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Lung Cancer

• The Facts

  Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in both men and women. 440,000 Americans die each year from tobacco related illnesses. An estimated 163,510 Americans will die of lung cancer in 2005. Developing slowly, its symptoms can go undetected for as long as 10 to 20 years.

• Who is at Risk?

  Tobacco smoking is the leading cause of lung cancer. Over 87% of lung cancer cases are caused directly by smoking and some of the rest due to passive exposure to tobacco smoke (second-hand smoke or environmental tobacco smoke). Other risk factors include: family or personal history of lung cancer and exposure to cancer causing agents in the work place or the environment.

• The Best Defense: Prevention

  If you don't smoke, don't start. If you do smoke, quit. Quitting smoking early in your life helps decrease your risk. The longer you use tobacco the greater your risk. Research shows that the chances of developing lung cancer decreases after you quit. You should find out about cancer causing chemicals you may be exposed to at work and take the appropriate protective measures. Secondhand smoke can cause lung cancer in nonsmokers. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that 3,000 lung cancer deaths in nonsmokers can be attributed to secondhand smoke every year. If you live in an area where natural uranium deposits in soil release radon gas, you may want to consider testing radon levels in your home.

• 10 Point Risk Assessment for Lung Cancer.
• Top Ten steps to quitting tobacco.

Breast Cancer

• The Facts

  One out of nine women will develop breast cancer in her lifetime. The American Cancer Society estimates 211,240 new cases of breast cancer will be diagnosed in 2005. Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death among women. If breast cancer is diagnosed and treated early, the five year survival rate is more than 90%.

• Who is at Risk?

  Every woman is at risk for breast cancer and her risk increases with age; 80% of new cases are diagnosed in women over the age of 50. Some women are at slightly higher risk; women whose mothers or sister had breast cancer, women who have never had children, and women who had their first child after the age of 30. Four out of five women who develop breast cancer have no family history of breast cancer.

• The Best Defense: Early Detection

  The American Cancer Society recommends the following guidelines for early detection:
  Age 40 and over:

  • have a mammogram every year
  • have a clinical breast exam by a health care professional every year
  • do a breast self-exam each month
  Age 20 - 39
  • do a breast self-exam each month
  • have a clinical breast exam by a health care professional every three years

ColoRectal Cancer

• Basic Anatomy

  The colon and rectum are parts of the digestive system. They form a long, muscular tube called the large intestine (also called the large bowel). The colon is the first 4 to 5 feet of the large intestine, and the rectum is the last several inches. Partly digested food enters the colon from the small intestine. The colon removes water and nutrients from the food and turns the rest into waste (stool). The waste passes from the colon into the rectum and then out of the body through the anus.

• Who is at Risk?

  Research has shown that people with certain risk factors are more likely than others to develop colorectal cancer. A risk factor is something that may increase the chance of developing a disease. Studies have found the following risk factors for colorectal cancer:

• Age over 50: Colorectal cancer is more likely to occur as people get older. More than 90 percent of people with this disease are diagnosed after age 50. The average age at diagnosis is 72.
• Colorectal polyps: Polyps are growths on the inner wall of the colon or rectum. They are common in people over age 50. Most polyps are benign (not cancer), but some polyps (adenomas) can become cancer. Finding and removing polyps may reduce the risk of colorectal cancer.
• Family history of colorectal cancer: Close relatives (parents, brothers, sisters, or children) of a person with a history of colorectal cancer are somewhat more likely to develop this disease themselves, especially if the relative had the cancer at a young age. If many close relatives have a history of colorectal cancer, the risk is even greater.
• Genetic alterations: Changes in certain genes increase the risk of colorectal cancer.
• Personal history of cancer: A person who has already had colorectal cancer may develop colorectal cancer a second time. Also, women with a history of cancer of the ovary, uterus (endometrium), or breast are at a somewhat higher risk of developing colorectal cancer.
• Ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease: A person who has had a condition that causes inflammation of the colon (such as ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease) for many years is at increased risk of developing colorectal cancer.
• Diet: Studies suggest that diets high in fat (especially animal fat) and low in calcium, folate, and fiber may increase the risk of colorectal cancer. Also, some studies suggest that people who eat a diet very low in fruits and vegetables may have a higher risk of colorectal cancer. However, results from diet studies do not always agree, and more research is needed to better understand how diet affects the risk of colorectal cancer.
• Cigarette smoking: A person who smokes cigarettes may be at increased risk of developing polyps and colorectal cancer.

• The Best Defense: Early Detection

  The American Cancer Society recommends the following guidelines for early detection:
  How Is Colorectal Cancer Found?

  • Stool blood test (fecal occult blood test or FOBT)
  • Flexible sigmoidoscopy (flex-sig)
  • Colonoscopy
  • Barium enema with air contrast
  • Virtual colonoscopy

Prostate Cancer

• The Facts

  Prostate Cancer is the second leading cancer killer of American men. Approximately 30,350 men will die from the disease in the year 2005 and more then 232,090 new cases of prostate cancer will be diagnosed. Prostate cancer, which tends to strike later in life, often grows slowly. Early prostate cancer often has no symptoms.

• Who is at Risk?

  Most cases of prostate cancer occur in men older then 50, and while 75 percent of all prostate cancer cases are diagnosed in men over the age of 65, some young men are at increases risk too. You are at a greater risk if you have a strong family history of the disease, are an African American man, or consume a diet high in fat and low in fruits and vegetables.

• The Best Defense: Early Detection

  Your doctor can check you for prostate cancer with two tests, a digital rectal exam and a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test. The American Cancer Society recommends the following guidelines for early detection of prostate cancer:
  

  Age 40 and over:
  • Digital rectal exam every year
  Age 50 and older
  • digital rectal exam and a PSA blood test every year.

Skin Cancer

• Facts

  Skin cancer is a tumor or growth formed by skin cells. It is caused by damage from the sun's ultraviolet (UV) rays. A small number of skin cancers may be from other causes, such as exposure to certain chemicals. There are three kinds of skin cancers, depending on the type of skin cell involved: malignant melanoma, basal cell cancer and squamous cell cancer.

• Who is at Risk?

  You are at a greater risk for skin cancer if you have:

• Light skin color
• Family or personal history of melanoma
• Many moles and freckles
• History of severe childhood sunburn
• Much sun exposure over many years

• The Best Defense: Protection & Early Detection

  The best strategy for protecting yourself against skin cancer is to minimize your exposure to the sun.
  Early Detection Saves Lives! If detected early enough, nearly all skin cancers can be completely cured.

  • Try to limit time in the sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., when the sun is strongest.
  • Wear a hat with at least a 4-inch brim to help protect face, ears and neck.
  • Wear a closely woven, long-sleeve shirt and long pants. You can get a burn through a loosely-woven T-shirt. If you see light through a fabric, ultraviolet rays can get through too!
  • Use a broad spectrum sunscreen which protects against both UVB and UVA rays and that has a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 15.
  • Apply sunscreen generously and reapply frequently, especially if you're perspiring or swimming.

Links

• American Cancer Society
• American Institute of Cancer Research
• C-Change: Collaborating to Conquer Cancer
• North Dakota Cancer Coalition
• Southwest Healthcare Services
• St. Joseph`s Hospital and Health Center
• The North Dakota Cancer Registry
• WebMD
• West River Health Services
• Womens Way
• Your Cancer Risk