Cancer Prevention

How can You Protect Yourself from Cancer ?

Talking about Cancer risk, everyone has the different risk of developing cancer. Some individuals have a higher cancer risk because of family susceptibility. But more significant are environmental risk factors, the most impotant --Diet and Smoking--we can control.

Genetic factors. In a few rare cases, a woman may be at high risk for breast cancer because of a "family breast cancer syndrome."

Dr. Philip Cole, an internationally renowned epidemiologist and associate professor at Harvard's School of Public Health, and other epidemiologists believe that family susceptibility to a specific type of cancer may be due to 1. a Genetic factor, 2.an Unhealthy life-style or, 3.the least suspect -- something in the environment.

Cancer in specific organ has its specific risk factors, too. For example : Her overweight causing Cancer in the Uterus, Smoking 5-9 cigarettes per day causing Cancer in lung, Many sexual partners or early sexual intercourse causing Ca. Cervix, etc.

The cancer-causation puzzle becomes increasingly complicated when 2 or more risk factors are combined. So, The key to cancer prevention at present is to identify personal risk factors -- and make a commitment to do something about them.

*Identify your risks -- then deal with them*

Source : Summary from CANCER pathophysiology, etiology, and management pages 84-88

Cancer Patient

Cause of Death in Cancer Patients

What makes the Cancer so Deathly..??

The primary causes of death in Cancer patients are Infection, Organ failure, Infarction, Hemorrhage, Carcinomatosis. Infection was a Major cause of death and occured in 47 % of patients. Organ failure also was a frequent cause of death. Most of the infections occurring in patients were either septicemia or visceral infections.

Then, Infarction occurred as a terminal event. The most frequent sites of infarction were the lungs and the heart. Hemorrhage or Massive bleeding causes death in patients. Fatal hemorrhage occurred most frequently in the gastrointestinal tract and the brain; the majority in patients with gastrointestinal tumors and melanomas.Other factors which caused fatal bleeding were peptic ulcer, post-surgery, post radiation, and ateriosclerosis.

Carcinomatosis was most frequenty seen in patients with melanoma and breast carcinomas. 

Radiation Therapy

Palliative Radiation Therapy

Treatment in patients with Advanced Cancer  won't get Extensive curative treatment. In other words, the patient won't get Radical treatment. The Palliative treatment is usually done. This is for Comfortable of patient during the last phases of live. So, What kind of Palliative Radiation Therapy ??

Here, The Problem of Patient with Advanced Cancer.

1. Pain
   Pain caused by tumor invasion or encapsulation of nervous tissue. So, in certain cases such as Bone pain due to metastases from bronchogenic carcinoma or breast cancer, Radiation therapy is very usefull and effective in relieving the pain.
2. Bleeding
   Radiation relieves bleeding in certain dosage. That is depend on type of tumor growth and its degree of invasion.
    
3. Pressure effects on vital organs 
   Pressure on vital structure such as in superior vena cava,  are also relieved by radiation. Major and minor bronchi obstructed by tumor often respond to radiation therapy,too.
    
4. Restraint of tumor growth
   At times, palliation is necessary to promote the patient's sense of well-being. Radiation therapy may alliviate local suppuration, enhance the patient's self-esteem and improve nursing care.
   
   Source : CANCER pathophysiology, etiology, and management page 186

Cancer Chemotherapy

Side Effect of Cancer Chemotherapy

Treatment of Cancer generally, devided into 2 groups, there is local therapy, such as surgery and radiation, and systemic therapy.Systemic therapy could be chemotherapy with cytotoxic drugs, hormonal therapy, and biologic therapy. Nowdays, we also know the therapy called Therapy with molecular target.

In here, we will discuss about Cancer Chemotherapy, especially the bad effect would be rised.

Chemotherapy cytotoxic drugs attack cancer cells which is quick split. but sometimes these drugs give effect to the normal cells such as hair, mucosal , bone marrow, skin and sperm, which are have quick split,too. These drugs can also be toxic in some organs such as heart, liver, kidney, and nervous system.

Side Effect that is usually found in patient with Drugs Chemotherapy could be bone marrow suppression, mucositis, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, Alopecia, Infertility.

Bone Marrow Suppression

Trombocytopenia, anemia, and leucopenia are the side effect occur in chemotherapy drugs.

Mucositic

Mucositis can occur in oral cavity (called stomatitis), tongue (called Glossitis) , throat (called Esofagitis), enteric (called Enteritis) and rectum (called proctitis). Usually,mucositis occur in day 5 until 7 after chemotherapy. Mucositis can cause secondary infection, poor nutrision, dehydration, long time treatment  and also increasing that cost.

Oral hygiene sould be maintained, to prevent from secondary infection due mucositis.

Nausea and Vomiting 

Inflammation from mucosal cells (mucositis) that line the digestive tract causing Nausea and Vomiting. Nausea  can occur acutely, within 0-24 hours after chemotherapy, or 24-96 hours (1-4 days) after chemotherapy. Instead drug therapy, environment around patient and foods should be given attention,too. Avoiding spicy foods and foul-smelling, eating and drinking in small portion but frequent. Avoiding eat 1-2 hours before and after chemotherapy. Relaxing with watching TV, or Playing game, reading,etc, Sleeping during the period of nausea, Oral hygiene, also doing exercise.

Diarrhea

Diarrhea caused by the damage of gastrointestinal tract epithelial cells, causing inadequate absorption.Patients are encouraged to eat low-fiber, high protein, and drink enough fluids & electrolyte.As well as diarrhea due to other reasons, the replacement of fluids and electrolyte must be done.

Alopecia (hair lost)

Hair lost always occurs in chemotherapy due to the lethal effects of chemotherapy drugs to cells of the hair follicles. Total recovery would occur after therapy is stopped. In some patients, the hair can grow back during the therapy of anti-cancer drugs. It can reflect compensatory proliferative process -increasing the number of stem cells- or the development of drug resistance in normal tissue.

Infertility

Spermatogenesis and Oogenesis are vurnerable to the toxic effects of anti-cancer drugs.This is because the drugs effect to the rapid proliferatif cells. we know that Spermatogenesis and Oogenesis devide rapidly. In men with chemotherapy cancer, are often found the decrease in amount of sperm production.

Source: Translated from Text Book "Buku Ajar Ilmu Penyakit Dalam Jilid II forth Edition page 843"

Tumor marker

Tumor Marker for Female Reproduction (Screening)

Cancer Antigen 125 (CA 125)

CA 125 is a standard tumor marker for epithelial ovarian cancer. The reference Levels the most follow is 0-35 ku/L, but almost 99% normal women  after menopause  have the levels <20 kU/L. The levels between 100 kU/L and more can be found in pramenopause woman when come menstruation. More than 90% patients have CA 125 levels  more than 30 u/L when there is an advance cancer. CA 125 is being studied as a screening diagnostic tool because the leves increase when the disease especially attack ovarium. However, the problem is some women with CA 125 levels > 30 U/ml not found Ovarium cancer. The high levels is also found in women with Endometriosis, lung cancer, and individual with history of cancer. Increasing  CA 125 levels is also found in Non-malignant condition such as Liver disease, fibroid, Ovarian cyst, and peritonitis.

Squamous Cell Carcinoma Antigen (SCC)

SCC, first identified in Cervical Cancer. This is a marker of squamous cell carcinoma that can occur in the cervix, head and neck, lung and skin.The levels of SCC can be used to help set the stage of Carcinoma and determine the therapeutic response.




Source: Translated from Text Book "Buku Ajar Ilmu Penyakit Dalam Jilid II forth Edition"

Pancreatic Tumor

Pancreatic Tumor

Pancreatic Tumor could be Benign or Malignant.In Clinical study, about 90% patients with pancreatic tumor are Malignant from pancreatic exocrine tissue, that is ductus pancreatic adenocarsinoma.Pancreatic Cancer is still idiopatic. it means, there are uncertain causes of this disease. There are exogen ,endogen, and genetic factors.

Exogen factor could be smoke habit, high colesterol diet, alcohol. coffee, and carcinogenic substance. The most consistent risk factor is smoking. In smoker, the risk of pancreatic cancer increase1,4 - 2,3 higher then Non-smoker.High Colesterol diet and fat, and Low fiber are proved increasing the risk of pancreatic cancer. Good Diet for better Live :)

Endogen factors could be Age,pancreatic disease ( Cronic Pancreatitis and Diabetes millitus) and genetic mutation.Insidence of Pancreatic Cancer increase in the old age. Patient with Chronic Pancreatitis has risk 9,5 higher to get Pancreatic Cancer.

Nowdays, Pancreatic Cancer is also accociated with Genetic factor. The risk getting Pancreatic cancer increase double in family with pancreatic cancer.

Colorectal Cancer Review is here