Cancer Awareness

October 2012

© 2012 J. J. Keller & Associates, Inc.®, Neenah, WI • USA • (800) 327-6868 • jjkeller.com

Cancer takes many forms

You may have never heard of adrenocortical or hepatocellular carcinoma, but these cancers of the adrenal glands and liver have something in common with breast and lung cancer. As with all types of cancer, they occur when abnormal cells start growing wildly.

There are more than 100 types of cancer, the No. 2 cause of death in the United States. They all stem from abnormal cells; something is wrong with their DNA, the genetic material inside a cell that directs a cell’s actions.

A normal cell will multiply when the time is right — when the body needs it to do so. When a normal cell is no longer needed by the body, it dies.

Cancer cells behave differently. These abnormal cells grow out of control and divide too quickly. They may not die when they are supposed to, and may invade other tissues.

The change in a cell that leads to cancer can be caused by a person’s environment. It could stem from exposure to radiation or to certain chemicals, such as those in tobacco smoke. Less often, people are genetically predisposed to getting cancer and inherit cells with damaged DNA. At other times, no clear cause for cancer is known.

Because there are so many types of cancer, there is no single treatment or all-encompassing cure for cancer. However, the sooner that cancer is found and treatment begins, the better the chances that the treatment will be successful.

Thanks to improved treatments and more screenings that catch cancer early, the five-year survival rate for adults with all types of cancer has improved from 50 percent in the mid-1970s to 68 percent today.

person’s environment. It could stem from exposure to radiation or to certain chemicals, such as those in tobacco smoke. Less often, people are genetically predisposed to getting cancer and inherit cells with damaged DNA. At other times, no clear cause for cancer is known.

Because there are so many types of cancer, there is no single treatment or all-encompassing cure for cancer. However, the sooner that cancer is found and treatment begins, the better the chances that the treatment will be successful.

Thanks to improved treatments and more screenings that catch cancer early, the five-year survival rate for adults with all types of cancer has improved from 50 percent in the mid-1970s to 68 percent today.

By the numbers

Estimated new cases of cancer in 2012:

• Breast: 229,060

• Lung: 226,160

• Prostate: 241,740

• Colon and Rectal: 143,460

• Melanoma: 76,250

• Bladder: 73,510

• Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma: 70,130

• Kidney: 59,588

• Thyroid: 56,460

• Leukemia: 47,150

• Endometrial: 47,130

• Pancreatic: 43,920

Source: National Cancer Institute

Take action today

The choices you make every day can impact your chances of getting cancer. Lack of physical activity, excess body fat, taking in too many calories, and tobacco usage have all been linked to an increased risk of a number of types of cancer. Practicing the following habits daily can lower your risk:

• Eat at least 2 1/2 cups of vegetables and fruits each day.

• Choose whole grain foods rather than refined grain products.

• Limit processed meat, such as bacon, hot dogs, and ham.

• Practice portion control. Eat an amount that will help you get to and maintain a healthy weight.

• Limit alcohol consumption to no more than one drink per day for women or two for men.

• Cut down on screen time. Go for a walk rather than watching TV.

• Stay away from tobacco. One-third of all cancer deaths in the U.S. are caused by tobacco products.

• Get moving. Aim for 30 minutes of moderate activity most days of the week.

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Does weight matter?

There is certainly a tie between weight and a person’s risk for cancer. Excess body weight is thought to be responsible for as many as 1 out of 5 of all cancer-related deaths in the United States, according to the American Cancer Society, and has been linked to an increased risk of breast, colon, and other cancers.

Exactly how and why weight plays a role in cancer risk is unclear, however. It may affect immune system function, hormone levels, or factors regulating cell division. More research is needed, however, before the complex connection between weight and cancer is fully understood.

For many people, achieving and maintaining a healthy weight is not an easy matter. However, if a person is overweight or obese, losing even a small amount of weight has health benefits since it reduces the risk of diabetes and heart disease, as well as cancer.

Regular physical activity, proper portion sizes, and limiting the intake of high-calorie foods and drinks are all steps a person can take to get to and maintain a healthy weight.

Next month:Diabetes

Check out suspicious symptoms

After noticing a suspicious mole or a breast lump, a person’s first inclination may be to wonder if it is cancerous. It’s best to find out as soon as possible, as a person’s chances for surviving cancer increase the earlier that treatment begins.

For example if melanoma, or skin cancer, has not grown deep into the skin, almost 100 percent of people survive for at least five years after being diagnosed. Women diagnosed with stage 1 breast cancer have an 88 percent five-year survival rate.

One way to detect cancer early is with regular screening. Screenings recommended by the American Cancer Society include:

• A yearly mammogram to test for breast cancer in women starting at age 40.

• Testing for colorectal cancer and polyps beginning at age 50 for men and women.

• Cervical cancer testing for women beginning at age 21.

Because there are so many types of cancer, its symptoms often depend on where it is located. Coughing and chest pain can be signs of lung cancer, for example. However, symptoms for some cancers, such as pancreatic cancer, may not show up until the cancer is in an advanced stage.

There are some signs that are common to most cancers, including:

• Chills • Malaise

• Fatigue • Night sweats

• Fever • Unexplained weight loss

• Loss of appetite

These signs and symptoms do not necessarily mean a person has cancer, as they may be caused by many other conditions. However if something seems amiss and symptoms persist, consult a health care professional to determine the cause.

Leave your chair to reduce cancer riskAn office chair might not be the most comfortable piece of furniture ever invented, but it’s where many Americans spend a great deal of time.

A person who works in an office likely spends 75 percent of the work day seated, often for 30 minutes or more at a time. When meals, commutes, and television/computer time are taken into account, people spend more than nine hours, or 60 percent of their day, in sedentary activities, one study found.

All of this sitting around isn’t healthy; it can increase some cancer risk indicators, even if exercise is part of a person’s routine.

“Making time to get at least half an hour of moderate to vigorous activity every day is great, and more Americans need to do it, but those 30 minutes represent only a sliver of our day,” noted Alice Bender, spokesperson for the American Institute for Cancer Research. “New research on break time suggests there are small things we can do in the other 15 hours and 30 minutes we spend awake that also make a big difference.”

Research has shown that cancer risk indicators are lowered when an hour of sitting is broken up by one or two minutes of activity. The AICR notes that this can be as simple as:

• Walking to a colleague’s office rather than sending an email.

• Getting up for a drink of water.

• Standing up during phone calls.

• Keeping light hand weights in your office to use while reading email or talking on the phone.

• Leaning against your office wall to do a few leg lifts or vertical push-ups.

While the activities themselves are not difficult, remembering to get up and do them may be. To keep from forgetting, set a timer on your computer to remind yourself to step away from your desk every hour.