What you don’t know could kill you slowly
Following the death of Dora Akunyili due to cancer I took time to reflect and realised that there are not many people that cancer has not touched their lives in one way or the other. Nearly everyone knows at least one person who has been affected by the disease.
From speaking to a few people and reading all the comments online I realised that there are still a lot of misconceptions about cancer. I also realised that no one is talking about the screening processes that could actually save people’s lives from certain cancers.
Cancer is a disease in which abnormal cells in body, which would normally be destroyed, divide uncontrollably and form a lump called a tumour. The abnormal cells could also spread into normal tissues, nearby body parts or other body parts via the bloodstream or lymphatic system and cause tumours there that put pressure on the organs and causes immense pain. There are over 200 different types of cancer because there are over 200 different types of cells in the body and cancers are named according to the part of the body affected. For instance when there is cancer in the liver is called liver cancer.
The trigger for this uncontrolled growth of cells could be genetic i.e inherited from ones parents or more commonly it could be due to environmental exposures and lifestyle choices such as smoking, poor diet and lack of exercise. Some infections could also trigger cancer especially those due to viruses.
There is no single standard test for cancer, however there are ways to screen for and detect certain types of cancer. These tests detect cancers at a very early and curable stage:
A colonoscopy involves inserting a camera into the bottom to see the colon, which is a part of the large intestine. This test is used to detect colon cancer and other bowel diseases. It is recommended that individuals aged 50 and over with no family history of cancer have a colonoscopy done every 3 to 5 years. If there is family history then a colonoscopy should be carried out earlier than 50 years and more frequently.
For breast cancer, an annual screening mammogram is recommended for women over the age of 40 with no family history of breast cancer and about the age of 35 for women with a family history. All women should form a habit of performing a breast self exam at the same time each month, preferably just after a period when the hormones have the least effect on the breasts. 40 % of all diagnosed breast cancer are detected by women who feel a lump during a self exam, most of which turn out to harmless.The self exams can be carried out whilst in the shower and also whilst lying flat in bed. It’s not common but men do get breast cancer too and so should check there breasts as well.
Prostate specific antigen (PSA) test can be used to detect prostate cancer. This is a simple blood test that is recommended for men over the age of 50
A Pap smear is used to screen for cervical cancer in ladies. It involves the collection of cells from the cervix, the neck of the womb, which are then analysed. The process is little uncomfortable but only takes a few moments. Some experts believe that the age of screening should be from 25 but recently sufferers of cervical cancer are getting and younger so I believe screening should be started at the age of 22. Cervical cancer is one of the few cancers that has a vaccine but I believe its effectiveness and risks are still yet to be proven.
I hope this has helped clear the air about cancer and makes you feel less powerful to deal with it. Whilst for some cancers there’s are no tests I believe we should take precautions against the few that are tests for.
Remember divine health is better than divine healing and your body is the temple of the Lord, take care of it both inside and out. Take care and God bless.
For more information about the above cancer in Nigeria and where to go for help visit www.socron.net.
EMMA SEYI-ONABULE