Cancer

Cancer

by Mckelle Hamson Cox, Ph.D. (c), MPH, CHES

Multiple Choice

What is the definition of cancer?

• uncontrolled growth and spread of abnormal cells

• a neoplasmic mass that grows more rapidly than surrounding tissues

• the process of cancer spreading from one area to different areas of the body

• cells that differ in form, quality, or function from normal cells

Multiple Choice

Cancer is the ____ leading cause of deaths in the United States.

• 1st

• 2nd

• 3rd

• 4th

Open Ended

Name one type of cancer.

​Stages of Cancer

0: Early cancer, when abnormal cells remain only in the place they originated

​

​I: Higher numbers indicate more extensive disease

​

​II/III: Larger tumor size and/or spread of the cancer beyond the organ in which it first developed to nearby lymph nodes and/or organs next to the primary tumor

​

​IV: Cancer has spread to other organs

​What causes cancer?

​Hereditary vs. Acquired

​Factors that could lead to cancer:

• ​diet

• ​drug and alcohol consumption

• ​amount of sun exposure

• ​Exposure to carcinogens (cancer-causing agents)

• ​Where you live, work, and

Multiple Choice

78% of cancer diagnoses are in adults over age ___

• 55

• 60

• 65

• 70

​A little bit more about cancer

• ​Lifetime risk is the probability that a person will develop cancer

• ​Women have a 33% risk while men have a 42% risk

• ​Risks vary by

  • race

  • socioeconomic status

  • education

  • occupation

  • geographic location

Multiple Choice

Smoking is linked to how many different types of cancers?

• 1

• 5

• 10

• 15

​Tobacco and Alcohol and Cancer

• ​Men and women who smoke are 25 times more likely to develop lung cancer

• ​Increased risk of liver cancer, colorectal polyps, oral cancer, lung, colorectal cancer, etc.

• ​Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths around the world

• ​Alcohol can increase the risk of oral, esophagus, colon/rectum, liver, and female breast cancer

• ​Binge drinking leads to a higher risk of developing cancer

​Nutrition and Physical Activity and Exercise

• ​1/3 of annual deaths in U.S. are related to lifestyle factors

• ​Obesity contributes to 1 out of 5 cancer deaths

• ​

Genetic Risks

​Oncogenes--cancer-causing genes

​Common hereditary cancers:

• ​breast

• stomach

• colon

• prostate

• uterus

• ovaries

• lung

​Reproductive and Hormonal Factors

​All of the following have been found to increase risks of breast cancer:

• ​Early menstruation or late menopause

• ​Not having children or having them later in life

• ​Recent use of birth control pills or hormone replacement therapy

• ​Opting not to breast-feed

​

Multiple Choice

What percent of cancers are caused by infectious diseases?

• 1%

• 5%

• 10%

• Infectious diseases don't cause cancer

​Infectious Diseases and Cancer

​Infections can influence cancer development through chronic inflammation, suppression of immune system, and chronic stimulation

Examples:

Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C increase risk of liver cancer

​Human Papillomavirus increases risk of cervical cancer

​

​Types of Cancers

• Carcinomas

  • ​tissues covering body surface and lining most body cavities

• ​Sarcomas

  • ​middle layers of tissue--bones, muscles, connective tissues

• ​Lymphomas

  • ​develop in the lymphatic system (infection-fighting region of the body)

• ​Leukemias

  • ​cancer of the blood-forming parts of the body

​Lung Cancer

• ​Leading cause of cancer deaths for both men and women

• ​Symptoms: persistent cough, blood-streaked spit, chest pain or back pain, recurrent attacks of pneumonia or bronchitis

• ​Treatment depends on stage, but could include surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy

• ​Fewer than 15% of lung cancers are diagnosed at an early stage

• ​Five-year survival rate is only 17%

Multiple Choice

True or False. Men can be diagnosed with breast cancer.

• True

• False

​Breast Cancer

• ​Women have a 1 in 8 risk of breast cancer

• ​Second leading cause of cancer deaths

• ​Often detected by a mammogram

• ​Breast self-exams are recommended

• ​Treatments can range from lumpectomy to mastectomy to radiation or chemotherapy

• ​Five-year survival rate for around 80-90%

​Colon Cancer

• ​Second most commonly diagnosed cancer

• ​Colonoscopies are recommended for individuals over 50

• ​If you have a family history, the age for colonoscopies is younger

• ​Symptoms: stool changes, bleeding, cramping, pain in lower abdomen (in later stages)

• ​Usually treated through chemotherapy

• ​Risk factors include: obesity, smoking, family history

​Skin Cancer

​Most common form of cancer in the United States

​Skin cancers aren't reported to cancer registries

ABCDE's of skin cancer:

• ​Asymmetry--one half of the mole or lesion doesn't match the other half

• ​Border irregularity--the edges are uneven, notched, or scalloped

• ​Color--pigmentation is not uniform

• ​Diameter--greater than 6 millimeters (about the size of a pea)

• ​Evolving--mole or lesions change over time

​Skin Cancer (continued)

Different types of cancers depending on levels of skin--basal, squamous cell​

Malignant melanoma--virulent cancer of the pigment-producing cells of the skin

​Risk factors:

• ​fair skin with blonde, red, or light brown hair

• ​blue, green, or gray eyes

• ​spending lots of time outside

• ​burn easily and peel readily

• ​previously been treated for skin cancer

• ​Using outdated or low SPF sunscreens

​Testicular Cancer

​95.4% five-year survival rate

​One of the most curable forms of cancer

​First appears as an enlargement of one or both of the tests caused by a lump or thickening

Testicular self-exams--best done in a hot shower and holding the testicle with one hand and gently rolling

​

​Prostate Cancer

• ​Remember--prostate is a walnut-sized gland that surrounds part of the man's urethra with the primary function to produce seminal fluid

• ​Symptoms include: weak or interrupted urine flow, difficulty starting or stopping urine, pain on urination, blood in the urine (later stages)

• ​Men over age 40 should have annual screening

• ​Risk factors: increasing age, African ancestry, family history

​Pancreatic Cancer

• ​One of the deadliest forms of cancer

• ​Five-year survival rate of 8%

• ​No reliable test to detect it early

• ​Risk factors: tobacco use, obesity, consumption of red meat, high-fat diet, family history, and chronic inflammation.

​Diagnosis

• ​Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)--uses magnetic fields, radio waves, and computers to generate images of body

• ​Computed Tomography (CT) scan-- uses radiation to view internal organs not visible on x-rays

• ​Positron emission tomography--uses a dye-containing radioactive tracers and using a PET scanner, evaluates how well the body is working

Multiple Choice

What is chemotherapy?

• Use of drugs to kill cancerous cells

• Use of radiation to kill cancerous cells