoking.

In the US, roughly 20,00,000 new cases of cancer are expected to register in 2024 and more than 6,00,000 deaths related to cancer are expected in the same year (2024). Out of 6,00,000, deaths due to lung, colorectum, and pancreas cancers are ranking highest.

In the US, the second most common cause of death in children is cancer. In 2024, more than 9,000 children and more than 5,000 adolescents are expected to become the victim of childhood cancer. Leukemia is the most common blood cancer in children.

In the US, more than 85% of cancer patients are older than 50 years.

Roughly more than 15% of adults smoke in the US.

The US has developed a new type of blood test called Novelna. This Single blood test can identify 18 early-stage cancers. It analyzes the blood protein of the cancer patient. It is very cheap, and accuracy is more than 80% to detect the first stage cancer. It is a good hope for researchers to move further.

The US has developed AI-based low-dose CT scans for lung cancer. It can predict lung cancer 5-6 years before its initial stage.e

New cancer treatment injection in England takes only 7 minutes to administer compared to the old method which takes around an hour to administer intravenously.

Synthetic biopsy has been envisaged to predict early-stage cancer in a better way.

In England, a drug that is being used for the treatment of breast cancer is now being used as a preventive measure. It is good news.

Final words

Reasons for cancer may be modifiable or nonmodifiable. Presently, we have no help or little help for non-modifiable reasons. However, to stop or reduce the modifiable reasons, is in our hands and it may prevent various types of cancer. Moreover, regular and preventive screening tests, timely diagnosis, better treatment, a healthy diet and lifestyle, a firm determination to fight, high morale, etc. may reduce cancer-related death. Governments and concerned institutions should continue to focus on advanced research, better facilities of treatment, better health insurance policies, and all-around support to patients.

  

Disclaimer: The best efforts are made to provide the basic aspects of cancer after studying the following or similar websites. However, I do not take any guarantee (legal or otherwise) for its correctness or completeness. The blog is manually typed, it is not AI-generated, therefore, any typographical errors are regretted. Before following anything from this blog, it is strongly requested to consult the specialist, doctor, dietician or related professional etc.   https://siteman.wustl.edu https://www.mayoclinic.org https://www.webmd.com https://www.who.in https://ncdirindia.org https://www.weforum.org https://www.news18.com https://docs.google.com https://www.downtoearth.org.in https://doi.org https://www.1mg.com https://acsjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com https://www.medicalnewstoday.com

The end of this blog here, but not the end of hope to completely stop the cancer. We will prevent, treat, fight, defeat and live a healthy life.

The end.