CANCERS: What you should know
Cancers refer to abnormal uncontrollable growths in human body. They are now common in our society and account for many deaths per year.
Cancers refer to abnormal uncontrollable growths in human body. They are now common in our society and account for many deaths per year. They can occur in any part of the body, however, common sites of cancer in a woman are the breast, the cervix (mouth of the womb), the lungs and the ovary (the body part that produce and release egg). In a man, cancers commonly originate in the prostate, the large intestine, the lungs, and the liver.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!What are the causes of cancer
Well, most cancers occur because of a combination of factors. One major factor is a family history of cancer i.e. people whose immediate family member has had a cancer. Other associated factors include
- Smoking
- Alcohol intake
- Low fibre diets
- Obesity
- Consumption of red meat
- Poor immunity for instance in people with HIV infection
- Exposure to radiation from X-rays, communication gadgets and installations
- Some infections e.g. Papilloma virus infection, Helicobacter infection
What are the likely symptoms
Generally, a person with cancer may have
- Weakness
- Unintentional weight loss
- Poor appetite
- Low blood level
The other symptoms are related to the type or location of the cancer, for instance ; a woman with cervical cancer may bleed after sex; a man with prostate cancer may pass blood in urine or find it difficult to urinate; a person with cancer of the intestine may have a swelling in the tummy or pass blood in stool.
What are the remedies for cancers
Generally, the earlier, the better. If picked early, there are ways to treat some cancers. The methods commonly used include
- Radiotherapy: refers to the application of special rays to the site of the cancer
- Chemotherapy: use of specific cancer-killing drugs
- Surgery: removal of the cancer. This is doable when the cancer has not spread beyond the site of origin.
What can you do to prevent cancer
- Avoid smoking, alcohol intake and consumption of low fibre diet
- Limit your exposure to rays
- Do regular checks e.g. self-breast examination or women, Pap smear
- Exercise regularly
