Tip #1 Cancer's 7 Warning Signals(CAUTION)
Change in bowel or bladder habits
A sore that does not heal
Unusual bleeding or discharge
Thickening of lump in breast or elsewhere
Indigestion or difficulty in swallowing
Obvious change in wart or mole
Nagging cough or hoarseness
If you have a warning signal, see you doctor
Taken from the American Cancer Society
Tip #2 What's the difference between benign and malignant tumors?
| BENIGN | MALIGNANT |
|---|---|
| Usually noninvasive | Invasive |
| Slow growth | Rapid growth |
| No metastases | Metastases |
| Highly differentiated | Poorly differentiated |
| Effect | Manifestations | Causes |
|---|---|---|
| Pain | Headache, pressure, colic | Tissue destruction by tumor |
| Anemia | Weakness and fatigue | Hemolysis, hemorrhage, decreased red blood cells production |
| Fever | Sweating and confusion | Infection caused by substances released by tumor |
| Hormone release | Hypoglycemia, precocious puberty, water retention | Tumor involving organ producing hormone |
| Dermatologic involvement | Hyperpigmentation, infection, allergy | Hormone release by tumor, decreased immunity, invasion of skin by tumor |
Tip #4 Be familiar with risk and protective factors for hormone-dependent cancers in women
1. Endometrial Cancer
Risk Factors
-Late menopause
-Frequent use of oral contraceptives
-Estrogen replacement
-Obseity
Protective Factors
-Pregnancy
-Combined oral contraceptives
2. Breast Cancer
Risk Factors
-Early menarche
-Late menopause
-Alcohol consumption
-Hormone replacement
Protective Factors
-Exercise
-Prolonged lactation
-Young age at first full term pregnancy
The above info is taken from Hendersen, B.E, and Feigelson, H.S. (2000) Carcinogenesis 21: 427-433