3/16/99

Microbiology II

 

Early Detection

·        One of the best things for the people and public health statistics

·        If you won't read these  signals of cancer, you probably have the 8^th

1.      change in bowel or bladder habits

2.      a sore that does not heal

3.      unusual bleeding or discharge

4.      thickening or lump in breast or elsewhere

5.      indigestion or difficulty swallowing

6.      obvious change in wart or mole

7.      nagging cough or hoarseness

8.      A fear of cancer that can prevent you from detecting cancer at an early stage.  A stage when it is highly curable.  Everyone's afraid of cancer, but don’t let it scare you to death

·        handout

·        top10 cancers

·        incidence

·        warning signals

·        safeguards against comment

·        Lung cancer in men is one of the #1 killers

·        Females #1 is breast cancer

·        Genetics, fat consumption—possible causes

·        Breast self examination is very important

·        Much information available on how to do an examine

·        Detection of the lump and then x-rays to confirm

·        Self examine important for early detection—has cut down the number of deaths more than 50%

·        Significant cut down in the number of deaths

·        Males can also have breast cancer—almost as aggressive as in females

·        Less frequently seen in males; in past 25 yrs has increased 3 fold

·        10,000/yr in US of men breast cancer

·        testicular cancer is prominent in males

·        seen in younger men more than in older people

·        self examine is of value

·        permit early detection

·        1% of cancer in men

·        29-35 y/o

·        undescended testicles increases chances of cancer

·        cancer causing agents in the environment

·        know that some of the agents

·        arsenic, benzene, asbestos, benzidine, nickel, radiation, synthetic estrogens, tobacco, vinyl chloride

·        prostate cancer

·        #2 killer, not colon and rectal cancer in males

·        BSA test that is recommended for men in 50's to be tested

·        Table 2 of cancer

·        Mammography—over 50 test every year

 

Prevention

·        Anti-oxidants

·        Vit A, E, C, selenium, carotenes

·        Prevention of cancers

·        Oxidants are very damaging to cellular agents

·        Not as powerful as radiation, but close

·        Free radicals—DNA, membranes—likely to ­ incidence of cancer

·        Cut down on fat for prevention

·        Common sense

·        Avoid excessive exposure to sunlight to reduce the chances of skin cancer.  Protect yourself form direct sun, esp at the beach

·        Never smoke tobacco.  AT least 80% of lung cancers could be prevented if we gave up all tobacco smoking.  Cancer of the mouth, throat, larynx, esophagus, and bladder would also occur less often

·        X-rays, cut the risk of leukemia cancer of thyroid, breast, and lungs.  Avoid all x-rays during pregnancy and otherwise have only as many as are necessary to provide needed material

·        Reduce your intake of foods containing preservatives when possible, particularly foods contain nitrites, and nitrates

·        Cut down on fatty meats such as beef, pork, and lamb.  Increase you fiber intake

·        Go easy on sweeteners, bath artificial and natural

·        Refuse to take drugs that may be dangerous, particularly those w/high estrogen dosages

·        Live in a city or better yet in a rural area where there is little smog

·        Choose a job in an industry that does not specialize in producing carcinogens.  If you must work in the rubber, plastics, paint, and dye, cable, or petrochemical industry, make sure you are adequately protected from inhaling and touching the carcinogens present there.