Cancer Types, Symptoms, Prevention, and Risk Factors
Breast Cancer
Symptoms
- Nodule in the breast
- Changes in breast skin texture
- Asymmetry
- Retracted nipples
- Changes in breast size or shape
- Nipple discharge
Prevention
- Reduce animal fat consumption
- Weight control
- Regular self-exams and medical check-ups
- Avoid breast trauma
Treatment
- Surgery
- Chemotherapy
- Radiation
- Mammography
- Mastectomy
Risk Factors
- Family history of inflammatory or chronic lesions
- Early menstruation and late menopause
Uterine Cancer
Symptoms
- Heavy or irregular menstrual bleeding
- Difficulty urinating
- Vaginal infections
- Pelvic pain or pain during intercourse
Prevention
- Delay sexual activity
- Avoid sexually transmitted diseases (STDs)
- Annual medical examinations, including Pap tests
- Avoid promiscuity
Treatment
- Cervical tissue removal
- Hysterectomy
- Chemotherapy
Risk Factors
- Multiple pregnancies
Prostate Cancer
Symptoms
- Difficulty urinating
- Blood in urine
- Frequent urination
- Painful ejaculation
Prevention
- Avoid excessive fat and protein consumption
- Regular prostatic ultrasounds and rectoscopy
Treatment
- Surgery
- Radiotherapy
- Hormonal therapy
- Biologic therapy
- Chemotherapy
Risk Factors
- Age (over 40)
Lung Cancer
Symptoms
- Persistent cough or chest pain
- Wheezing
- Shortness of breath
- Hoarseness or swelling of the face and neck
Prevention
- Avoid smoking
- Respiratory protection
- Annual medical exams, X-rays, and bronchoscopy
Treatment
- Surgery
- Radiotherapy
- Chemotherapy
- Biopsy (cytology)
Risk Factors
- Smoking
- Gas inhalation
Skin Cancer
Symptoms
- Changes in moles, warts, or scars
- Dark pigmented nodules on the skin
- Non-healing wounds
Prevention
- Use sunscreen
- Avoid sun exposure between 11 am and 3 pm
- Avoid chronic irritation
- Annual skin exams
Treatment
- Radiotherapy
- Electro-surgery
- Chemotherapy
Risk Factors
- Sun exposure and burns
- Family history of skin cancer
- Moles that change shape
- Fair-skinned individuals
Stomach Cancer
Symptoms
- Abdominal discomfort
- Changes in bowel habits
- Constipation
- Blood in stool
- Changes in stool consistency
Prevention
- Regular medical tests (rectal exams, colonoscopy, stool blood tests, sigmoidoscopy)
Treatment
- Surgery
- Radiotherapy
- Chemotherapy
- Immunotherapy
Risk Factors
- Family history
- Diet high in animal protein and low in green and yellow vegetables
- Frequent consumption of fried foods and pickles
- Regular alcohol consumption
- Chronic atrophic gastritis
- Helicobacter pylori infection
Cancer is the disorderly and uncontrolled multiplication of cells in a tissue or organ.
Normal cells are multifactorial:
- They differentiate, mature, and specialize.
- They exhibit contact inhibition.
Cancer Cells:
- Do not follow reproduction control mechanisms (reduced contact inhibition).
- Do not mature or specialize.
- Produce metastases.
- Exhibit anginoplasia.
- Destroy surrounding tissue.
- Have broken, amorphous, undefined nuclei with chromatin drained into the cytoplasm.
Mechanism of contact inhibition: When tissue cells multiply, a mechanism stops further proliferation once the required cell number is reached. This is contact inhibition.
All cells have cytoplasm, a cell membrane, a nucleus, cellular organelles, genetic material, but each specializes in a particular organ.
Anginoplasia: Cancer cells produce an angiogenic factor stimulating blood vessel growth around the tumor, promoting metastasis and faster growth. It is the hypervascularity of cancer cells.
Metastases: The migration of cancer cells through the bloodstream or lymphatic system to other organs, where they establish new tumors.
Carcinogens are risk factors. Exposure to these factors predisposes a person to cancer. Some environmental substances can trigger cancer. For example, Yellow #5 dye is a carcinogen.
Risk factors are agents or substances that can cause cancer upon exposure. They are divided into:
- Physical: Any radiation, including solar radiation. Prolonged sun exposure without protection can cause skin cancer.
- Chemical: Chemicals ingested or consumed, such as nitrites and nitrates (food preservatives) or cement dust.
- Biological: Viruses and bacteria, such as HPV and genital herpes, can cause cancer. Ethnicity, origin, and family predisposition also influence cancer risk. Cancer is preventable.