BOWEL CANCER or COLORECTAL CANCER.
Colorectal cancer, also known as bowel cancer and colon cancer, is the development of cancer in the colon or
rectum.
It is very treatable and 90% can be cured if caught in time.
It is the most common cancer between men and women.
The financial cost of colorectal cancer in Spain is estimated to be 1200 million euros a year. If everybody in the country were screened
for it the cost would be of approximately 70 million euros a year.
90% of the new cases are diagnosed in people over the age of 50 but slowly it is starting to appear in younger
people.
Early diagnosis and prevention are clearly cost effective.
Risk factors:
The risk factors can be divided in two groups: Variables and invariables.
Invariables:
Being over 50 years old. Remember slowly it is creeping in to younger age groups.
Having a personal history of polyps in the colon or rectum.
Having a family history of colorectal cancer or certain kinds of polyps.
Some hereditary illnesses such as Familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP), Lynch Syndrome
Having an intestinal inflammatory illness, also known as Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), such as Ulcerative Colitis or Crohn's.
Variables:
A diet rich in red meats and processed meats.
A fat rich, low fiber diet.
Smoking and drinking too much alcohol.
Being overweight.
Physical inactivity.
Having type 2 (usually non-insulin dependent) diabetes.
A diet low in fruit and vegetables.
There are studies that suggest that deficiency of vitamin D increases the incidence of colon cancer and that it might also have a negative impact on the survival of colon cancer patients.
SKIN CANCER
BASIC CONCEPTS
The most frequent cancer
Amongst the easiest to diagnose
Amongst the most curable of cancers
With excellent prognosis if caught early.
WHO
Fair skinned people.
People who have had and have a lot of sun exposure.
People with a family history of skin cancer.
People who had sunburn as a child.
People with 50 moles or more.
Excessive exposure to UV rays.
SIGNS TO ACT UPON : “ABCDEFGHI”.
If you have a mole that:
Is Asymmetrical
Has irregular Borders
Has different Colours
Its Diameter is greater than 6mm
It is Evolving
Feels itchy
Grows on a scar
Has recently appeared
Intermittently bleeds
then get it checked. When in doubt always consult.
Do regular Total Body Checks
CANCER
Things we can do to reduce the incidence of cancer.
1)AVOIDING OR LIMITING CERTAIN FOODS:
Processed meats
Red meat
Fast food
Fat rich processed foods of all sorts.
Sugars. Sugar is put into nearly all factory processed food stuffs.
Starches.
Sweet drinks.
Alcohol consumption.
2)CONTROL WEIGHT.
Being overweight is related to at least, 12 different types of cancer: ovarian cancer, prostate, stomach, throat and mouth cancer, rectum and colon, breast cancer in postmenopausal women, gallbladder, kidney, esophageal cancer, pancreatic, and womb.
3) BE PHYSICALLY ACTIVE.
The importance of regular physical activity can not be overstated.
4)THE RIGHT DIET.
Try to consume a diet that is rich in vegetables, fruit, whole grains and beans. Roughage is important as are fresh foods. Try and get your nutrients of all sorts mainly from fresh foods and preferably locally grown.
5)BREASTFEEDING
The WHO recommends that infants should be exclusively breastfed for the first 6 months of their lives, and then to continue to the age of two or beyond, alongside appropriate complementary foods.
6)AVOID TOBACCO
Smoking can cause cancer almost anywhere in your body, including the:
Blood (acute myeloid leukemia),
Bladder
Cervix
Colon and rectum
Esophagus
Kidney and renal pelvis
Larynx
Liver
Lungs
Mouth and throat
Pancreas
Stomach
Trachea, lung and bronchus
7)AVOID EXCESSIVE SUN EXPOSURE.
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A check-up is not only a series of tests and examinations in search of ignored diseases, but it
is a good time to review the lifestyle of patients, thus being able to detect errors and bad habits in time. Its main objective is prevention, early diagnosis and maintenance.
We recommend that annual check-ups begin at 13-14 years of age and the reason is that we want early detection of illnesses, bad trends or unhealthy lifestyle habits that can influence the quality and duration of the young patient's life. At the same time, we want to educate young people so that they have a good and open relationship with health professionals. They should develop a responsible attitude towards their health, and then educate their future families in the proper use of the knowledge that there is in reference to health and its maintenance.
Please consult with our staff about organizing your annual Checkup.
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