Cancer is the name given to a large group of diseases, all of which have one thing in common: cells that are growing out of control. Normally, the cells that make up all of the parts of our bodies go through a predictable life cycle -- old cells die and new cells arise to take their place. Occasionally, this process goes awry and cells begin to multiply out of control. The end result is a mass of cells, called a tumor.
A benign tumor is one that does not spread or metastasize to other parts of the body. It is considered noncancerous. A malignant tumor, on the other hand, can spread throughout the body and is considered cancerous. When malignant cells break away from the primary tumor and settle into another part of the body, the resulting new tumor is called either a metastasis or a secondary tumor.

There are several major types of cancers: carcinomas form in the cells that cover the skin or line the mouth, throat, lungs and organs; sarcomas are found in the bones, muscles, fibrous tissues and some organs; leukemia are found in the blood, the bone marrow, and the spleen; and lymphomas are found in the lymphatic system.

Cancer often takes many years to develop. The process typically begins with some disruption to the DNA of a cell, the genetic code that directs the life of the cell. There can be many reasons for disruptions, such as diet, tobacco, sun exposure, reproductive history or certain chemicals. Some cells will enter a precancerous phase, known as dysplasia. Some cells will progress further to the state of carcinoma in situ, in which the cancer cells are restricted to a microscopic site, surrounded by a thick covering and do not pose a great threat.

Eventually, unless the body's own immune system takes care of the wayward cells, a cancer will develop. It may take as long as 30 years for a tumor to go through the entire process and become large enough to produce symptoms.

Since cancer can arise from such a wide variety of sites and develop with many differing patterns of spread, there are no clear-cut symptoms. Cancer is unlike many more specific diseases such as heart disease or arthritic disease. The precise nature of symptoms of cancer depends not only on primary site but specifically where the tumor is located in an organ, rate of development and also secondary spread is present or not.

Many primary tumors cause local swelling or lump if they arise at a visible or accessible part of the body, such as a skin, breast, testicle or oral cavity. A typical swelling due to a cancer is initially painless, though ulceration (skin breakdown) can occur, which may then become painful.  

The aim of cancer treatment is to cure the patient and save life. The cases where complete cure is not possible, treatment aims to control the disease and to keep the patient normal and comfortable as long as possible. The treatment of each patient is designed to suit an individual and depends on the age of the patient, stage and type of disease. There may be only one treatment or combination of treatments. There are four main modalities of treatment: Surgery, Radiation therapy, Chemotherapy, hormone therapy and Immunotherapy. Surgery and radiotherapy aim at eradicating the disease at the primary site (site of origin) of cancer whereas chemotherapy, hormone therapy and immunotherapy deal with disease which may have spread outside the site of origin of cancer. Surgery is the most important part of the cancer treatment. Surgery attempts to remove cancer cells from the body by cutting away the tumor and any tissues surrounding it which may contain cancer cells. It is a simple, safe and effective method when cancer is small and confined to the site of origin. It is best suited for certain type of cancers such as, breast cancer, head and neck cancers, early cancers of the cervix and lung, many skin cancers, soft tissue cancers and gastrointestinal cancers. Radiotherapy has become the pre-eminent form of cancer treatment since beginning of this century and now it is used for fifty percent of patients. Improvements in radiotherapy equipment, technique and applications, have led to an increasing role both in local treatment and also in its use as a whole-body treatment , as part of bone marrow transplantation techniques for leukaemia and other malignant diseases. Radiation is a special kind of energy carried by waves or a stream of particles originating from radioactive substances and delivered by special machines. These radioactive x-rays or gamma rays can penetrate the cell wall and damage the nucleus of the cell which prevents growth and division of cells. This also affects the normal cells but these cells recover more fully than cancer cells. Chemotherapy uses drugs which interfere with the growth and division of malignant cells. Once the drugs are administered, they circulate throughout the body. It is advantageous over surgery & radiation for treating cancer that is systemic (spread throughout the body). Chemotherapy is very useful in treating cancers like leukemia, lymphomas, testicular cancer. Chemotherapy can be given as the primary treatment, or following surgery or radiotherapy to prevent reappearance of cancer. The side-effects of the chemotherapy include nausea, vomiting, hair loss, fever etc. which are temporary and completely reversible. Hormone therapy has limited use in cancer treatment since only a small minority of tumors are hormone sensitive e.g. breast and prostate cancer. This therapy provides systemic means of treatment, i.e. to the whole body, but without the side effects of chemotherapy. In summary, it is misconception that all cancers are incurable. Current methods of treatment are effective for many cancers. A large number of cancer patients are cured and more patients could be cured if their cancers were detected early and treated promptly.

 

What is a preventable cancer?

Research suggests that only five percent of cancers are hereditary. That means the non-genetic causes of cancer — the lifestyle choices we make, the foods we eat, and our physical activity levels — have a direct impact on our overall cancer risk.

Half of all men and one-third of all women will develop cancer in their lifetimes. Do what you can to avoid becoming a part of these statistics. Take steps to reduce your risk for cancer now!

The Hospital focuses its resources on those cancers — including lung, breast, prostate, colorectal, cervical, oral and testicular — that can be prevented through lifestyle changes or early detection and treatment.

Cancer - the challenge
One need not completely change their life style to avoid cancer. Small alterations in a way could reduce the chances of developing cancer. Research has shown that over 10 million men could avoid cancer each year by giving up smoking, eating more fruit and vegetables and exercising regularly. Take steps to reduce your risk for cancer now!
????all the above are commonly found simple symptoms, one has to consult a specialist if any of the above symptoms re-occur and persist for a longer period of time.

 

Preventable

• Breast
• Colorectal
• Oral
• Cervical
• Lung
• Prostate

Home>About Cancer> Preventable Cancer>Breast Cancer

RISK FACTORS

• A family history of breast cancer (Risk increases with diagnoses in several close relatives or diagnoses before age 50.)
• A family history of breast cancer (Risk increases with diagnoses in several close relatives or diagnoses before age 50.)
• A family history of ovarian cancer
• Genetic mutations (BRCA-1, BRCA-2 or others)
• Increasing age, with most breast cancer diagnosed in women over 40
• Menstrual periods before age 12 or menopause after age 55
• Obesity or sedentary lifestyle
• Hormone replacement therapy with estrogen and progesterone
• Exposure of breasts to previous radiation therapy
• Previous breast cancer in one breast

RISK REDUCTION AND EARLY DETECTION

• If you drink alcohol, limit consumption to one drink a day for a woman and two drinks a day for a man.
• Be physically active and exercise regularly.
• Maintain a healthy body weight.
• If you have children, breastfeed them.
• By age 20, perform breast self-exam (BSE) once a month.
• In your 20s and 30s, have a clinical breast exam (CBE) by a health care professional every three years.
• Beginning at age 40, have an annual CBE.
• At age 40, begin annual screening mammography.
• If you are at high risk, talk to your health care professional about beginning to have screening mammograms at a younger age.
• If you are at very high risk, you may also have annual MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) exams.
• Ask your health care professional about other ways to reduce risk.
• If you have a family history of breast cancer, discuss genetic testing with a genetics counselor.

SYMPTOMS
Don’t wait for symptoms. Get screened according to guidelines. If you do notice any of the following symptoms, talk to your health care professional.

A lump, mass or thickening in the breast

A lump in the underarm area

Change in the size or shape of a breast

Nipple pain, tenderness or discharge, including bleeding

Nipple turning inward or inverted

Change in skin color and texture: dimpling, puckering or redness

Breast that feels warm or swollen

TREATMENT
Therapy depends on the type and the stage of the breast cancer.

	The most common treatment is surgery to remove the cancer itself (lumpectomy) combined with radiation. In about 20% of cases, removal of the breast (mastectomy) is needed.
	Other therapies—chemotherapy or hormone therapy—may be used alone or in combination before or after surgery.

Home>About Cancer> Preventable Cancer> Colorectal Cancer

Colorectal cancer is cancer of the colon and/or rectum. It is equally common in both men and women. It is also one of the most easily prevented cancers because it can develop from polyps that can be removed before they become cancerous.

Men are diagnosed with oral cancer more than twice as often as women. Because some oral pre-cancers and cancers can be found early, and one in four people diagnosed do not exhibit the known high-risk factors associated with the disease, it is important to visit your dentist regularly for screenings.

AT RISK

	People who chew or smoke tobacco or who drink alcohol to excess
	People who are exposed to sunlight for long periods of time
	People who do not eat many fruits or vegetables
	People with human papillomavirus (HPV)
	People with suppressed immune systems

RISK REDUCTION AND EARLY DETECTION

	Do not use tobacco in any form.
	Avoid excessive alcohol use, and do not combine alcohol with tobacco
	Avoid being outdoors during the middle of the day when the sunlight is strongest
	Use lip balm containing sunscreen of SPF 30 or higher to protect against sun damage to the lips.
	Eat lots of fruits and vegetables.
	Have an annual oral cancer screening by your dentist or health care professional.
	Conduct a self-examination once a month by looking in a mirror.

SYMPTOMS

	A white or red lesion on the lips, gum, tongue or mouth lining
	A lump or mass which can be felt inside the mouth or neck
	Pain or difficulty chewing, swallowing or speaking
	Hoarseness lasting a long time
	In any area of the mouth, numbness or pain that doesn’t go away
	Swelling of the jaw or loosening of the teeth
	Bleeding in the mouth

TREATMENT

	Surgery and radiation therapy are standard forms of treatment.
	Chemotherapy may also be used for some patients with later stages of the disease.

Home>About Cancer> Preventable Cancer> Cervical Cancer
Cervical cancer used to be one of the most common causes of cancer death in women in India. Today, lives are saved because more women are routinely screened with a Pap test (also called a Pap smear).

AT RISK

	Women who are infected with the human papillomavirus (HPV), a sexually transmitted virus
	Women who don’t have regular Pap tests
	Women who smoke
	Women who have used birth control pills for a long time
	Women with weakened immune systems

RISK REDUCTION AND EARLY DETECTION

	Avoid infection with HPV, by using condoms or spermicide correctly and consistently during sex. Avoiding HPV is the most important way to reduce your risk of cervical cancer.
	Don’t smoke, and don’t breathe in second-hand smoke.
	Begin regular screening three years after becoming sexually active. Get screened every year with the standard Pap test, or every two years with the newer liquid-based Pap test. (Screening is not helpful for a woman who does not have a cervix as a result of a hysterectomy — surgical removal of the uterus and cervix — for a condition not related to cancer.)
	At age 30, consider adding an HPV test to the Pap test for your regular screening. (After three normal Pap tests and a negative HPV test, a woman may get screened every three years with a Pap test and an HPV test. However, if she has been exposed to diethylstilbestrol (DES) before birth, is infected with HIV or has a weakened immune system, she should continue to have yearly screening.)
	Consider getting the HPV vaccine. The vaccine is most effective if given before a person has become sexually active.
	If you have had a total hysterectomy for reasons related to cancer, continue regular screening.

SYMPTOMS

Precancerous conditions in the cervix usually cause no symptoms and are not detected unless a woman has a pelvic exam and Pap test. If a woman experiences any of the following symptoms, she should discuss them with her health care professional:

	Increased or unusual discharge from the vagina
	Blood spots or light bleeding at times other than during a normal period
	Menstrual bleeding that lasts longer and is heavier than usual
	Post-menopausal bleeding
	Bleeding or pain during or after sex

TREATMENT

Cervical cancer is treated through surgery, radiation therapy or chemotherapy, alone or in combination. Treatment depends on the stage of the cancer, the type of tumor cells and a woman's medical condition.

Home>Patient’s Information>Oral Cancer

Men are diagnosed with oral cancer more than twice as often as women. Because some oral pre-cancers and cancers can be found early, and one in four people diagnosed do not exhibit the known high-risk factors associated with the disease, it is important to visit your dentist regularly for screenings.

AT RISK

	People who chew or smoke tobacco or who drink alcohol to excess
	People who are exposed to sunlight for long periods of time
	People who do not eat many fruits or vegetables
	People with human papillomavirus (HPV)
	People with suppressed immune systems

RISK REDUCTION AND EARLY DETECTION

	Do not use tobacco in any form.
	Avoid excessive alcohol use, and do not combine alcohol with tobacco
	Avoid being outdoors during the middle of the day when the sunlight is strongest
	Use lip balm containing sunscreen of SPF 30 or higher to protect against sun damage to the lips.
	Eat lots of fruits and vegetables.
	Have an annual oral cancer screening by your dentist or health care professional.
	Conduct a self-examination once a month by looking in a mirror.

SYMPTOMS

	A white or red lesion on the lips, gum, tongue or mouth lining
	A lump or mass which can be felt inside the mouth or neck
	Pain or difficulty chewing, swallowing or speaking
	Hoarseness lasting a long time
	In any area of the mouth, numbness or pain that doesn’t go away
	Swelling of the jaw or loosening of the teeth
	Bleeding in the mouth

TREATMENT

	Surgery and radiation therapy are standard forms of treatment.
	Chemotherapy may also be used for some patients with later stages of the disease.

Home>About Cancer> Preventable Cancer > Lung Cancer

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death for both men and women. Lung cancer accounts for about 15 percent of all new cancer diagnoses and about 29 percent of all cancer deaths in 2008 estimates. Men have a one in 13 average lifetime chance of developing lung cancer, and, for women, it is one in 16. More people die of lung cancer than of colon, breast and prostate cancers combined. Tobacco use is the most important risk factor for lung cancer.

AT RISK

	People who use tobacco in any form
	People exposed to second-hand smoke
	People who have had exposure to substances such as arsenic, radon or asbestos
	People whose occupations exposes them to radiation
	People exposed to air pollution

RISK REDUCTION AND EARLY DETECTION

	Do not use tobacco in any form.
	Create smoke-free environments in your home and community.
	Eat lots of fruits and vegetables.
	Be physically active and exercise regularly.

A spiral CT scan can detect early lung cancer in people who are smokers and former smokers. Research is under way to determine whether spiral CT screening reduces death from lung cancer. Speak with your health care professional to learn more about the risks and benefits of this approach.

SYMPTOMS

In the early stages, there may be no symptoms. Later these symptoms may occur:

	Persistent cough
	Sputum (spit) streaked with blood
	Chest pain
	Recurring pneumonia or bronchitis
	Weight loss and loss of appetite
	Hoarseness

TREATMENT

Once diagnosed with lung cancer, treatment is determined by the type, either small cell or non-small cell.

	Surgery is usually the treatment for localized disease.
	Radiation and chemotherapy are sometimes used in combination with surgery for later stages.

New, minimally invasive surgery may allow for faster recovery with results comparable to older, more aggressive surgery.

Home>About Cancer> Preventable Cancer > Prostate Cancer

Most prostate cancer is diagnosed in men older than 65.

AT RISK

	All men over age 50
	Men with a family history of prostate cancer (a father or brother with prostate cancer more than doubles the risk)

RISK REDUCTION AND EARLY DETECTION

	Eat foods containing lycopene: tomatoes, tomato products, red grapefruit, watermelon or apricots.
	Eat foods containing selenium: light tuna, cod, beef, oatmeal or whole wheat bread.
	Watch your intake of calcium: diets high in calcium may increase risk.

Talk to your health care professional about screening. Some experts encourage men at average risk to have these tests annually, beginning at age 50:

	PSA (Prostate-Specific Antigen) blood test
	DRE (Digital Rectal Examination)

SYMPTOMS

In the early stages, there are usually no symptoms. Some men experience symptoms that include:

	Urinary problems (not being able to urinate, having trouble starting or stopping urine flow, having a weak or interrupted urine flow, feeling pain or a burning sensation while urinating)
	Blood in the urine
	Painful or difficult erection
	Pain in lower back, pelvis or upper thighs

Urinary symptoms may also be caused by other health problems, including BPH (benign prostatic hyperplasia).

TREATMENT

Treatment options vary, depending on stage of the cancer and other medical conditions of the individual.

	Treatments include surgery, radiation or hormone therapy. Sometimes treatments are combined.
	“Watchful waiting” may be an option if the possible risks of treatment seem greater than its possible benefits. This option should be open to reassessment, as a man's condition or concerns may change.

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Hundreds of thousands of people develop cancer every year. Yet in spite of this, the picture is far from gloomy. Many years ago nearly all cancers were incurable. Today, many cancers can be completely cured if caught at an early stage.
Common causes of Cancer?

• Tobacco ( in any form - smoking , chewing, etc.,) 
• Virus
• Ionizing radiation
• Genetic factors
• Dietary factors, etc.,

How does Cancer grow?

• Initiation - caused by genetic change (mutation), 
• Promotion to a  primary Progression 
•  Angiogenesis and 
• Metastases.

Cancer - the challenge
One need not completely change their life style to avoid cancer. Small alterations in a way could reduce the chances of developing cancer. Research has shown   that over 10 million men could avoid cancer each year by giving up smoking, eating more fruit and vegetables and exercising regularly.
Some symptoms of Cancer
                   C   - change in bowel habits
                   A   - a sore that does not heal
                   U   - unusual discharge or bleeding
                   T   - thickening or formation of lumps in any part of the body
                   I    - indigestion or difficulty in swallowing
                  O   - obvious change in mole or wart
                  N   - nagging cough or hoarseness in voice.
all the above are commonly found simple symptoms, one has to consult a specialist if any of the above symptoms re-occur and persist for a longer period of time.
How can we prevent Cancer?

• Abstinence from tobacco
• Balanced diet
• Personal hygiene
• Vaccines

 

MYTHS ABOUT CANCER

Although cancer is serious, many people become unnecessarily afraid of this disease because they think it's incurable. This just isn’t true. Understanding more about the cancer helps remove some of the fear – and teaches us how to help prevent it. Here are some common misunderstanding.

Cancer is Always Fatal

It's not. More than 50 per cent of cancers can be successfully treated. For some cancers, the success rate is very high. Rates for survival of childhood cancer are increasing, with 75% of children surviving childhood cancer. It’s important to remember that cancer is more likely to be treated successful if it’s detected early.

Cancer is Contagious
Some people worry that they can catch cancer from other people, especially if the cancer is around the genital area (eg cervical cancer in women or testicular and prostate cancer in men). But this isn't true. Cancer isn't a disease that is transmitted to other people.
Cancer is hereditary
Not all cancers are hereditary
Normal life is not possible after cancer
Normal life is very much possible after caner (Lance Armstrong has won the Tour de rance cycle race twice, after undergoing treatment for cancer).
Cancer can be caused by an Injury or a Blow to the Body.

Women are sometimes concerned that a hit to the breast can cause cancer, for instance. However there is no evidence that his is true. But sometimes a blow to part of the body makes you more aware of that area and therefore more likely to notice an unusual symptom such as a lump or a mark.

Cancer is a punishment for something you have done wrong.

This is quite untrue. Nor is it true that thinking, reading or talking about cancer can cause the disease.