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Overview
Lung Cancer
Lung cancer is the most common cancer in the West, causing one in 18
deaths in the UK. The link with smoking has been proven. Light smokers
are 10 times more likely to get lung cancer than non-smokers, and heavy
smokers 25 times more likely. About 50% of people with chronic bronchitis
develop lung cancer. Symptoms are a cough, phlegm which may be blood-stained,
difficult breathing and perhaps chest pain.
Lung cancer develops quite slowly and in 12% of cases is not diagnosed
until secondary cancers form. In about a third of cases surgery is feasible,
otherwise radiotherapy and chemotherapy are used.
Breast Cancer
Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer in women, affecting
one woman in 14. The risk is thought to be higher if the disease runs
in the family, and in women who have not had children. However, the
highest risk group are women who have their first child after the age
of 35. Smokers are at greater risk than non-smokers. Up to 10% of breast
cancer is due to an inherited factor.
The signs to watch out for are a lump - sometimes painful, sometimes
not - dimpling or creasing of skin around the lump and discharge from
nipple. Usually it only affects one breast.
Immediate investigation is essential. Orthodox treatment is to remove
the lump, the affected breast or the breast plus adjacent tissue.
Prostate Cancer
This is the most common form of cancer in the male sexual organs and
occurs in about 15% of men aged around 40. In men over 80 it's very
common but malignancy usually carries no symptoms. Most cases emerge
during surgery for an enlarged prostate. If malignancy is restricted
to the prostate and does not cause urination problems, then surgery
is unlikely to be recommended because the risk of spreading is fairly
low. But regular check-ups are necessary. MORE
Bowel Cancer
Colorectal (large bowel) cancers are the second most common cancer in
the West, affecting up to 6% of men and women by the age of 75. There
are strong links between fat and meat consumption and large bowel cancer.
Equally, high intake of starches and dietary fibre is thought to decrease
risk, and vegetarians are also less likely than meat eaters to get large
bowel cancer. MORE
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