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With proper habits, up to 4 million cases of cancer could be prevented per year

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What is cancer?

Cancer is the name given to a set of more than 100 diseases that have in common the disordered growth of cells that invade tissues and organs and can spread to other regions of the body. Healthy cells multiply when needed and die when the body no longer needs them. Cancer occurs when the body's cell growth is out of control and they divide too quickly or when the cell "forgets" to die.

Dividing quickly, these cells tend to be very aggressive and uncontrollable, causing the formation of tumors or malignant neoplasms. On the other hand, a benign tumor simply means a localized mass of cells that multiply slowly and resemble their original tissue, rarely posing a risk of death.

There are more than 100 types of cancer, which correspond to the various types of cells present in the human body. If the cancer starts in epithelial tissues, such as the skin or mucous membranes, it is known as carcinoma. If it starts in connective tissues such as bone, muscle or cartilage, it is called a sarcoma.

Another characteristic that differentiates the different types of cancer that exist is the rate of multiplication of diseased cells and their capacity to invade neighboring or distant tissues and organs, a phenomenon known as metastasis.

Causes

Cancer is caused by changes (known as mutations) within the body's cells. The DNA inside a cell contains a set of information that tells it how to grow and divide. Errors in the instructions can allow a cell to become cancerous. A gene mutation can instruct a healthy cell to:

• Allow for rapid growth: A gene mutation can tell a cell to grow and divide faster. This creates many new cells with the same mutation;
• Stop cell growth from stopping: Normal cells know when to stop growing. Cancer cells can lose the control that tells them when to stop growing;
• Making mistakes when repairing DNA defects: Repair genes look for defects in a cell's DNA and make corrections. A mutation in this repair gene could mean that other mistakes will not be corrected, causing the cells to become cancerous.

Also, many other genetic mutations can contribute. They can occur for various reasons, for example:

• Congenital: You may be born with a genetic mutation that you inherited from your parents. This type of mutation is responsible for a small percentage of cancers;
• Genetic mutations that occur after birth: Most genetic mutations occur after birth and are not inherited. A number of factors can cause genetic mutations, such as smoking, radiation, exposure to viruses, cancer-causing chemicals (carcinogens), obesity, hormones, chronic inflammation, and lack of exercise.

Genetic mutations that we are born with and those that you acquire throughout your life can work together to cause cancer. For example, if you've inherited a genetic mutation that predisposes you to cancer, it doesn't mean you'll get cancer. Instead, you may need one or more genetic mutations that cause cancer. Your inherited genetic mutation makes you more vulnerable to cancer than other people when exposed to a certain risk factor.

cancer symptoms

Symptoms caused by cancer vary according to the affected part. Some general signs and symptoms, which are not cancer-specific and should be cross-checked with other risk factors, include:

• Fatigue;
• A lump or area of ​​thickening that can be felt under the skin;
• Weight changes, including unintended loss or gain;
• Skin changes such as yellowing, darkening or reddening of the skin, non-healing wounds or soft changes;
• Changes in bowel or bladder habits;
• persistent cough;
• Difficulty in swallowing;
• Hoarseness;
• Indigestion or discomfort after eating;
• Persistent muscle or joint pain with no apparent cause;
• Fever or persistent night sweats with no apparent cause.

Make an appointment with your doctor if you have any persistent signs or symptoms with no apparent cause. If you don't have any signs or symptoms but are concerned about your risk of cancer, discuss your concerns with an expert.

With proper habits, up to 4 million cases of cancer could be prevented per year

According to a report from the World Cancer Research Fund, it is estimated that cancer is about 30% to 40% preventable through proper diet and nutrition, regular physical activity, obesity prevention and non-smoking. Worldwide, this means that, each year, around 3 million to 4 million cases of cancer could be prevented. Check out the recommendations of the José Gomes da Silva National Cancer Institute (INCA) on how to prevent cancer and prevent the disease:

1. Don't smoke

Cigarettes release about 4.7 thousand toxic and carcinogenic substances that are inhaled by smokers and non-smokers into the environment. Almost 1/3 of cancer deaths are caused by smoking. Avoiding smoking is the main way to prevent, especially against cancers of the lung, mouth, larynx, pharynx and esophagus.

2. Eat healthy

Eat healthier foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains and cereals, low-fat milk and dairy products, and less fatty, salty and canned foods. Daily intake of these types of food can prevent the development of cancer.

• Seven tips for healthy and sustainable eating

3. Breastfeed

Exclusive breastfeeding until six months of age prevents mothers from breast cancer and children from childhood obesity.

4. Practice physical activities daily

Keeping the body healthy is essential to prevent various diseases, including cancer. Performing daily exercises such as walking, dancing, or even switching from the elevator to stairs will help you with that goal.

• Work out at any age: tips for those in their 30s, 40s or 50s

5. Use condoms

Some sexually transmitted diseases are related to the cancer development process. Among them, the papillomavirus or HPV stands out. The disease is associated with cancer of the cervix, penis, anus, oropharynx and mouth.

6. Protect yourself from the sun

Wear proper protection and avoid the sun between 10am and 2pm. Prolonged exposure to the sun without proper care is linked to skin cancer. In Brazil, about 25% of all diagnosed tumors are skin cancers.

7. Avoid drinking alcoholic beverages

Excessive alcohol consumption is related not only to liver cancer, but also to cancers of the mouth, pharynx, esophagus, colorectal, and even breast cancer.

Cancer Treatment

Many cancer treatments are now available. Your treatment options will depend on a number of factors, such as the type and stage of cancer, your general health, and your preferences. Together, you and your doctor can measure the risks and benefits of each cancer treatment to determine what is best for you. Cancer treatment has different goals:

1. Cure: In this case, the goal of treatment is to achieve a cure for the cancer, allowing the patient to lead a normal life. This may or may not be possible, depending on the patient's specific situation;
2. Primary treatment: The aim of primary treatment is to completely remove cancer from the body or kill cancer cells. Any cancer treatment - such as radiation therapy or chemotherapy - can be used as a primary for cancer, but the most common is surgery. If the cancer you have responds well to radiotherapy or chemotherapy, you can receive one of these therapies as your primary treatment;
3. Adjuvant treatment: The goal of adjuvant therapy is to kill any cancer cells that may remain after primary treatment, in order to reduce the chance of the cancer coming back. Any cancer treatment can be used as an adjuvant therapy. Common adjuvant therapies include chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and hormone therapy;
4. Palliative treatment: They can help alleviate treatment side effects or signs and symptoms caused by the cancer itself. Surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, and hormone therapy can be used to alleviate signs and symptoms. Some medications may be prescribed to relieve symptoms such as pain and shortness of breath. Palliative treatment can be used alongside other treatments designed to cure cancer.

Surgery

The goal of surgery is to remove the tumor and a margin of tissue that appears to be healthy, as it may contain malignant cells. If surgery does not remove the entire tumor, the patient can undergo adjuvant chemotherapy or radiotherapy.

Radiotherapy

Therapy that uses ionizing radiation at the tumor site. It is widely used for tumors that have not yet spread and do not have metastases. Radiotherapy can also be used in cases where the cancer cannot be removed completely with surgery, or when you want to reduce the risk of the cancer growing back after the procedure.

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy uses oral or intravenous drugs, with the aim of destroying, controlling or inhibiting the growth of cancer cells. It can be done before or after surgery, and the treatment period varies depending on the cancer and the patient.