Cancer

What you need to know about common cancers

The best way to reduce your risk of cancer is by living a healthy lifestyle. Eating right, exercising, not smoking and maintaining a healthy weight greatly reduce your cancer risks. Cancer research shows that while genetics and heredity do play a part, about one-third of cancer deaths are caused by lifestyle choices like poor diet and lack of exercise. And that figure doesn’t include the cancer deaths caused by smoking. So the majority of cancers are most likely preventable.

As we age, our risk for cancer increases, and some types of cancer tend to hit those who are over 50 more than younger people. Lung cancer, colon cancer, skin cancer, breast cancer and prostate cancer all all most likely to affect people over 50. Be especially vigilant for symptoms of these forms of cancer.

Types of cancer

• Bladder cancer: Most people don’t realize that smoking is a major risk factor for bladder cancer, as well as lung cancer. Symptoms can include frequent and/or painful urination and blood in the urine.
• Bone cancer: Bone cancer is very rare, and most types occur primarily in children. One type (chondrosarcoma) is more common in older adults. This type of bone cancer develops in cartilage cells, and symptoms may include persistent pain or a feeling of pressure.
• Brain cancer: The causes and risk factors for brain tumors are very unclear. Symptoms depend on the size and location of the tumor, and may include headaches, nausea, twitching, numbness and problems with speech, vision, memory and balance. Early treatment is critical to prevent permanent brain damage.
• Breast cancer: As with other cancers, reduce your risks by not smoking and maintaining a healthy weight. Exercise regularly, and perform regular self-exams. And it’s especially important for women over 50 to get regular mammograms to screen for abnormalities that are too small to be felt. Breast cancer treatment has one of the highest cure rates when the disease is caught early.
• Cervical cancer: Cancer of the cervix often has no symptoms, but it is easily detected by a regular Pap test. The main risk factor for cervical cancer is HPV infection (a sexually transmitted disease). The usual treatment is hysterectomy.
• Esophageal cancer: After age, the biggest risk factors for cancer of the esophagus are smoking and heavy drinking. Symptoms include pain when swallowing and a persistent cough or hoarse voice. Treatment success rates for this type of cancer are low.
• Leukemia: Leukemia is a cancer of the blood. The cancerous cells are abnormal white blood cells. There are several types of leukemia, classified by the type of white blood cell affected and whether the disease is chronic (gradual onset) or acute (sudden onset).
• Lung cancer: Even if you’ve smoked for 30 years, stopping now still reduces your risk of lung cancer and other ailments like asthma, COPD and emphysema. You’ll also be taking a step toward protecting those around you from cancer due to your secondhand smoke.
• Mesothelioma: This rare form of cancer affects the mesothelium, the protective sac that surrounds the internal organs. It is sometimes referred to as asbestos cancer, since the biggest risk factor is exposure to asbestos particles. Mesothelioma is very hard to treat.
• Non Hodgkin lymphoma: This term actually refers to a group of cancers affecting the lymphatic system. Symptoms include swollen but painless lymph nodes, unexplained weight loss and weakness or fatigue. Non-Hodgin lymphoma most often affects people over age 60.
• Ovarian cancer: This cancer is also highly treatable when caught early, but often it’s already in the later stages by the time it’s discovered. Symptoms like unexplained bloating, backaches, changes in period and feelings of fullness in the lower stomach can be signs of the early stages. A regular pelvic exam is the first line of defense.
• Pancreatic cancer: Smoking and diabetes are both risk factors for pancreatic cancer, and it occurs more commonly in people over age 60. Pain in the upper abdomen, jaundice, weakness and lack of appetite can all be symptoms. Pancreatic cancer is only treatable if caught early on.
• Prostate cancer: For men over 50, an annual prostate exam is essential to screen for prostate cancer. Prostate cancer is highly treatable when caught early.
• Stomach cancer: Risk factors for stomach cancer include smoking, a high-sodium diet and inadequate fruit and vegetable intake. In its early stages, it is asymptomatic, but later symptoms include indigestion, loss of appetite, stomach pain, nausea, diarrhea or constipation. Surgery is the most common treatment, and the prognosis is good when the condition is caught early; unfortunately, however, it rarely is.
• Testicular cancer: Undescended testicles are the key risk factor for testicular cancer; it is most prevalent in men aged 15 to 40. Symptoms include hard lumps in one or both testes, abdominal or groin aches, loss of interest in sex, sudden change in testicle size and blood in the semen. Most testicular cancer cases are curable when detected early.
• Thyroid cancer: Exposure to radiation and low-iodine diets are key risk factors for thyroid cancer, and women are three times more likely than men to contract it. The symptoms include neck nodules, changes in voice, enlarged lymph nodes and neck pain. For those under 45 years of age, tumors are rarely fatal; however, the prognosis for older patients is not as strong and is heavily dependent on early detection.