Cancer Prevention and Early Warning Signs

Reducing Your Cancer Risks

The Harvard Center for Cancer Prevention says that at least fifty percent of all cancers are preventable by investigation of realistic means of modifying individual lifestyle factors, public policies, and clinical practices. According to Harvard a significant reduction our cancer risk is easily attainable by incorporating a few simple lifestyle changes into our lives. These include:

• Following a modified diet that is low fat, high fiber, and that includes only a limited amount of or no red meat.


• Making regular exercise a daily routine. Just 30 minutes a day of brisk walking is an effective way to significantly reduce your your risk that cancer may develop during your life time.


• Drinking alcoholic beverages only occasionally and in limited quanities.


• And it should come as no surprise that never starting to smoke or quitting if you already do smoke cigarettes greatly reduces your risk of the number one cancer diagnosis in the U.S., as well as many other types of tabacco-related cancers and other diseases.

According to the Harvard Center for Cancer Prevention there is clear evidence of the reduction in colon cancer risk related to physical inactivity. The Center says that fifteen percent of all cases of colon cancer are preventable with just thirty minutes of daily walking or other exercise.

Dr. Graham Colditz of the Harvard Center for Cancer Prevention has said that colon cancer occurance is significantly reduced with regular exercise. He also says that your colon cancer risk is further reduced when time spent on regular excercise is increased beyond the recommended 30 daily minutes. The more you exercise, the greater your cancer risk reduction.

At least sixty percent of adults do not get enough regular physical activity and an alarming fifty percent of our children are not getting enough exercise. Increased physical education in schools and more public funding for safe outdoor areas such as bike paths, playgrounds, and walk ways for children and adults to get more physical activity have been called for by the Harvard Center for Cancer Prevention.

As women we can significantly reduce our risk of cervical cancer by seeing our gynecologists regularly for Pap smears and physical examinations. The Pap smear is the only screening tool for cancer which has reduced the number of deaths from any type of cancer, although the recent development of the HPV Test, as well as the HPV vaccine should eventually lead to an even greater reduction in cervical cancer cases and deaths. Mammograms should begin usually between the age of 35- 40 for a baseline mammogram. A baseline mammogram establishes a pattern for comparison with future mammograms.

The FDA approval of Evista -- a "designer" estrogen a few years ago was thought to be a victory for women who wanted the protective benefit that standard estrogens were thought to contribute without the potential side effects that often occur with the use synthetic estrogen brands. Evista (raloxifene) also is effective for the prevention of endometrial or uterine cancer. It's important to note that the Women's Health Initiative was stopped early when it was discovered that the synthetic and most often prescribed estrogen products such as Premarin may increase risk for breast cancer and endometrial cancer, as well as other diseases including heart disease.

In "Safe Sex and Cancer Prevention," former About.com Cancer Guide, Dr. Barry Tepperman said, "Cervical and anal cancers have a strong association with a virus transmitted only by sexual contact, without risks related to blood or body fluids." It seems that Dr. Tepperman was a little ahead of his time when he made this statement a few years before we learned that virtually all cervical cancers are caused by a few certain types of the human pappilloma virus or HPV and before the approval of the cervical cancer vaccine. In our earlier interview, Dr. Tepperman also stated, "Cervical cancer is one of the most common lethal malignancies of young women. Epidemiologic studies clearly show that risk of cervical cancer rises as women become sexually active at earlier ages, have more sexual partners, and have unprotected sex more often." And now we that we know that cervical cancer is caused by the human pappiloma virus, or HPV, we understand why sexual activity was previously linked to the development of cervical cancer.

Learn more about the HPV/Cervical Cancer Connection.

How to Reduce Your Risk of Cancer

• Thirty minutes of exercise everyday reduces your risk of cancer more than 30 percent. Increasing your daily exercise beyond thirty minutes results in a further reduction in your cancer risk.
• A well balanced diet of low fat, high fiber foods that includes little to no red meat and fresh fruits and vegetables not only helps lower your chance of getting cancer, it also provides significant benefit to your cardiovascular health.
• If you smoke, quit; if you don't smoke, don't start! Did you know that lung cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths beaten only by skin cancer.
• While there is still controversy about the use of alcoholic beverages, current recommendations say that a moderate amount of alcohol may be allright.
• Smoking combined with alcohol has proven to significantly increase cancer risks for oral cancer, esophageal cancer, and other cancers.
• All women who are 21 or who have been sexually active for three years, whatever comes first, should have annual Pap smears until the age of thirty when semi-annual Pap smears (annual exams are still necessary on the years that a Pap smear is not required to check for other possible problems including breast lumps that you haven't found during your monthly breast self-exam) may be recommended only for those women who have had only normal Pap smears. Following this rule throughout your life and following up with your health care provider on the schedule she recommends will almost always protect you from cervical cancer developing. Women who do develop cancer of the cervix have not, in most cases, followed the guidelines recommended by the American College of Obstetritians and Gynecologists or ACOG for Pap smears.
• Monthly breast self-exam, as well as mammography exams have helped to substantially increase the survival rate for breast cancer through early detection. Mammograms are usually ordered, begining at the age of forty, every one or two years or on a schedule determined by your health care provider. Certain women with genetic or other known risk factors for breast cancer often begin mammography at an earlier age.
• It's always nice, when the weather cooperates, to spend time on outdoor activites. However, the utilization of sunscreens with a sun protection factor or SPF of 15 or higher is important in the prevention of skin cancer, the leading cause of cancer deaths. Many women choose facial moisturizes that contain sun protection factor and use them daily under their make up. A daily SPF moisturizing helps prevent the signs of aging while offering protection against future skin cancer.
• Always practice safe sex! The most effective way to prevent sexually transmitted diseases or STDs is abstinence. However, when that is not your choice condoms should be used during each and every act of sexual intercourse unless you are part of a mutually exclusive long term relationship.

The Early Warning Signs of Cancer

There are as many different possible warning signs, as there are different types of cancers. However, here are some of the more common signs and symptoms that can indicate the presence of cancer. If you have a symptom that you are concerned about and it's not listed here be sure to seek your health care providers advice

• Cancers of the bladder and kidney can include signs that include blood in urine, pain or burning, and increased urination. These symptoms can almo be present during a urinary tract infection. Only a licensed health care professional can determine the cause of these or any other symptoms you experience.
• Breast: Lump or thickening of lumps, itching, redness or soreness of the nipples which isn't caused by pregnancy, breast feeding, or menstruation.
• Cervical, Endometrial, and Uterine: Bleeding between menstrual cycles, any unusual discharge, painful menstruation, and heavy periods require consultation with your physician.
• Colon: Rectal bleeding, blood in your stool or changes in bowel habits such as persistent diarrhea and or constipation are warning signs which should be investigated promptly.
• Laryngeal: A persistent cough or a hoarse throat are possible signs you may experience.
• Leukemia: Paleness, fatigue, weight loss, repeated infections, nosebleeds, bone or joint pain, and easy bruising are possible warning signs of Leukemia which should be investigated.
• Lung:A persistent cough, sputum with blood, heavy chest and or chest pain.
• Lymphoma: Enlarged rubbery lymph nodes, itchy skin, night sweats, unexplained fever and weight loss indicate possible Lymphoma.
  Discuss these symptoms with your physician.


• Mouth and Throat: Any chronic ulcer (sore) of the mouth, tongue or throat which doesn't heal, or white areas in the mouth should be seen by your physician.


• Ovarian: Unfortunately there are often no symptoms until it is in the later stages of development.


• Pancreas: There usually are no symptoms until it has progressed to the later stages when you may notice jaundiced skin and there may be pain deep in the stomach or back.


• Skin: If you have moles that change color, size, or appearance, or flat sores (lesions that look like moles), a tumor or lump under the skin that resembles a wart or an ulceration that never heals, these are symptoms which should bring you quickly to your physicians office.


• Stomach: Vomiting blood or experiencing frequent indigestion and pain after eating, weight loss may indicate stomach cancer... see your physician!

Cancer deaths are decreasing for the first time since the early 1990's; the rate has decreased with 153,000 people dying from cancer in 1996, compared with about 158,000 earlier this decade, according to a December 31, 1997, Daily Telegraph London report. Most of the decrease (about 2/3) can be attributed to less lung cancer in men, however, womens' lung cancer rate is on the rise making it more important than ever for women to quit smoking. However, malignant meloma (skin cancer) is on the rise; use your sunscreen! The decrease is also due in large part, to a decrease in breast cancer thanks to early diagnosis and mammography screening.

Cancer prevention is a life- long commitment to a long- life of healthy living and it's never too late to start. Make a healthy lifestyle a part of your New Years resolutions so you will be here to celebrate many more long and Happy New Years' with a New You!