How To Win Battle Against Cancer

Author: Cancer Hospital India
As per WHO 33women and 25men are likely to get cancer in their life time. Incidence of cancer is increasing with every passing day. Cancer is global problem and has to be tackled globally.Battleagainst cancer can not be won by doctors and scientists alone. The entire community has to be involved. It is possible to prevent 40 – 50cancer by adopting healthy life styles, to detect 10 – 20cancers by self examination and 40 – 50cancers by Annual Cancer Check ups. Cancer is curable, if detected early and treated promptly at good cancer centers.
Steps for Prevention of Cancer

• Stop smoking (active and passive) and alcohol to prevent lung, head and neck cancers.
• Avoid high fat and rich foods; eat whole grains, fruits and fresh vegetables to prevent cancer of breast, prostate and colon.
• Exercise to stay healthy
• Avoid exposure to – household solvent cleaners, cleaning fluids, and paint thinners, pesticides, fungicides and other chemicals to avoid lung cancer.
• Avoid multiple sex partners to avoid cancer cervix.
• Avoid direct sunlight in summers to avoid skin cancers.
• Get screening tests like the Pap smears, mammograms, Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) and Digital Rectal Examinations (Dress) for secondary prevention.

Steps for Early Diagnosis

• Each and every individual should do self examination once a month.
• Each and every individual visiting his / her doctor for any ailment should be screened for cancer.
• Annual cancer check up should be done at cancer hospitals.
• Suspected cancer cases should be investigated urgently to confirm or rule out cancer.

Steps before Starting the Treatment

• Tissue diagnosis to confirm / rule out cancer by FNAC / Biopsy.
• Staging work up to confirm stage of the disease.
• Tumour Board Evaluation to chart out custom made treatment plan for each individual, as per standard treatment guidelines.
• Choosing NABH Accredited cancer hospitals, offering quality cancer treatment.

Advantages Of Tumour Board Evaluations

• A panel of cancer experts i.e. Medical Oncologists, Radiation Oncologists, Surgical Oncologists, Gynae Oncologists, Paediatric Oncologists, Onco-pathologists, Radiologists and Imaging experts, get together to review and plan suitable modality or modalities of treatment.
• Treatment is need driven and not doctor driven.
• Patients get the choice of surgery or radiotherapy, if the results are same by both modalities.
• Patients are saved from unnecessary surgeries, if the surgeries cannot be performed.
• Patients get complete treatment. This prevents recurrence due to incomplete treatment.
• Chances of cure / improvement in quality of life are much higher because of right and optimum treatment.
• Patients are saved from Medical shopping and get expert opinion under one roof by spending one consultation fee only.

Modalities Of Cancer Treatment
Radiation
Cancer is treated by giving external radiation with linear accelerators and internal radiation i.e. brachytherapy. The newer techniques of Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy ensures that healthy tissues surrounding the tumour are not exposed to radiation to prevent side effects of radiotherapy. Radiation oncologists and physicists work together as a team to give radiation.
Cancer Surgery
Cancer Surgeries are very complex lasting 2 – 12 hours. A dedicated team of surgical oncologists and Anaesthesiologists, supported by other allied specialists is a must. Surgical oncologists are best suited to decide whether surgeries have to be conservative or radical.
Chemotherapies
Medical oncologists are trained exclusively to plan and manage chemotherapies and their side effects. Chemotherapies can be Normal and High Dose, including dose–intense and dose–dense; Infusional multiple and single drug; Bolus Chemotherapies; Intra-arterial chemotherapy; Targeted Therapies; Immunotherapy / Biological Therapies; Hormonal Therapies; Neutropenic Care; Nutritional Therapy; Palliative and Terminal Supportive Care; blood transfusion and I/V fluids etc. The radiotherapists and surgeons are not trained to perform chemotherapies.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/cancer-articles/how-to-win-battle-against-cancer-5055101.html
About the Author
Author on various topics for Cancer, Radiation Oncology, Allied Services, Healthcare, Hospitals and Health Subjects.
For more information you can visit Cancer Hospital India