Nurse Mary: The ‘C’ word…

Mary A Drobnak RN, BSN, MSN Ed

Cancer can affect anyone: the young and old; the rich and poor; men, women and children, and has a huge impact on a person’s life and that of their families. Tobacco use, alcohol use, an unhealthy diet and lack of physical inactivity are the main cancer risk factors worldwide. One of the leading causes of death in the world, cancer is a killer, particularly in developing countries.

The reality is that here in China, our fast paced way of life makes it easy for us to neglect making healthy choices about our diet and physical activities. We never seem to equate unhealthy dietary decisions and lack of physical well-being to increasing our risk of cancer. Additionally, early detection from self check exams at home and seeing a doctor for skin, breast, prostate and colon screenings is essential to nipping any problems in the bud, but many of us are afraid to do it.  As the saying goes, an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure… so how preventative are you?

There are many conflicting reports about cancer prevention. However one thing for sure is that small changes in your daily life can make a big difference. Consider the Mayo Clinics seven real-life cancer prevention tips for getting yourself more cancer-aware.

1. Don't use tobacco

Using any type of tobacco puts you on a collision course with cancer. Smoking has been linked to cancer of the lung, bladder, cervix and kidney, and chewing tobacco is linked to cancer of the oral cavity and pancreas. Even if you don't use tobacco, exposure to second-hand smoke in bars and restaurants may also increase your risk of lung cancer.

Avoiding tobacco or deciding to stop using it is one of the most important health decisions you can make.

2. Eat a healthy diet

Although making healthy selections at the grocery store can't guarantee cancer prevention, it may help reduce your risk. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables and limit fat by eating lighter and leaner meats. High-fat diets tend to be higher in calories and may increase the risk of obesity, which in turn can increase cancer risk.

Alcohol is also influential; the risk of various types of cancer — including cancer of the breast, colon, lung, kidney and liver — increases with the amount of alcohol you drink and the length of time you drink regularly.

3. Maintain a healthy weight and include physical activity in your daily routine

Keeping a stable weight may lower the risk of various types of cancer, including cancer of the breast, prostate, lung, colon and kidney. Physical activity counts, too. In addition to helping you control your weight, physical activity on its own may lower the risk of breast and colon cancer.

As a general goal, include at least 30 minutes of physical activity in your daily routine — and if you can do more, even better. Try a fitness class, rediscover a favourite sport or meet a friend for brisk daily walks.

4. Protect yourself from the sun

Skin cancer is one of the most preventable types of cancer. Avoid long periods of time in the midday sun between the hours of 10am - 4pm when the sun's rays are strongest. Use UV protection sunglasses and a broad-rimmed hat and if you’re especially sensitive, wear bright or dark colours, which reflect more ultraviolet radiation than pastels or bleached cotton.

Use generous amounts of high-factor sunscreen when you're outdoors for long periods of time, and reapply often. In those winter months, avoid tanning beds and sunlamps; they are just as damaging as natural sunlight.

5. Get immunised

Cancer prevention includes protection from certain viral infections. Talk to your doctor about immunisation against Hepatitis B and HPV. Hepatitis B can increase your risk of developing liver cancer. The vaccine is routinely given to infants, and is also recommended for certain high-risk adults, including health care and public safety workers who might be exposed to infected blood or body fluids.

HPV is a sexually transmitted virus that can lead to cervical cancer. The vaccine is available to both men and women age 26 or younger who didn't receive the vaccine as an adolescent.

6. Avoid risky behaviour

The more partners a person has in their lifetime, the more likely it is that they will contract a sexually transmitted disease—such as HIV or HPV. Aside the aforementioned risks of HPV,  HIV and AIDS sufferers have a higher risk of cervical, lung and immune system cancers, so be sure to use contraception.

7. Take early detection seriously

Regular self-exams and professional screening for various types of cancers — such as cancer of the skin, colon, prostate, cervix and breast — can increase your chances of discovering cancer early, when treatment is most likely to be successful. Ask your doctor about the best cancer-screening schedule for you.

Send Nurse Mary your health questions and concerns at [email protected]