1. Chapter 13 Preventing Cancer
A Wellness Way of Life
Ninth Edition
Robbins/Powers/Burgess
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2. Chapter 13 Objectives After reading this chapter, you will be able to:
Identify how cancer deaths rank in overall death statistics.
List five guidelines for reducing cancer risk.
Give four guidelines for preventing sun exposure.
Give four guidelines for selecting foods that reduce cancer risk, and apply the guidelines to a menu.
List three early detection factors for cancer.
Identify cancer’s seven warning signals.
Identify the most common cancers and their risk factors.
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3. What is Cancer?
Group of diseases characterized by abnormal cell growth and replication.
Precancerous cells are often destroyed by the immune system.
If not destroyed, they may form tumors.
Tumors may be benign (don’t spread) or malignant (metastasize). Both can be dangerous, but malignant cancer can move to other sites in the body (metastasize).
Malignant tumors: invade surrounding tissues, spread through metastasis, grow uncontrollably, are not capsulated, are usually fatal if untreated.
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4. Cancer Incidence Second most common cause of death in the US overall.
1 in 3 Americans will eventually have some type of cancer.
Prevention has had a strong affect on reducing cancer incidence and deaths.
Early detection is important in reducing deaths due to cancer.
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5. Trends in cancer deaths by race and sex, 1975-2004
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Trends in cancer deaths by race and sex,
Figure 13-2
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6. How to Reduce Your Risk
Primary Risk Factors: tobacco, sun exposure, diet, inactivity, obesity.
Secondary Risk Factors: some viral infections (Hep B or HPV), radiation, workplace hazards, certain chemicals.
Approximately 80% of all cancers may be related to lifestyle choices.
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7. Don’t Smoke or Chew Tobacco
Cigarettes, pipes, cigars, snuff, chew.
Enormous amount of toxin (carcinogens), tar coats and disengages cilia, damages lung tissue, affects all organs.
With others chemicals, creates a synergistic effect (multiple risk). Tobacco and alcohol together create huge risk level for oral cancers.
Lung cancer is the biggest killer – all cancers caused by tobacco are totally preventable.
Tobacco causes 30% of all cancers and 90% of lung cancer.
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8. Limit Sun Exposure
Exposure to the sun is the main cause of skin cancer.
1 in 5 Americans will have skin cancer, making it the most common cancer.
Prevention is the key:
avoid prolonged exposure
plan activities during morning and evening
use sunscreen
Wear protective clothing
avoid tanning
protect children from the sun – even one exposure could increase risk for future cancer, use screenings and prevention techniques
do self-exams and see healthcare provider.
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9. Use at least an SPF 15 sunscreen.
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Use at least an SPF 15 sunscreen.
Photo credit: Courtesy of Gwen Robbins/Debra Powers/Sharon Burgess
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10. Eat More Plant Food
About 1/3 of cancers can be prevented by a healthful diet.
Choose most foods you eat from plant sources.
Eat cruciferous vegetables.
Eat colorful plant foods (green, orange, yellow).
Eat whole grains everyday.
Eat legumes daily.
Limit red meats and processed meats
Limit charcoal grilled, salted, cured, smoked and pickled foods.
Drink little or no alcohol.
Do not rely on supplements to prevent cancer.
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11. Brightly colored vegetables bolster the body’s cancer defenses.
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Brightly colored vegetables bolster the body’s cancer defenses.
Photo credit: Courtesy of Gwen Robbins/Debra Powers/Sharon Burgess
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12. Be Physically Active
60 minutes of moderate physical activity or 30 minutes of vigorous physical activity daily can prevent cancers.
Builds immune function.
Lowers body fat levels.
Moves food through the digestive system.
Inactivity may be more of a risk factor overall than obesity.
Exercise helps prevent cancer, even if you are overfat.
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13. Exercise pays big dividends in preventing cancer.
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Exercise pays big dividends in preventing cancer.
Photo credit: ©PhotoDisc
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14. Maintain a Healthy Weight
Overfat and sedentary people are at increased risk for cancer.
The more overfat – the higher the risk.
Estimated that increased body weight was associated with one in five cancer deaths in the U.S.
Hormones associated with weight gain might be a factor.
People who carry fat in abdomen are at higher risk for breast, colon and prostate cancers.
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15. Exposure to Viral Infections
Some viral infections can initiate inflammation and cellular damage that leads to cancer.
Hepatitis B or C is associated with a 34-fold increase in liver cancer.
Human papilloma viruses are the major cause of cervical cancer and may also be a risk for penile cancers.
HIV is a major cause of Kaposi’s sarcoma.
Lifestyle choices reduce risk – especially reducing sexual risk. Engage in abstinence, a trusted monogamous relationship, and/or condom use.
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16. Radiation, Workplace Hazards, and Certain Chemicals
Avoid excessive exposure to X-rays, radon and UV radiation.
Use shield when getting X-rays.
Check for radon in the home.
Be aware of hazards in the workplace.
Follow safety standards for chemical use and/or limit exposure altogether.
Limit exposure to pesticides.
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17. Incidence and Deaths of Cancer
Men:
prostate
lung
colon rectal
Women:
breast
Deaths
Men:
lung
prostate
colon rectal
Women:
breast
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18. Common Cancers
Breast – prevention and screenings important. 1 in 8 women will get this cancer – high survival rates.
Colorectal – don’t smoke, eat properly, little or no alcohol, and exercise.
Lung – don’t use tobacco or smoke. Avoid side stream smoke and radon. Low survival rate.
Prostate – 1 in 6 men will get this cancer. Prevention! Screenings at age 50 or earlier.
Skin – avoid sun exposure and sunburns. Do self-exams.
Testicular – monthly self-exams. Most common cancer of men
Uterine and Cervical – screenings important. Cervical is caused by HPV.
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19. Ways to Cut Your Risk of Cancer
Avoid tobacco of any kind.
Reduce sun exposure.
Eat more fruit, vegetables, beans, and whole grains; decrease red and processed meats.
Exercise 30 minutes most days of the week.
Maintain a healthy weight.
Drink little or no alcohol.
Use protective measures against STDs.
Minimize exposure to radiation, workplace hazards, and chemicals.
Know cancer’s seven warning signals.
Practice self-exams and see your physician for cancer-related checkups.
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20. Early Detection Know cancer’s warning signals: Practice self-exams
C hange in bowel or bladder habits,
A sore that doesn’t heal,
U nusual bleeding or discharge,
T hickening or lump in breast or elsewhere,
I ndigestion or difficulty swallowing,
O bvious change in wart of mole,
N agging cough or hoarseness
Practice self-exams
Have regular cancer related check-ups
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21. Cancer Checkups Breast: Colorectal: beginning at age 50: Prostate:
monthly self-exams
yearly clinical exams
mammogram by age 40 and yearly thereafter.
Women at increased risk should talk to their health care provider to consider earlier testing.
Colorectal: beginning at age 50:
fecal occult blood test sigmoidoscopy, colonoscopy, double-contrast barium enema, and/or digital rectal exam yearly
Newer screening tests being studied in clinical trials including a virtual colonoscopy and DNA stool test.
Prostate:
annual PSA test and digital rectal exam beginning at age 50
men at high risk should begin at age 45
Cervical:
yearly after age 21 or when sexually active
Testicular:
Monthly self-exams
Skin:
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22. Skin Self-Examination
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Skin Self-Examination
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23. Breast Self-Examination
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Breast Self-Examination
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24. Testicular Self-Examination
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Testicular Self-Examination
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25. Coping with Cancer As a friend: If you are diagnosed:
Share thoughts and feelings and listen.
Offer to accompany them to the doctor or hospital.
Offer to help – make specific offers of help.
Encourage fun activities.
Help friend contact a support group or someone who has had cancer.
If you are diagnosed:
Take an active role.
Be informed.
Take care of yourself.
Build a support system.
Talk about your feelings.
Find a cancer support group.
Maintain your sense of humor and allow yourself to have fun.
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26. Rx for Action Check the expiration date on your sunscreen.
Do a skin, breast, or testicular self-exam. Schedule a reminder to do one on your calendar for next month, too.
Review the “Healthy Changes” table and try one or more of these changes today.
Eat a green, orange, or deep yellow vegetable and a fruit at your next meal.
Show a family member or friend the skin cancer pictures and ABCDE test for malignant melanoma.
If you smoke, cut the number of cigarettes you smoke in half or quit for a day.
Take out the skin map lab in this chapter and map your skin spots.
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27. What Do You Think? What are your risk factors for cancer?
How could you control them and what could you do to reduce your risk for cancer?
How could you reduce your sun exposure?
What food could you eat to reduce your risk for cancer?
What are three early detection factors for cancer?
What screenings should you be engaging in and how often?
Have you ever known anyone with cancer? Have you ever had cancer? How did you handle it?
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28. Questions?
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