#WE CAN, I CAN--- by Mufflihat Ibagbe
This is is the hashtag of this year's celebration of World
Cancer Day. Internationally, Cancer is celebrated every 4th
of February in order to reinforce the awareness of various
forms of cancer and the importance of prompt diagnosis
and treatment.
In a layman’s term, Cancer refers to an abnormal growth.
Literary, Cancer refers to abnormal proliferation of cells
within the body. Physiologically, new body cells are made
as old ones wear out. Occasionally, some old cells do not
get destroyed or even at times there may be overproduction
of cells. Not all abnormal growths lead to cancer. Growths
capable of metastasis (spreading to other body parts) are
referred to as malignant tumors(Cancer) while other
growths not capable of metastasis are referred to as
Beningn tumors. Cancer cells differ from normal cells in
size, structure, function and rate of growth. Cancer cells
grow much rapidly than normal healthy cells, hence making
metastasis fast. The primary sites of cancer metastasis are
lymph nodes, bone, liver, lungs and brain.
Cancer is a menace that has eaten deep into the roots of
our health system. It is the world's most prevalent form of
noncommunicable disease. It is the the second common
cause of death in developed countries and the third leading
cause of death in developing countries. According to World
Health Organisation (WHO), 24.6 million people live with
cancer worldwide and by 2020, 16 million new cases will
be diagnosed per annum. According to Syllia and Wild
(2012), Nigeria contributed 15% to the estimated 681 000
new cases of cancer that occurred in 2012. In Nigeria,
about 100 000 new cases are diagnosed every year.
Cancer is no respecter of sex or age. There are several
forms of cancer. Some are predominantly found in each sex
and some in both sexes regardless of age. Oftentimes,
cancer is named according to the part of the body where it
is located. Some are, breast cancer, cervical cancer, cancer
of the prostate, colorectal cancer, liver cancer and non
Hodgkin lymphoma. These are the commonest form of
cancer with breast cancer predominantly found in females
and cancer of the prostate predominantly found in males.
Other forms of cancer are skin cancer, lung cancer,
endometrial cancer, leukemia(cancer of white blood cell),
ovarian cancer and so on.
There are no specific causes to cancer but there are
predisposing factors depending on which type of cancer.
Factors such as age, infection, family history, alcohol
intake, radiation, chronic inflammation and tobacco use.
Tobacco use accounts for 20% of cancer deaths worldwide
and about 6% of cancer deaths in Africa. And since there
are no specific causes, in order to prevent the onset of
cancer, modifiable risk factors could be worked upon such
as:
Use of a hat, or sunscreen or staying in the shade to
prevent skin cancer. This reduced the body's exposure to
ultra violet radiation from the sun.
Vaccination: Human pappilima virus vaccine prevents
cervical cancer.
Tobacco use and alcohol intake should be discontinued.
Others may include, Brest self examination, testicular self
exam, and papsmear test.
When cancer is diagnosed and treated early, there is a
much higher possibility of recovery. According to WHO the
main goals of cancer diagnosis and treatment are to cure or
considerably prolong the life of patients and to ensure the
best quality of life for cancer survivors. Hence, a
standardized health facility should be visited for the
diagnosis and treatment of cancer.
Identifying and treating cancer at an early stage can save
lives. Cancer that is diagnosed early is more likely to be
treated successful. Research has shown that
More than 90% of women diagnosed with breast and
ovarian cancer diagnosed at an earlier stage survive the
disease for at least 5 years compared to 15% of women
diagnosed at a late stage(Cancer Research, UK)
There are several treatment measures in cancer. Treatment
may include for one or more of the following;
chemotherapy, immunotherapy, radiotherapy, surgery,
hormonal therapy and palliative care
Chemotherapy works by inhibiting the or slowing down the
growth of cancer cells thereby preventing them from
multiplying rapidly. It makes use of chemicals that interfere
with the cell division process. In the course of killing
cancer cells, some healthy cells may.... read more....
http://yourhealthdone..co.ke/2017/02/the-world-cancer-day-i-can-we-can-stop.html?m=1