Cancer in the United States: The National Cancer Institute issued a report in 2005 describing various statistical aspects of cancer in the United States. Overall death rates for the most common cancers, such as breast, lung, colorectal, and prostate, had declined. Survival rates for cancer patients were rising. The incidence of cancer had been stable since the 1990’s. However, the prevalence of cancers such as melanoma of the skin and childhood cancers was increasing. Cancer remained the second leading cause of death in the United States. In 2003 more than half a million Americans had lost their lives to cancer.
Lowering the number of cases of cancer is a multifaceted process of avoiding exposures to known carcinogens, modifying lifestyle habits, and taking active steps to enhance the body’s immune system. Although behaviors that help people avoid developing cancer, such as not smoking and lessening consumption of fat and alcohol, are on the rise in the United States, more needs to be done. Prevention generally falls into the categories of lifestyle, chemoprevention (use of vitamins and medicines), preventive surgery, screening, and environment. Prevention of cancer is an active process in which all Americans need to involve themselves to reduce their lifetime chance of cancer.
Research suggests that as much as two-thirds of all cancer can be prevented with lifestyle changes in daily living. Every day, each person makes choices that could increase or reduce that person’s likelihood of developing cancer. No knowledge or program can prevent cancer on its own: People must make responsible choices and integrate them into their lifestyle.
Nutrition: Nutrition is a key part of cancer prevention. Much has been researched and written about the importance of nutrition. Although the relationship between diet and cancer is complex, numerous studies show that nutrition can make a difference in preventing cancer. The American Cancer Society promotes eating five to seven or more servings of fruits and vegetables each day as the single most important step people can take to prevent cancer. People can achieve this goal by eating vegetables and fruits at each meal and for snacks. Strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries have cancer-fighting chemicals, as do citrus fruits such as oranges and grapefruit. Certain phytonutrients in vegetables, such as the indoles found in broccoli and cabbage, can help protect against cancer, especially hormone-related cancers. Generally the more color the vegetable has, the healthier and more protective it is. The likelihood of developing colon cancer and other gastrointestinal cancers may be decreased by eating dark green and yellow vegetables. Fruits and vegetables in their whole or natural form (fresh, frozen, dried, or canned) are more protective than supplements with dried extracts.
The nutritional aspect of prevention includes other foods besides fruits and vegetables. The use of whole-grain breads and cereals adds fiber to the diet. High-fiber diets increase motility of food through the colon and are thought to protect against colon cancer. Eating less meat may be accomplished by choosing beans as a protein source; meat consumption has been associated with colon and prostate cancer. Other foods, such as garlic, onions, soybeans, and ginger, are thought to protect against cancer by some experts. Herbal teas such as red clover or green tea have demonstrated promise in studies on cancer prevention.
How food is cooked can affect the nutrients or introduce carcinogens into the body. For example, meat protein cooked at high temperatures produces toxic substances. Studies have linked colorectal adenomas to red meat cooked at high temperatures. Processed meats and bacon contain carcinogens. Boiling vegetables can release nutrients into the water, so steaming is preferred to preserve the vitamins.
Studies have looked at the possibility of food preservatives and additives being carcinogenic, but the studies have not been conclusive. Foods are treated with chemicals to improve taste, increase shelf life, and allow them to be transported long distances in trucks. More than three thousand preservatives and additives are used in the U.S. food supply system. Some experts say that formaldehyde, a suspected carcinogen, is either contained in or released by some food preservatives and constitutes a hazard to humans; however, this has not been proven. Some people have chosen to minimize their exposure to additives and preservatives by eating more food in the raw state and purchasing organic foods and milk.
Exercise: Physical activity and exercise can help protect against developing certain cancers of the breast, colon, and prostate. The most recent guidelines by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend that adults exercise moderately (for example, walking at a brisk pace) for a minimum of thirty minutes per day, five days per week, or exercise vigorously (for example, racewalking, jogging, or running) for a minimum of twenty minutes per day, three days per week. This recommendation complements the need to decrease the epidemic of obesity in the United States, as obesity is associated with increased risk of developing cancers of the colon and rectum, breast, prostate, kidney, and uterus (endometrium).
Alcohol: Alcohol use is associated with increased risk of mouth, esophagus (throat), larynx (voice box), and liver cancer. The amount of alcohol consumed affects the risk of cancer. Men are advised to have no more than two drinks per day and women no more than one drink per day. (One drink is 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof liquor.) Women who drink are at increased risk for breast cancer. When smoking is combined with excessive alcohol consumption, the risk is compounded. Excessive alcohol consumption can result in liver damage that affects the body’s ability to excrete toxins and can effect cancer treatment. Wine is associated with an increased risk of upper digestive tract cancers in heavy users; however, some studies have shown that moderate consumption of red wine, which contains phytochemicals, may convey some cancer-fighting benefits.
Tobacco: Smoking and use of tobacco products is a choice made by many Americans. Smoking produces known carcinogens that can result in lung cancer as well as cancer of the upper respiratory tract (throat, mouth, and windpipe). Secondhand smoke (smoke in the environment that is inhaled by nonsmokers) can affect people’s health, so many states and cities have banned smoking in restaurants or require them to have nonsmoking sections. Many states and cities also ban smoking in workplaces, bars, public buildings, and public gathering places. Though smoking overall is declining and death rates from lung cancer in men are declining, death rates from lung cancer in women have continued to rise.
Other methods of cancer prevention:
Chemoprevention is a term that describes the use of natural or synthetic substances to avert cancer. Methods include the use of cancer-fighting nutrients (such as phytoestrogens) in food, herbs, and supplements that are believed to help prevent cancer. Medications such as tamoxifen or raloxifene to reduce the incidence of breast cancer, and vaccines such as the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine can prevent cervical cancer.
Preventive (prophylactic) surgery is useful in some cases for patients at high risk for cancer. Preventive procedures include removal of the breast (mastectomy), ovaries, and Fallopian tubes.
Cancer screening, a key part of cancer prevention, is covered by many insurance companies, including Medicare. Coverage may include mammograms for breast cancer, colorectal cancer diagnostic tests such as a colonoscopy, prostate-specific antigen (PSA) tests for prostate cancer, and Pap smears for cervical cancer. Early detection and treatment is one reason that cancer survival rates are rising.
Protective clothing and gear can help reduce the cancer risk from environmental hazards. Examples of cancer-causing substances that can be introduced into the workplace include silica from cement, wood dust, lacquers, wood finishes, paints, glues, solvents, asphalt, and pesticides. Wearing an appropriate mask and using proper ventilation can help decrease exposure to these toxins. Using the provided safeguards when taking (or giving) X rays in a hospital or at a dental office can decrease exposure to harmful radiation that can cause cancer. Those working outdoors and exposed to the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays can minimize their risk of skin cancer by staying out of the sun in midday, using sunscreen, and wearing protective clothing and hats.
Cancer prevention requires vigilance on the part of each individual as well as businesses and the government. However, prevention is the best way to “treat” cancer and can save many lives.
American Institute for Cancer Research. Stopping Cancer Before It Starts: The American Institute for Cancer Research’s Program for Cancer Prevention. New York: St. Martin’s Griffin, 2000.
Conley, Edward J. The Breast Cancer Prevention Plan. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2006.
National Cancer Institute. Cancer Trends Progress Report 2005. Bethesda, Md.: Author, 2005.
Verona, Verne. Nature’s Cancer Fighting Foods. New York: Prentice Hall, 2001.
No comments:
Post a Comment