On February 4, the World Cancer Day. The objective of this celebration is to increase the awareness about the disease and awareness of the importance of prevention. This year the theme for World Cancer Day is: "We can. I can."
The WHO data is shocking
The deadliest cancers are those of lung, stomach, liver, colon and breast. See here
About 30% of deaths are due to five risk factor's: high body mass index, reduced intake of fruits and vegetables, lack of physical activity, tobacco consumption and alcohol consumption. Smoke it is the most important risk factor for cancer.
What is cancer and what causes it?
Cancer is a process in which a group of abnormal cells grow rapidly and they spread through our body in an uncontrolled way. It can appear practically in anywhere on the body. The tumor initially affects an organ or area of the body, but, if it is not detected and treated, it can invade the tissue that surrounds that affected area and can cause metastases (cancerous tumors) to other parts of the body.
The cause of cancer is not unique. The process by which a normal cell turns into an abnormal cell and starts a carcinogenic process is caused by different factors:
- Genetic factors: They are inheritance factors that we carry in our genes and we cannot directly influence them.
- External factors: They can be divided into three classes and on them if it is possible to act.
Physical agents, such as ultraviolet and ionizing radiation
Chemical agents, such as components of tobacco smoke, food contaminants or arsenic (a contaminant in drinking water)
Biological agents, such as infections caused by certain viruses, bacteria, or parasites. - Another factor to take into account is the aging. Cancer incidence increases dramatically with age, as risk factors for certain types of cancer accumulate, to which is added the tendency for cell repair mechanisms to lose efficacy with age.
Factors riesgo
The relationship that the following have with the appearance of cancer is known:
- Use of tobacco
- Being overweight or obesity
- Diets with a insufficient consumption of fruits and vegetables
- El Sedentary lifestyle
- Consumption alcoholic drinks
- The infections by Papilloma Virus and Hepatitis B Virus
- La contamination from the air of the cities
- El smoke generated in the home by the burning of solid fuels
Are there risks during pregnancy?
Pregnancy is a physiological process, in which the elevation of the values of certain hormones is necessary for the entire process to develop properly. Some of these hormones they can intervene, in some cases in the formation or growth of certain tumors. For this reason, it is very important that we do not lower our guard and continue making our corresponding revisions.
Normally in the first quarter of pregnancy will review our last gynecological check-up and it may be necessary to update it, for which they will take a cervico-vaginal cytology, essential for the early detection of cervical cancer.
During pregnancy, the breasts undergo changes very striking, such as increased size and density, so there are greater difficulty for the detection of small tumors, being able delay diagnosis of breast cancer. Breast cancer is the malignant tumor that with higher frequency appears in pregnant women, after childbirth or during lactation, but pregnancy not a risk factor that favors the development of a malignant tumor, that is, pregnant women they do not have more possibilities than non-pregnant women to suffer from cancer.
During pregnancy, periodic reviews with exploration of the breast. Although, at present, Not recommended the realization of breast self-exam as only method of early diagnosis due to its low reliability, is, possibly, a very useful tool as a first step to a definitive diagnosis.
Another of the organs which is greatly affected by pregnancy hormones is the skin. That is why it is important to review of our moles and it is necessary to consult a dermatologist if we see changes in a mole. Dermatologists use "The ABCD rule" to distinguish a normal mole from one that is not:
- A: Asymmetry: that half of a mole is not the same as the other half.
- B: Irregular edges- Uneven, jagged or blurred edges.
- C: Color: the most dangerous colors are reddish, whitish and bluish on black lesions.
- D: Diameter: when the mole measures more than 6 millimeters or increases in size
It must be taken into account that, today, a significant percentage of cancers can be cured by surgery, radiotherapy or chemotherapy, especially if they are detected at an early stage.