Cancer is a group of disease caused by uncontrolled growth of the body’s cells into abnormal cells which can spread to other regions of the body.
Cancer can affect any part of your body even including your eye and tongue. While in most areas it presents as a lump which can be detected by self, in other parts of the body like the stomach, blood and lung symptoms aren’t readily observed. Screening and detection saves the day in such cases.
Only 5-10% of cancers are inherited. The vast majority of cancers can be attributed to lifestyle factors.
Cancer can be prevented. Certain practices such as smoking have been linked to onset of cancer. Thus, avoiding tobacco use is a key way to prevent lung and other cancers. Also, a diet rich in fruits and vegetables offers protection against a variety of cancers of the gastrointestinal tract. Other ways to prevent cancer include exercising and having a good sleep.
In developing countries, many are predisposed to cancers arising from infections such as cervical cancer from the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) and Liver cancer from Hepatitis B and C infections. In 2008, approximately 85% of women diagnosed with cervical were from developing countries
Chemotherapy and Radiotherapy are the conventional ways of treating cancers. Research into other forms of treatment such as immunotherapy is underway and being considered for cancer management.
Any two people who have the same type of cancer can have different treatment regimen which depends on the aggressive nature of cancer, age, overall health, among other factors.
Doctors do not use the term “cure’ for cancer. This is because although an individual can be cancer-free after treatment, there is always the possibility that the cancer can come back (recurrence). The term remission is used for an individual who has no cancer left after treatment
In Ghana, the commonest cancers are breast, cervix and ovary for women and prostate, liver and stomach for men.
