Cancer Corner - Prevention of Cancer

Research helps us know that some simple measures keep many types of cancer at bay. Following can help you avoid or lower the risk of certain types of cancer and detect them at a very early stage:

1. Avoiding tobacco in all forms - cigarettes, bidis, paan etc, Keeping mouth and teeth clean, avoiding bad dentures and attending to unhealthy and sharp teeth helps in avoiding cancers of mouth, throat, lung and food pipe.
2. Eating a balanced, low fat diet which is rich in fibres and green vegetables help in lowering the incidence of stomach and intestine cancers.
3. Maintaining proper genital hygiene, getting treated if there is an infection, having an annual check up and getting a PAP Smear test done help in prevention and early detection of uterine and cervix cancer among women .
4. Self-examination of the breast and getting screened for breast cancers if there is a family history of cancers will help detect breast cancers at a very early stage for women. Also a annual check up and a mammogram is advisable for women.
5. Moderating alcohol consumption, if at all consumed, avoiding over-weight and anaemia, avoiding unnecessary exposure to radiation such as X-ray in general reduce cancer risks

It has been found that some dietary precautions lower the risk of cancer. The following recommendations are based on the findings made by the American Cancer Society.

1. Avoid obesity.

Obese people have been observed to be at a increased risk of certain cancers like cancers of the uterus, gallbladder, kidney, stomach, colon and breast.

2. Reduce total fat intake.

Studies imply that excessive fat intake increases the chance of developing cancers of the breast, colon and prostate. Excessive intake of both saturated and unsaturated fats, whether from plant or animal sources, has been found to enhance human cancer growth in some studies.

3. Eat more high fibre foods, such as whole grain cereals, fruits and vegetables.

Fibre is abundant in whole grains, fruits and vegetables and consists largely of complex carbohydrates. We are still not sure of the role that fibrous foods play in cancer prevention, but fibrous foods have low fat and make a good nutritious replacement for fatty food.

4. Include foods rich in vitamins A and C in the daily diet.

1. Dark green and deep yellow vegetables and certain fruits are rich in carotene, a form of vitamin A. It is possible that foods rich in carotene or Vitamin A may lower the risk of cancers of the larynx, oesophagus and lung. But it is not advisable to take vitamin A in capsule or tablet form without a doctor’s prescription.
2. Epidemiological studies indicate that people whose diets are rich in ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) i.e., those consuming diets high in fruits and vegetables, are less likely to get cancer, particularly of the stomach and oesophagus. It is still uncertain whether it is Vitamin C itself or other constituents of the Vitamin C containing fruits and vegetables that exert the protective effect.
3. Include green leafy vegetables, such as cabbage, broccoli, brussels sprouts, kohlrabi and cauliflower in the diet. Some studies have suggested that consumption of these vegetables may reduce the risk of cancer, particularly of the gastrointestinal and respiratory tracts.

Though the specific reason for all cancers are not known , the key to prevent most common cancers lie in taking adequate precautions in diet and lifestyle and also screening or going for medical examination regularly to help in early detection.