Cancer is one of the most devastating diseases that humanity has ever had to face. Even though our medical advances have allowed us to give these patients better chances of a long term survival, the statistics are still troublesome. Anywhere between 15 to 20 million invasive cancers are diagnosed every year and about 10 million people worldwide will die from it. Cancer is the price that a lot of us will have to pay for our increasingly longer lives. Cancers of the lungs, liver, stomach, colorectal and breast have the highest rate of incidence. In the developed world, cancer and ischemic heart disease are ‘fighting’ for the place of the number one killer.
We all hear about how smoking and alcohol cause cancer, but what is the actual pathophysiology behind it? Normally in the human body there is a finely tuned balance between cell proliferation and cell death. New cells are created through cell division to replace the ones which undergo the programmed cell death called apoptosis. Various genes regulate these processes to ensure their smooth operation. Sometimes though, during cell division, ‘mistakes’ occur which cause damage to the DNA. To fix this, our body has special DNA repair mechanisms which protect us by repairing the damaged cells or making them undergo cell death. But in some cases, due to endogenous or exogenous factors, our defence mechanisms fail. Deficient DNA and mutated cells build up, they multiply and finally progress to the various forms of cancer. Some of these cancer causing factors are for now beyond our control. But research after research shows that we can actually take some steps that can reduce our chances of having to go through this awful disease.
The early detection of cancer is probably our biggest weapon when it comes to catching this disease early, preventing its progression and in some cases to even cure it. Screening is usually done through blood tests and medical imaging techniques. If you are a woman, remember that more than 30% of cancers in females are either in the breasts or the uterus. During the last decade proper screening against these two, has lead to a 60% decrease in mortality for cervical cancer and 30% for breast cancer. Self-examine your breasts once every two months, watching out for new lumps and abnormal masses. A mammogram once every 3 years is recommended for younger women and once every year for women older than 50. Women over the age of 20 should have a Pap-test approximately once every 3 years.
For prostatic cancer it is advised that men over the age of 50 should have a PSA and a digital rectal examination once every year. Colorectal cancer, the third biggest cancer killer, can actually be prevented at a high percentage if caught early. Colonoscopies are recommended once every five years for men and women over the age of 50.
Out of all cancers, only 5-10% are actually caused entirely by genetic factors. That means that 90-95% of all cancers are caused by environmental factors which can be controlled to some extent. Inflammation is in most cases hidden behind these cancers. Smoking and excessive alcohol can cause huge damage in the lungs and upper gastrointestinal tract. The most worrying fact that more and more researches start to bring to the surface is that obesity is now believed to be behind 30-35% of all cancers. Inflammation, metabolic imbalances and direct cell damage are all obesity caused factors that can lead to uncontrolled growth of carcinogenic cells. Regular exercise of moderate intensity has been proven to reduce body inflammation and therefore helping the body repair itself. Fruits and vegetables have been shown to significantly reduce the incidence of colorectal cancer and on the other hand, the excess consumption of sugar is slowly coming to the surface as an important culprit behind some cancers.
Many doctors and scientists believe that our fight against cancer will be the biggest medical battle we will have to give. During the recent years there has been an enormous motivation in the medical community, encouraging everyone to come together and put an end to this devastating disease that has been killing us for thousands of years. Amazing technologies and medical procedures are being developed at the moment. Targeted immunotherapy is expected to aid our immune systems to destroy all cancerous cells. Genetic and epigenetic technologies are being developed that will be able to ‘switch off’ malignant cells and cause them to undergo apoptosis and die. New tumour markers and 3-D imaging technologies are already being used for the early detection of cancers while nanotechnology and robotics are believed to play a major role in the future of cancer treatment. But until these technologies become part of everyday medical procedures, it is up to us to do what we can to keep our bodies safe.
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