Cancer – Brief Introduction and Facts
Cancer is a category of illnesses that onset due to out-of-control growth of cells. It can affect any organ of the body, thereby having as high as 100 types of cancers. The uncontrollable cell growth arises in the form of lumps and tumors near the affected organs. However, in advanced stages, it might start appearing in a spot far away from the primary organs as it gets carried away through the bloodstream. Only the best hospitals can offer quality treatments and care for the same.
Let’s have a look at some of the facts about cancer.
1. Cancer can arise due to 2 factors- heredity and lifestyle. The role of heredity is minute as compared to that of a sedentary lifestyle.
2. Some of the cancer are preventable or at least be treated better by taking few corrective and preventive measures. Let’s have a few examples of it.
i) The lung cancer that arises due to prolonged smoking and tobacco use are the best example of the same. By avoiding tobacco altogether can mitigate the risk of such cancer.
ii) The increasing cases of skin cancer can be curbed simply by protecting the skin from excessive exposure of the sun.
iii) The chances of having breast cancer in the future can be controlled through routine breast check-up, weight management, and regular breastfeeding.
3. Cancer is one of the top 5 causes of untimely death in all over the world. Approximate 16 percent people die every year due to some of the other form of cancer.
4. Aging was considered as a prevailing factor for cancer. More than 75% cancer patient belongs to the age group of 50 plus. In contrast, cancer affecting children account for 1 percent of all cancer cases. However, sadly the recent statistics of cancer patients have begun to show deviation.
5. The most common form of cancer prevalent among women includes the organs, breast, cervix, skin, stomach, and lungs.
The most common form of cancer prevalent among men includes the organs, prostate, lung, colon, liver, and stomach.
A cancer is a very hyperactive, dynamic and critical medical threat that needs an extensive diagnosis, treatment and care to be able to address it effectively. For better chances of survival and cure, it is imperative to rely only on the best hospitals that are equipped with state-of-the-art technology and resources.
ILS Hospitals Contribute Towards Cancer Awareness on World Cancer Day
Illness is never a thing of fancy. However, there are several illnesses that can be cured effectively with drugs, surgery, and therapy in hospitals without much loss of overall health and spirit of the individual. But sadly, the same cannot be said for several other illnesses and cancer is one of such medical conditions. Let’s understand several aspects of cancer along with the importance of world cancer day.
There are several myths that surround cancer, that misdirect people regarding their treatment options and diagnosis. These myths usually include people assuming that cancer is an illness of old age people and is like a life sentence without a cure. However, medical science is improving drastically and timely medical intervention is capable of improving the cancer overall and sometimes, it may even cure it altogether.
Cancer is one of the most prevalent medical threat all around the world. About 6 to 8 million new patients get diagnosed with some or the other form of cancer each year. To make things worse, nowadays, the rarer forms of cancers are emerging more frequently and the new patients are mostly belonging to a much younger age group that it used to be a few decades back, often as young as the early 20s.
The most common site of cancer is often the breasts and cervix in case of women, whereas it is the lung and prostate, in case of men. Other common suite includes skin, lung, blood, uterus, colon, and rectum, etc. Even though the genetics and personal history of similar background is the prime cause for the same for many patients, but it is not the only factor contributing to cancer. The heavy consumption of tobacco, alcohol, junk food and leading a sedentary life with no physical activity often contributes highly to the onset of cancer.
The World Cancer Day is the perfect gateway to spread the role of timely diagnosis and treatment of cancer. It is a joint effort of World Health Organization (WHO) and Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) to educate an individual, society, government and non-government organization to unite and fight towards the cause. This 4th February, in the event of World Cancer Day, we, at ILS Hospitals, pledge to do our bidding by spreading awareness of the same. We extend our support to the patents and families who are suffering from any form of cancer.
Throat Cancer: Types and Causes
What is a Throat Cancer?
Throat cancer is cancer that appears in the throat region. It usually occurs in the pharynx which is a tube that starts from your nose to your neck. A throat cancer might also occur in larynx which commonly known as the voice box. The third common is the tonsil cancer that affects the tonsils which is located at the back of the throat. As per ENT Specialists, ‘ many a times, these harmless sounding issues can turn out be life-threatening if not treated on time’.
There are several types of throat cancer which have their own reasons to occur. The different types of throat cancer are mentioned below:
Nasopharyngeal cancer: Doctors haven’t found out the actual cause of this cancer yet but they say it is strongly linked to a common virus called Epstein – Barr virus (EBV). Although, it need not be necessary to be prone to NPC if you have EBV. In India, it is rarely found in the states of Northeast region such that, Manipur, Nagaland, and Mizoram.
Oropharyngeal cancer: Oropharyngeal cancer or oral cancer is the most common and cancer related-death of men in India. The main cause of this cancer in world-wide is mostly due to HPV that spreads through unprotected intimation and/or oral intimation. Although in India the main reason behind this cancer is excessive consumption of Weeds, tobacco, smoking, and alcohol.
Hypopharyngeal cancer: It is a disease in which malignant (cancer) cells form in the tissues of the hypopharynx. Use of tobacco products and heavy drinking can affect the risk of developing Hypopharyngeal cancer.
Laryngeal cancer: This cancer affects the larynx and it is commonly known as the Vocal Cord. The main causes of this cancer are the genetic mutation of uncontrollable cell growth in the region to form tumors. This is usually forms due to long-term smoking or alcohol and sometimes HPV or exposure to toxins such as asbestos. Laryngeal Cancer comprises of three different cancers such as Glottic, Supraglottic and Subglottic Cancer. They begin at the around, upper and lower region of the vocal cord.
Irrespective of the type of throat cancer, they are common in one thing, smoking, and alcohol, which is the main cause of most of these throat cancers. These cancers if remained untreated for long period, can cost the life. If you are prone to any symptoms of throat cancer, come in and get yourself checked by certified ENT specialists with proper guidance, consultation, and health tips.