What Is Cancer? (SLIDES) PDF

# What is Cancer? ## Prevalence of Cancer (all forms) - 1.7 million Americans diagnosed annually - 20% of these are related to obesity - #2 cause of death in US - 600,000 die annually (1 in 4 deaths) - 5-year survival rate = 69% - majority develop in epithelial tissue - 33% of all women in...

# What is Cancer? ## Prevalence of Cancer (all forms) - 1.7 million Americans diagnosed annually - 20% of these are related to obesity - #2 cause of death in US - 600,000 die annually (1 in 4 deaths) - 5-year survival rate = 69% - majority develop in epithelial tissue - 33% of all women in the US will develop some form of cancer in their lifetimes - 50% of all men in the US will develop some form of cancer in their lifetimes ## Prevalence of Cancer (all forms) | Site | Rates per 100,000 | |:---|:---| | Female Breast | 123.7 | | Prostate | 101.6 | | Lung and Bronchus | 59.4 | | Colon and Rectum | 38.4 | | Corpus and Uterus, NOS | 25.9 | | Melanomas of the Skin | 20.7 | | Urinary Bladder | 20.0 | | Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma | 18.5 | | Kidney and Renal Pelvis | 16.0 | | Thyroid | 14.6 | ## What Is Cancer? - Cancer = cluster of diseases - uncontrolled growth and spread of abnormal cells. - Neoplasm: new growth of tissue that serves no physiological function - Tumor: clumping of neoplasmic cells - Malignant: "cancerous" - Benign: "noncancerous" - Biopsy: microscopic examination of cell development ## Types of Cancer - Classified according to point of origin - i.e. breast cancer - Classified according to the type of cell or origin: 1. Carcinoma 2. Sarcoma 3. Leukemia 4. Lymphoma/myeloma 5. Brain and CNS ## Metastasis and Mutagenesis - Metastasis: process by which malignant tumors that are not enclosed in a protective capsule spread to other organs - Mutant cells form after a disruption of RNA and DNA within normal cells - may produce cells that differ in form, quality, and function from the normal cell. ## Staging Cancer | Stage | Definition | |:---|:---| | 0 | Early cancer, when abnormal cells remain only in the place they originated. | | I-III | Higher numbers indicate more extensive disease: Larger tumor size and/or spread of the cancer beyond the organ in which it first developed to nearby lymph nodes and/or organs adjacent to the location of the primary tumor. | | IV | Cancer has spread to other organs | ## Cancer in the Genes - Genetics: oncogenes (turned on) and tumor suppression genes (turned off) - 5% to 10% result from *inherited gene mutations* - strong inherited risk: breast, stomach, colon, prostate, uterus, ovaries, lungs - 90-95% result from *acquired or somatic gene mutations*. - smoking-linked to 30% of cancers - excessive unprotected sun exposure - nutrition-related risks - ↑ alcohol consumption, ↓ intakes of fruits, vegetables, & calcium ## Inherited or Acquired? Cancers that are inherited often: - are an uncommon/rare type of cancer - kidney cancer - occur at younger ages - colon cancer in a 20 year old - co-occur with another type of cancer - woman with both breast and ovarian cancer - occur in both of a pair of organs - both eyes, both kidneys, both breasts - are found in more than one child in a set of siblings - pediatric sarcoma in both a brother and a sister ## RISK FACTORS ### Reproductive and Hormonal Factors Associated with ↑ Cancer Risk: - early menarche and late menopause - not having children or having them later in life - recent use of birth control pills or hormone replacement therapy - not breast-feeding ### Occupational and Environment Risks Associated with ↑ Cancer Risk: - Asbestos - Nickel - Chromate - Benzene, arsenic, and vinyl chloride - Radioactive substances - Pesticides and herbicides - Radiation - Chemicals in foods ### Infectious Diseases and Cancer Risks - Chronic hepatitis B, hepatitis C - Human papillomavirus (HPV) - Helicobacter pylori ## TYPES OF CANCER ## Leading Sites of New Cancer Cases and Deaths, 2015 |Most Common Cancers (U.S. men and women, 2018) | Estimated New Cases of Cancer | Estimated Deaths from Cancer | |:---|:---|:---| | **1. Breast** | **Female:** 246,660 (29%); **Male:** 180,890 (21%) | **Female:** 40,450 (14%); **Male:** 26,120 (8%) | | **2. Lung** | **Female:** 106,470 (13%); **Male:** 117,920 (14%) | **Female:** 72,160 (26%); **Male:** 85,920 (27%) | | **3. Prostate** | **Female:** -; **Male:** 180,890 (21%) | **Female:** -; **Male:** 26,120 (8%) | | **4. Colorectal** | **Female:** 63,670 (8%); **Male:** 70,820 (8%) | **Female:** 23,170 (8%); **Male:** 26,020 (8%) | | **5. Melanoma** | **Female:** 29,510 (3%); **Male:** 46,870 (6%) | **Female:** **- **; **Male:** - | ## Breast Cancer - 6.5 women : 1 man diagnosed - mammograms and regular breast self-exams - lump in the breast, thickening, dimpling, skin irritation, distortion, tenderness - risk factors: family history, menstrual periods early-to-late in life, obesity after menopause, and oral contraceptives - treatment: lumpectomy, radical mastectomy, radiation, chemotherapy - 5-year survival rate: 99% ## Lung Cancer - Leading cause of cancer death for both men and women; highest mortality rate among cancers - 5-year survival rate = 18% - Lung ca deaths > breast + prostate + colorectal + liver ca deaths - Symptoms: persistent cough, blood-streaked sputum, and chest pain - Treatment: surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy - Prevention: avoidance of smoking, environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) ## Prostate Cancer - Prostate cancer #2 cancer in American men (skin = #1) - 1:6 men will be diagnosed in his lifetime - 5-year survival rates vary (98%, down to 30% with metastasis) - Symptoms: - weak or interrupted urine flow - difficulty starting or stopping urination - need to urinate frequently, pain on urination - blood in the urine - pain in low back, pelvis, or thighs - Risk factors: increasing age, race/ethnicity, family history, poor diet, lifestyle - Prevention: following a healthy diet and maintaining a healthy weight ## Colon and Rectal Cancer - Colorectal cancer's five-year survival rates: > 90% - Treatment: radiation, surgery, and possibly chemotherapy - Risk factors: - being over 50 years old - obesity - family history - diets high in fats and low in fiber - smoking - high alcohol consumption - sedentary lifestyle - Prevention: regular exercise, fruits and plant-origin foods, milk/calcium, healthy weight, and moderation in alcohol consumption. ## Skin Cancer - Risk: long-term sun exposure - Malignant melanoma = deadliest form - 5-year survival rate for melanoma w/o metastases = 92% - > 13,000 die from skin cancer annually - 65-90% of melanomas caused by exposure to ultraviolet (UV)light or sunlight ## ABCDE Rule to Detect Melanoma Use the ABCD rule to detect melanoma. - Asymmetry: Half of a mole does not look like the other half. - Border irregularity: The edges are uneven. - Color: Pigmentation is not uniform. - Diameter: Larger than a pea. - Evolution: Are is changing.