Cancer is a word that no one wants to hear. It is the cause of death for nearly a quarter of a million women annually in the United States, and it’s on the move, with the number of new cancer cases expected to increase nearly 45 percent by 2030.
Researchers still don’t really know why some women get cancer and others don’t. According to 2010 statistics, females get the following cancers most frequently, in this order:
1. Breast
2. Lung
3. Colorectal
4. Uterine or endometrial
5. Thyroid
6. Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma
7. Melanoma
8. Kidney and renal pelvis
9. Pancreas
CHOOSE BETTER HEALTH
Remember that the earlier cancer is diagnosed, the better the prognosis. The American Cancer Society (ACS) says that more than half of all cancer deaths could be prevented by making healthy choices:
• Not smoking
• Staying at a healthy weight
• Eating right
• Keeping active
• Getting recommended screening tests
Being proactive can reduce changes of getting some cancers, including the top three that affect women most often.
1. Breast cancer
The ACS expects diagnoses of more than 232,000 new cases of invasive breast cancer in 2014. Early detection saves thousands of lives every year, since the size of a breast cancer and how far it has spread remain critical factors in predicting the prognosis or outcome.
The ACS recommends that you have:
• Yearly mammograms starting at age 40 and continuing for as long as you are in good health.
• A clinical breast exam (CBE) about every three years in your 20s and 30s, and every year at age 40 and over.
• Familiarity with how your breasts normally look and feel. Report any breast change promptly to your healthcare provider. Consider making breast self-exams (BSE) a habit starting in your 20s.
If you have a family history of breast cancer or dense breasts, your doctor may order an ultrasound, MRI, or new form of 3-D mammography called tomosynthesis. Because debate about mammography continues within the medical community, have a candid talk with your healthcare provider about your best options.
2. Lung cancer
More than 108,000 women are expected to receive lung cancer diagnoses in 2014. You may be at risk if you:
• Smoke or use tobacco products — they cause 90 percent of lung cancers
• Have been exposed to secondhand smoke, which contains 7,000 chemicals, of which 250 are harmful and at least 69 cause cancer
• Smoke marijuana for recreational or medicinal use
• Have a family history of lung cancer
• Live in a home with high levels of radioactive radon gas — like nearly one in every 15 U.S. homes.
• Radon develops from the natural decay of uranium in soil. Learn about radon testing at www.epa.gov.
• Have been exposed to certain toxic substances such as arsenic, asbestos, or diesel exhaust
• Have received radiation therapy to the chest for Hodgkin’s disease or breast cancer
3. Colorectal cancer
More than 64,000 cases of female colon or rectal cancer are expected in 2014.
Your healthcare provider may recommend a screening for precancerous polyps and other unusual changes. It’s usually a colonoscopy or less-invasive virtual colonoscopy, or other routine test. You’ll learn the pluses and minuses of each, and how you’ll be kept comfortable during all of them. Any discomfort is a minor inconvenience if it saves your life.
You may be at higher risk because of:
• Being age 50+, for nine out of 10 cases occur within this range
• Personal history of polyps or inflammatory bowel disease
• Family history of colon or rectal cancer or polyps
• Certain inherited gene defects or mutations called “syndromes”
• Being African-American or Jewish of Eastern European descent (Ashkenazi)
• Type 2 diabetes
• Lifestyle factors including diets high in red or processed meats, alcohol, obesity, and physical inactivity
• Viruses and bacteria like human papillomaviruses (HPVs) and hepatitis B or C that can cause cancer.
For more information about Decatur County Memorial Hospital Cancer Care & Infusion Center and the services we provide, call 812.663.1301 or visit www.dcmh.net/services/clinical/cancercare.