Cancer

Cancer
Cancer is a group of diseases with abnormal growth of cells in any part of the
body. These cells spread to nearby areas or to distant parts of the body. Both men
and women can have cancer, but some cancers are more common among men
and some, more common among women.
Some risk factors of cancer:
1.Tobacco in any form (chewing and smoking).
2. Harmful use of alcohol.
3.Unhealthy diet
4.The risk of developing most cancers increases with age
5.Chronic infections can cause liver cancer and cancer of the cervix.
Cancers common among men are cancer of lung, stomach, urinary bladder, and
prostate glands. Cancer common among women are cancers of the breast, cervix,
ovary and uterus.
Cancer among women
Breast cancer
Breast Cancer is common among women and occurs at any age, but mostly after
35 years. It can occur in both married and unmarried women. In addition to risk
factors mentioned above, risk factors for breast cancer are:
6. A woman having a family member (blood relation) who has/had breast cancer.
7.Having the first pregnancy after the age of 30 years.
8. Not breast feeding her baby.
The woman usually feels the lump in her breast. There can be discharge from the
nipple. She should immediately go to the District Hospital for investigations and
treatment. Breast Cancer is one of the cancers, if detected early before spread,
can be treated and the woman may remain free from cancer for many years.
based on WHO