CANCER PREVENTION
Every February 4 the “World Cancer Day” is celebrated with the purpose of mobilizing and raising awareness in society to advance in the prevention and control of this disease promoted by the World Health Organization (WHO). Cancer is a disease that causes a group of cells in the body to grow in an abnormal and uncontrolled way, giving rise to a mass or tumor. If it is not detected in time and is not treated, it invades the surrounding tissue and can metastasize to other organs and tissues.
About one in two men and one in three women will have cancer at some point in their life. Annually 18.1 million new cases are diagnosed in the world, of which 9.6 million end in death.
Lung Cancer is the leading cause of cancer death worldwide.
In the United States, the most common type of cancer in women is breast cancer with more than 284,200 new cases in 2021. It is followed by lung cancer and colorectal cancer, accounting for 50% of all cancers. In men, lung, prostate, and colorectal cancer, in that order, are the most common, accounting for 43% of all cancers.
Non-modifiable risk factors are age and genetics. The risk factors that we can control are, among others:
Consumption of tobacco, alcohol and drugs
Feeding and diet
Activity and physical exercise
Radiation or exposure to carcinogenic substances or chemicals
Early detection is essential to have a better chance of cure. This is the case for colorectal, lung, breast, and uterine cervix cancers, which can be detected early with annual early detection tests with your primary care physician.
Cancer treatment depends on the involved organ and the stage in which it is detected and includes: surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, immunotherapy, and hormonal therapy among others. You can search for more information at the American Cancer Association, the World Health Organization, or on social media with the hashtag