CANCER

• Is GENERIC

• Elicits stigma, dread, feeling of

hopelessness and impending doom.

• Traditionally, been considered equivalent

to “DEATH”
INTRODUCTION
BEFORE WW II, THE GLOBAL FEAR WAS
FOCUSED ON INFECTIOUS AND
COMMUNICABLE DISEASES, AND THE
COLLECTIVE PERCEPTION WAS THAT OF
“FEAR OF INFECTIONS”.

PLAGUES
SPANISH INFLUENZA PANDEMIC
“CONSUMPTION” (PULMONARY TB)
“ WAITING FOR THE FEVER TO
BREAK “
 TODAY, THE ANXIETY, HELPLESSNESS AND
APATHY REGARDING “INFECTION” NO
LONGER EXIST.
YET:
• MILLIONS ARE STILL DYING FROM PTB,
MALARIA, DIARRHEA, RESPIRATORY TRACK
INFECTIONS, ETC.
• MANY INFECTIOUS AND COMMUNICABLE
DISEASES ARE INCURABLE: HIV/AIDS,
CHRONIC HEPATITIS, ETC.
• SARS, BIRD FLU
TODAY, THE ANXIETY, HELPLESSNESS AND
APATHY HAVE BEEN REPLACED BY
CONFIDENCE, HOPE AND CALL TO ACTION.

DOT FOR PTB

MOSQUITO CONTROL: MALARIA, DENGUE
CULLING OF INFECTED ANIMALS (MAD COW
DISEASE, BIRD FLU)
TODAY, THE ANXIETY, HELPLESSNESS AND
APATHY HAVE BEEN TRANSFERRED TO
“CANCER”. AND YET, THE BODY OF
SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE ON CANCER IS
MORE EXTENSIVE COMPARED TO OTHER
DISEASES.

TODAY, THE GENERAL TERM “INFECTIOUS

AND COMMUNICABLE DISEASES” IS SELDOM
USED, BUT RATHER, A FOCUS ON SPECIFIC
INFECTIOUS DISEASES WHICH ARE VERY
DIFFERENT FROM EACH OTHER.
 JUST LIKE “INFECTIOUS AND
COMMUNICABLE DISEASES”, THE TERM
“CANCER” REFERS TO A VERY
HETEROGENOUS GROUP OF DISEASES
VERY DIFFERENT FROM EACH OTHER.
NORMAL CELLS - NORMAL GENES
ORDERLY REPRODUCTION
DEFINITE FUNCTION
SPECIFIC LIFE SPAN
REMAIN IN PLACE
CANCER CELLS – ABNORMAL GENES
UNCHECKED REPRODUCTION
NO USEFUL FUNCTION
LONG LIFE SPAN
CAN SPREAD EVERYWHERE
 MANY CANCERS ARE PREVENTABLE.

MANY CANCERS ARE CURABLE WHEN

DETECTED EARLY AND TREATED
ADEQUATELY.

TALK ABOUT, THINK OF, ACT ON SPECIFIC

CANCERS.
1/3 OF ALL CANCERS ARE PREVENTABLE
LUNG, ORAL CAVITY, LIVER, CERVIX, SKIN, STOMACH,
COLON AND RECTUM, and MELANOMA
(44% OF ALL CANCERS IN BOTH SEXES)

1/3 OF ALL CANCERS CAN BE CURED IF

DETECTED EARLY AND TREATED
APPROPRIATELY
BREAST, CERVIX, COLON, RECTUM, ORAL, THYROID,
PROSTATE, ACUTE LYMPHOCYTIC LEUKEMIA IN
CHILDREN, TESTICULAR CARCINOMA,
CHORIOCARCINOMA
(35% OVERALL; 18% IN MALES; 49% IN FEMALES)
 CURATIVE TREATMENTS

SURGERY IS CURRENTLY THE MOST EFFECTIVE

AND WIDELY ACCESSIBLE FORM OF TREATMENT
FOR MAJORITY OF CANCERS THAT CAN BE CURED
IF DETECTED EARLY.
RADIOTHERAPY CAN CURE SMALL CANCEROUS
GROWTHS SUCH AS CANCER OF THE MOUTH,
CERVIX AND LARYNX.
CHEMOTHERAPY ALONE CAN CURE CERTAIN
TYPES OF CANCER SUCH AS ACUTE LYMPHOCYTIC
LEUKEMIA IN CHILDREN, TESTICULAR CANCER AND
CHORIOCARCINOMA OF THE UTERUS.
 IN SOME INSTANCES RADIOTHERAPY AND/OR
CHEMOTHERAPY CAN BE ADDED TO SURGERY AS
ADJUVANT TREATMENT AND WILL IMPROVE
CURABILITY.

THE FOLLOWING COMMON CANCERS CAN BE

DETECTED EARLY AND WHEN TREATED PROPERLY
CAN BE CURED. BREAST, CERVIX, COLON,
RECTUM, ORAL, THYROID, PROSTATE. THESE
COMPRISE 38.13% OF ALL CANCERS, 21.76% OF
CANCERS IN MALES, AND 53.63% OF CANCERS
AMONG FEMALES.
 CANCER FACTS AND ESTIMATES

• INCIDENCE

• MORTALITY

• SURVIVAL
QUESTIONS ?
questions ?
QUESTIONS ?
questions
QUESTIONS ??
questions ?
questions ?
QUESTIONS
questions ? ?
questions ?
questions ?
questions ?
 Colo-Rectal Cancer
• Ranked 4TH overall, and 3rd
among males and 4th in
females.
• Incidence begins at 50 years
old.
• Survival rate is 47% and
32% in 5 and 10 years
(colon)
• Survival is 19% and 6% in 5
and 10 years (rectum)
 Colo-Rectal Cancer (Risk Factors and
Prevention)
• Family history of colo- • Recurrent diarrhea and
rectal cancer. constipation
• Polyps and • Weight loss
inflammatory bowel • Unexplained anemia
disease. • Blood in the stool
• Diet high in fat and low
in grains, fruits and
vegetables.
Digital Rectal Exam (DRE); FOBT; Barium
enema; Colonoscopy
 Liver Cancer
• 3RD for both sexes; 2nd in
males and 6th among
females.
• Incidence rates begin to
rise at age 35 for males
and age 50 for females.
• Median survival is only
3.13 months, 6% survive
for 5 years and NO!
survivor in 10 years.
 Liver Cancer (Risk and Prevention)
• Viral infections causing • Abdominal pain
chronic active hepatitis • Weight loss
(Hepatitis B and C). • Weakness and loss of
• Heavy alcohol appetite
consumption liver
cirrhosis.
• Intake of food containing
aflatoxins.
Liver cancer can be
prevented through HBV
infant vaccination and
improved sanitation
 Breast Cancer
• Breast cancer is the most
frequently diagnosed
cancer in women
• Leading cause of cancer
death in women.
• Overall survival is 50%
and 32% in 5 and 10
years.
 Lung Cancer

• Second for both sexes;

1st in males and 3rd
among females.
• Incidence starts rising
steeply at age 40 for
males and age 45 for
females
• Survival is 5% and 3%
in 5 and 10 years time.
 Lung Cancer (Risk and Prevention)
• Cigarette smoking cause
lung cancer.
• Non-smokers exposed to
smoke also have higher
risk for lung cancer.
“The best way to fight lung
cancer is to stop smoking.”
“Majority of patients are
diagnosed at an incurable
stage.”
• Persistent cough
• Blood streaked sputum
• Chest pain
• Recurrent episodes of
pneumonia or bronchitis
• Hoarseness
• Arm and shoulder pain
• Weakness and weight
loss
GOOD MORNING!