Men and Cancer

Prostate cancer is the most common type of cancer among men, but it can be treated successfully. It is the second most common cancer occurring worldwide among men and still showing a significant increase. It's of great concern that the number of men being diagnosed with prostate cancer is on the rise.

The prostate is a walnut-sized gland of the male reproductive system, located just below the bladder. Prostate cancer often grows very slowly and may not cause significant harm, but some types are more aggressive and can quickly spread without treatment. In the early stages, men may have no symptoms. During the later stages, symptoms may include frequent passing of urine especially at night, difficulty starting or stopping urination, painful or burning sensations during urination or ejaculation, blood in semen or urine, etc.

Knowledge is power and can change the lives of men so drastically if they are aware of early warning signs and symptoms of prostate cancer. Men ought to encourage one another to invest in their health and ask their doctor for advice on specific cancer screening tests relevant to their age, medical and family history. 

International and local research indicates that the risk for aggressive prostate cancer is higher in black men. Men need to be pro-active about their health and should recognize warning signs. Monthly testicular self-examinations should be encouraged, annual medical check-ups and cancer screening for early detection as symptoms don't always manifest until the cancer has spread. Men also need to lead a healthy balanced lifestyle, cutting out lifestyle factors that increase their cancer risk. Risk factors for prostate cancer include:

-Age 

-Ethnicity

-Family history

-Being obese or overweight, etc.

Simple screening tests to detect prostate cancer whose results will aid early detection, enabling more effective treatment and a better chance of recovery include routine prostate-specific antigen testing.

Although most enlargements of the prostate are not cancerous, regular screening is essential. A prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is a protein produced by both cancerous (malignant) and non-cancerous (benign) prostate tissue. High PSA levels may indicate inflammation of the prostate or even cancer. PSA levels can also be established by conducting a blood test.

Cancer patients Caregivers

Becoming a caregiver can be intimidating. 

The role of a caregiver can become so exhausting if you don't find time to care for yourself. Taking time for yourself and learning how you can help your friend or family member will enable you to provide compassionate care and learn more about yourself along the way. Whether newly diagnosed with cancer or a person who has had cancer before, a cancer patient should know that his caregiver or family member might experience some form of emotional stress as part of the natural human response. A caregiver should:

• Try maintaining part of his/her lifestyle: Whether it's having dinner with friends, going to a workout class, or just getting a good book to read will help you reduce stress and be an even stronger support system to the person you are helping fight cancer.
• Find support: Try to talk to others who are in a similar situation. This can help you to cope with feelings of anger, guilt, isolation, fear, sadness, etc.
• Don't be too hard on yourself: Be kind and patient with yourself. It's normal to experience occasional bouts of anger or frustration, alongside the guilt for having those feelings. Try to find a positive way to deal with these feelings.
• Take care of yourself: Make sure you exercise, eat healthy foods, stay hydrated and get enough rest.
• Stay positive: Having a positive attitude can help you set the tone for everything you do and take on.
• Know when you are stressed: Know the signs of stress, for example, sleeplessness, impatience, irritability, etc.
• Take time out: Make time for yourself. Spend time doing something you enjoy with loved ones.
• Be informed: Take time to learn about the cancer diagnosis your loved one has received. Understanding the stages, treatment options, and possible side effects of medications make caring for someone with cancer easier and help you feel more in control.

There are many times with cancer patients, the pressure of dealing with cancer becomes a heavy emotional and mental burden. Cancer affects beyond just the physical effects of a tumor. 

A caregiver should make sure the patient feels he or she is not alone by giving the patient emotional support, physical support, motivating, inspiring and giving the patient hope that they will go through.

What other effective ways can we put in place to avert cancer development.

 The portion of time in an individual's life span that most affect their subsequent risk of developing cancer arises early in life. We do have a restricted ability to prevent cancer. It can happen in spite of an individual's best efforts to follow screening recommendations, eat well, and stay at a healthy weight.

 Cancer prevention should: 

#1: Start early as possible and continue forever. 

Cancer can result from (get more information through these links) http://www.canceradvocacymovement.com/2019/11/behavioural-circumstances-that-favours.html    and  http://www.canceradvocacymovement.com/2019/11/environmental-carcinogens.html

A starting point of healthy eating starts with eating home-made meals. Parents and elderly ones should educate their children and younger ones on how healthy it is consuming organic foods and further show their responsibility to keeping them safe by limiting the availability of processed foods, fried foods, etc.

#2: Know if screening is right for you.

As a healthy individual, cancer is likely not a structured concern for you. But regular screening exams can be used to find cancer early, and it increases the chances of successful treatment. Screening principles tend to be fairly clear on who should be screened and when to start, but they are not always clear on when screening should stop. Cancer screening is a decision that must be made between an individual and their doctor, based on their general health, personal cancer risk, and personal choices. Not all types of cancer have effective screening methods.

Cancer screening has some risks associated with it. Screening tests help doctors find cancer at an earlier, more treatable stage and it may help improve survival. But cancer screening also has several risks, which includes;

•  False positives: Sometimes a screening test will suggest that a person has cancer when they do not.

• Doctors Increased testing: They may run additional tests that a person may not need because of overdiagnosis and false positives. These tests can be physically invasive, costly, and can cause unnecessary stress and worries.

• False reassurance: Sometimes a screening test will suggest that a person does not have cancer when they do. As a result, a person may not get the treatment he or she is supposed to have. 

• Overdiagnosis: Some tests may find slow-growing cancers that would not have caused any harm during an individual's lifetime. As a result, some people may receive potentially harmful, painful, stressful, and/or expensive treatments that they did not need. 

For individuals diagnosed with cancer, they will begin experiencing pain. Treated pains help the patients and give them relieve but untreated pain makes other aspects of cancer symptoms worse. For example; Fatigue, Weakness, Shortness of breath, Nausea, Constipation, Sleep disturbances, Depression, Anxiety, etc.

The pain comes about from the tumor itself, the cancer treatment, or causes unrelated to cancer. A good pain treatment scheme will take care of pain from all causes.

 People with cancer can still have pain from other causes. These include migraines, arthritis, or chronic low back pain. The treatment plan a health care team develops with the individual should include these kinds of pain. Any pain decreases the individual's quality of life. 

Screening practices are also based on certain aspects such as :

-Which type of cancer people should be screened for?

-Which tests should be used to screen for a particular type of cancer?

-What age screening should begin and end?

-How often screening tests should be done?

-What happens if the screening shows positive results?

#3: Daily choices.

We make choices every day that can affect our risks of developing cancer. It is important we get regular exercise, avoid/put an end to tobacco use, limit alcohol consumption and protect ourselves from ultraviolet rays.

#4: Support cancer prevention programs.

In addition to doing what we can to lower our risk of developing cancer, we need to work together to support programs so as to help reduce exposures to carcinogens. Public awareness campaigns are crucial to teaching people worldwide about the various ways to reduce the global risks of developing cancer.

Breast cancer Screening

The breast is made up of different tissue, ranging from very fatty tissue to very dense tissue. Breast cancer  begins when healthy cells in the breast change and grow out of control, forming a mass or sheet of cells called a tumor. A tumor can be cancerous or benign. A cancerous tumor is malignant, meaning it can grow and spread to other parts of the body. A benign tumor means the tumor can grow but will not spread. Breast cancer spreads when the cancer migrates  to other parts of the body or when breast cancer cells move to other parts of the body through the blood vessels and/or lymph vessels. This is called a metastasis.
 Although breast cancer most commonly spreads to nearby lymph nodes, it can also spread further through the body to areas such as the bones, lungs, liver, and brain. If breast cancer re-surfaces after initial treatment, it can recur locally, meaning in the breast and/or regional lymph nodes.

 Breast cancer screening can be done in several ways :

• Mammography. Mammography is a type of x-ray specifically designed to view the breast. The images produced by mammography can show tumors or irregularities in the breast. 
•  Clinical breast examination. A medical professional looks and feels for any changes in the breast’s size or shape. The examiner also looks for changes in the texture of the breasts and nipples. 
•  Breast self-examination. During this exam, a woman looks and feels for changes in her own breasts. If she notices any anomalies, she should see a doctor. 
•  Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). An MRI is not regularly used to screen for breast cancer. But it may be helpful for women with a higher risk of breast cancer, those with dense breasts, or when a lump is found during a breast exam. 

 For the diagnosis of most types of cancer, a biopsy is the only sure way for the doctor to know if an area of the body has cancer or not. In a biopsy, the doctor takes a small sample of tissue for testing in a laboratory. A doctor may consider these factors when choosing a diagnostic test:

1.  The type of cancer suspected .
2. Your signs and symptoms. 
3. Your age and general health .
4. The results of earlier medical tests.  

The series of tests needed to evaluate a possible breast cancer usually begins when a woman or her doctor discover a mass or abnormal calcifications on a screening mammogram, or a lump or nodule in the woman’s breast during a clinical or self-examination. Less commonly, a woman might notice a red or swollen breast or a mass or nodule under the arm.

Being a Cancer Advocate.

Who is an  advocate? An advocate is someone who supports or defends a cause. In the cancer community, an advocate supports or defends a cause regarding cancer. Cancer advocates can work on a local, national and international level by:

•  Raising public awareness of the disease and related issues.
• Giving support to those living with the disease. 
• Helping in the advancement of cancer research.
• Improving the quality of cancer care and much more.. 

It also includes serving  the educational needs of the community as well. This is what CAM is all about. We  want to encourage everyone to  take part in defending this cause as there are many people affected by cancer and need help for their lives to be improved and made better. That is the role of a cancer advocate. You will definitely  realize that it is a positive and emancipating experience. It helps to identify which advocacy opportunities match your interests, skills, and abilities. Expressing the importance of cancer screening and early detection, speaking with community groups about critical issues  such as communicating with local and national media about cancer-related issues, raising money for cancer research .

To help alleviate financial barriers, many groups do fundraising.
 Advocates can plan or participate in local and national fundraisers. For example, they could donate money directly to a cancer group, donate money through a workplace-giving program, volunteer for a fundraising walk or run, buy products from sources that donate a percentage of profit to cancer causes , participating in community outreach and education  etc.
So, in what way or manner do you think you can be able to help the cancer advocacy movement in their cancer advocacy duties?

We need all the assistance we can get and we will value all your contributions, be it idea-wise, easy access to conferences, financially, or how best to communicate with people to  help us know the exact needs of cancer patients.
To help this organization fulfill and accomplish that which it was created for in line with what  people actually do need out there, anyone who feels the need and passion of joining this team is gladly welcome, best regards.

Lung Cancer awareness

Lung cancer is associated with smoking. Patients do feel that they won’t get much support or help because they know that others think that their behaviour caused the disease. Most smokers do not develop lung cancer, and not all individuals diagnosed with lung cancer smoke. Lung cancer is a disease that can affect anyone. The majority who get lung cancer today have either stopped smoking years earlier or never smoked.

Lung cancer affects more than 2.1 million individuals world wide. Lung cancer is treatable, no matter the gravity or how far it has developed.
There are 2 main classifications of lung cancer: small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). These two types are treated differently. 

SCLC begins when healthy cells in the lung change and grow out of control, forming a mass called a tumor, a lesion,or a nodule. SCLC begins in the nerve cells or hormone-producing cells of the lung.The term “small cell” refers to the size and shape of the cancer cells as seen under a microscope.

NSCLC begins when healthy cells in the lung change and grow out of control, forming a tumor,a lesion,or a nodule. A lung tumor can begin anywhere in the lung. A tumor can be malignant or benign. Once a malignant lung tumor grows, it may shed cancer cells.These cells are carried away in the blood or float away in bodily fluid called lymph, that surrounds lung tissue. 
Lymph flows through tubes called lymphatic vessels that drain into collecting stations called lymph nodes. Lymph nodes are the tiny, bean-shaped organs that help fight infection. They are located in the lungs, the center of the chest, and elsewhere in the body. The natural flow of lymph out of the lungs is within the chest's cavity, which explains why lung cancer often spreads there first. When a cancer cell moves  into a lymph node or to a distant part of the body through the bloodstream and develops, it is called metastasis (development of secondary malignant growths at a distance from a primary site of cancer).

NSCLC is the most common type of lung cancer.

Risk factors and prevention against developing SCLC and NSCLC include: 

-Regular exposure to tobacco smoke and  environmental (second hand) tobacco smoke increases a persons risk of lung cancer, so its best to avoid tobacco smoke.

-Asbestos (crystals found in many types of rocks) when inhaled irritates the lungs and are very dangerous and often lead to lung cancer especially for those working in the domain of ship building, asbestos mining and etc. So using protective breathing equipment reduces the risk.

-Exposure to radon an invisible odorless gas naturally released by some soil and rocks increases the risks of lung cancer. So homes and basements should be ventilated enough to reduce radon exposure.

Other substances: such as toxic gases or chemicals in the environment can increase an individual’s risk of developing lung cancer. People exposed to cooking smoke from coal or wood might increase risk of lung cancer. Also,fumes from diesel and petrol combustion or from soldering metals could increase the risk of lung cancer. Other factors that may increase the risk of lung cancer include exposure to radiation,arsenic,nickel etc.

Keep on getting more information

Check out the attached video, and

For further information and support,

Call the CAM line on +(237)696424448,+ (001)4052017641,+(237)670064962 

or visit Https://no-tocancer.blogspot.com 

or email: annabel.waluma@flourizon.com, waluma2006@gmail.com. 

For donations visit  https://www.chuffed.org/project/canceradvocacymovement

Behavioural circumstances that favour cancer development.

As we already know, cancer is caused by genetic changes leading to uncontrolled cell growth and tumour formation. Cancer is a preventable disease that requires major lifestyle awareness. Regular consumption of junk and fried food, lack of exercise , obesity, excessive alcohol etc do also lead to emerging cancers.

A minority of cancers are due to inherited genetic mutations and others stimulated by many different lifestyle factors. Diet and obesity account for  30-35% of cancer deaths. Excessive alcohol does increase the risk of developing cancers of the liver, colon, stomach and etc due to alcohol related nutritional deficiencies.

Regular exercises are good and excellent ways of preventing inflammations. As little as 20 minutes of exercise per day has anti-inflammatory effects. It's been prooven that inflammation plays an important role in the development and progression of cancer. Chronic inflammation can lead to Dna damage over time and accumulation of random genetic alterations in cancer cells. So inflammations do contribute to proliferation, survival, angiogenesis and migration of cancer cells.

 So let us please take note of these points and implement proactive habits against emerging cancer upon ourselves.

Environmental carcinogens

A carcinogen is a substance that promotes cancer formation due to its ability to damage the genome or cause the disruption of cellular metabollic processes. Exposure to some chemicals and harzardous substances can increase the risk of cancer. Cancers caused by involuntary exposure to environmental carcinogens most likely occur in sub groups of the population, especially workers in certain industries.

Carcinogenecity is generally associated with synthetic chemicals, but it is likely to arise in both natural and synthetic substances. Natural carcinogens like mycotoxins resulting from metabolism of molds and  aflatoxin B produced by the fungus Aspergillus flavus growing on stored grains, nuts and etc are few examples of potent naturally occuring carcinogens.
Certain viruses have been found to cause cancer in humans, like the Hepatitis B virus and the Human papilloma virus.

Synthetic environmental risk factors are in two groups:
Radioactive carcinogens and non- radioactive carcinogens. Radioactive carcinogens are radiations, most especially ultraviolet radiations.
non-radioactive carcinogens for example are exposure to tobacco smoke, second hand smoke, industrial smoke (from plastic factories or fuel emission from engines etc), certain dioxins, vinyl chloride from which polyvinyl chloride is made and many more.

Ultraviolet Radiation

Radiation is the release of energy from any source. Ultraviolet radiation is a form of electromagnetic radiation that comes primarily from the sun. High levels of  ultraviolet radiation is carcinogenic to human body tissues. This raises the risk of developing cancer, especially breast cancer and melanoma (cancer of the skin), and a strong factor includes the amount of radiation that gets into the exposed area.

Too much ultraviolet radiation from the sun damages the genetic material (DNA) in the cells of the skin and beyond. If enough damage builds up with time, it will cause cells to start growing out of control  leading to emerging cancer.

We cannot avoid sunlight completely for it is not healthy to do so because we fundamentally need vitamin D from the sun. So taking precautions like appropraite  clothings that will protect our skin will limit uv radiation penetration. Also when outside, staying in a shade most especially during midday hours is one of the best ways to limit your ultraviolet radiation exposure from sunlight.

NB: Time of the day ultraviolet rays are strongest is between 10 am - 4 pm.

The Body Mass Index connection to Cancer

BMI gives an indication of our health status, so as to identify and prevent health related problems associated with it. Overweight & obesity are mostly indicative of  various types of cancers.

It is always good to balance how much we eat with how active we are.. It is important to develop dietary and physical activity strategies. Optimal weight results from appropraite calorie intake.
Excess body fat affects certain hormones: Insulin, estrogen, androgens and these hormones are closely related to cancer risks.

Loosing weight or keeping fit doesn't still guarantee you won't have cancer as there are many other factors to be taken into consideration, but it will reduce the risk of cancer.

We need researchers to furthermore investigate the morbidity, mortality and association of the different types of cancers with the body mass index.

Time procrastination obstacles in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer.

Diagnostic and treatment retardations can be improved upon so as to identify the likely cause of cancer in cancer patients. Very few studies have been carried out regarding time delay barriers, most especially in the developing countries. We should encourage those who can afford  to engage in regular cancer tests. Since majority of africans can't afford cancer tests, the governments should be adviced and encouraged to make such tests free.

As these studies are carried out, the researchers should make sure that the multiple parts of retardation time at the various stages of cancer experienced by the patients be closely evaluated.

From my point of view, this problem is 90% associated with the lack of awareness, low household income and difficulties in having access to health facilities.

Also as a course of action, these health facilities will require an updated readily available equipments/ for a more efficient diagnosis and treatment of cancer.

What other action can be implemented?

Organic and synthetic Medicines

A lot is being invested in research today so as to find an effective treatment for cancer. Research is being carried out in two directions; Organic and synthetic medicines...
Organic medications have no side effects as contrasted to synthetic therapies. They help to restore the body's ability to recover and regulate itself, while synthetic  medications are used to treat, but the majority manifest unfavourable side effects.
 Medicines  take away the evidence of the disease after treatment.
Let me not rush into the conclusion that everyone knows the difference between organic and synthetic medicines. Organic medicines are  gotten from  natural sources such as organic plants etc.
Many useful drugs have been derived from these, but having been processed(synthetic),Purified,additives added and assayed, we cannot be certainly sure that the active ingredients  haven't been altered in the process. All medicines are drugs, but not all drugs are medicines.
From my analysis so far, there is eventually an already discovered remedy for cancer, are you surprised?
Our minds are being boggled with the hope that very soon the ultimate discovery we await (cancer remedy) will come to light soonest than we think, but it is already available.
You can ask me why they aren't letting the world know, but i would not be best placed to answer that question.
And you, what reason can you give for that attitude? ......Financial greed?
Sharing opinions too will make ways for certain concerns to be brought to light.

Let's see the shocking Truth

Bad actions associated with good intentions? A complex situation. Healthy living is a life-long effect.When we talk of  living healthily, we refer to a lifestyle that helps to keep and improve your health and well-being. This can be achieved through alot of ways; healthy eating, physical activities ,weight and stress management etc.
Healthy eating as it is understood by most people refers to  mainly avoiding anything artificial.The fundamental truth is that some of the  organic foods we consume are still not healthy.

Organic foods; Organic fruits and vegetables  are grown without artificial pesticides, fertilizers or herbicides, Organic meat ,dairy products etc are obtained from animals fed with natural feed, free of hormones and antibiotics.

The  vast majority of crop plants,farm animals ,soil bacteria are now subjected to genetic engineering. Those responsible will say the purpose of this practice is to strengthen resistance to pests, diseases, environmental conditions, resistance to herbicide and etc, but is it safe for our health?

Genetically modified organisms are organisms whose genetic material has been altered by genetic engineering techniques   to achieve characteristics that may be more desireable, such as bigger size and quantity of food produce, or resistance to disease or bugs.etc.
This however could result in differences in nutritional content , allergic response,/undesired side effects  such as toxicity, organ damage, or genetic transfer and what is most feared is induced Cancer to the consumer.
Please kindly watch the attached video, and give me your opinion on what you think is being pumped into the chickens?

Let us all work as a team to help avert such situations..

Recognising, Attaining and Implementing Advocacy.

Proactive health awareness, Advocacy campaign promotions lead to the attainment of my objective, but we need to make our audience recognise, realise and acknowledge  that what we are advocating for is a crucial global issue that needs to be taken very seriously.

Identifying, acknowledging and understanding that there is actually a problem, making people understand what accomplishing our objectives and goals will mean to us, and how this issue might affect people in various ways, their lifestyles, work, decisions, family and etc, if not addressed. Bringing out the genuine concern of individuals towards working together to being alert and continually stir up ideas and suggestions that will move us forward in our cause.

I will raise awareness of Organic Diets that cure cancer by promoting the neccessary health and dietary practices i know that prevents/ cures cancer.

But ,what about those who weren't living healthily (increased alcohol consumption,decreased physical activity, eating junk foods , alot of conservatives etc) , and those that got inflicted through ways or means unknown to them?

 Us being able to provide mind/body support to them while they undergo treatment alongside , practising active listening and communication when with them, also making sure to be cautious when asking questions or advising them on what treatment plan is best to adhere to, will bring them much joy and relief, because being cheerful empowers them combat stress, reduces the pain, depression and anxiety they go through due to the chemotherapy treatments.

What suggestions do you have with regards to 'What are the things people ignore  that are able to cause cells (in any parts of the body)  to be abnormal and start dividing uncontrollably' ?

Thank you.

It always seems impossible, until it's done.

     

 Everyone has certain things they struggle with, and we're always willing to lend an ear to anyone who might help us resolve one of those struggles .Inquiring minds can’t resist finding solutions. Sparking the discovery process gets and keeps them on track. 
The more you can make  out of them, the better.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   I am a happy and grateful person, always following my heart and intuition. I always say growing into a best version of yourself takes you first of all being honest with yourself and making your time count.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       I am a certified medical microbiologist and a member of the American Society for Microbiology.I am an open person , a cancer advocate, and act as an advocate for others. My goal is to create an environment where people feel free to share and exchange knowledge on challenging issues, and in doing so someone may share information that's difficult to understand or shocking to hear, but we are there for each other.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               I work on a local level with a non-governmental organisation in my country,the Walking in Solidarity Group, raising public awareness on proactive ways to avoid cancer, providing support to those living with it, advocating diverse research and improving the quality of cancer care.
I recently lost two wonderful people to leukaemia and endometrial cancer. It is emotionally very difficult to watch anyone slowly dying from the disease, most especially when it is a family member. My grandmother ,Francisca and my aunt, Margaret are the ones i recently lost to this disease.
                                                                                                                                                             I am here to speak out and listen to others views. All of us should chart out the way forward to eliminate cancer and ameliorate human lives.It hurts so much keeping the pain within, but when you are in pain but happy, it shows that you have discovered the gloomy hues of life that you never knew, but now know.                                                                                     
And you, what does sharing your experiences mean to you?