Detect Breast Cancer
Breast cancer is an abnormal growth of cells in the breast tissue. Any breast lump that is hard is suspicious. Detecting breast cancer symptoms is quite easy but most women delay seeking medical screening. The recommendations for screening are as follows:

• Age 20 onward: Self-breast examination every month, and is best done on the fifth day after menstruation
• Women below 40: Clinical breast examination by a medical specialist every three years
• Women above 40: Clinical breast examination and mammogram every year
• Women with a higher risk profile: More aggressive screening procedure

Medical Screening
The commonly used screening procedure is mammography which is an imaging technique that employs serial X-rays to visualize breast tissues and detect masses not felt during a self-breast examination. This screening procedure is not perfect as it may fail to show some tumors or may show an abnormality in a normal breast.

When a lump is found, a biopsy is done. Biopsy is the only way to check for breast cancer.

Treatments
Chemotherapy and radiation remain the standard breast cancer treatments. There are other newer treatment methods which are still undergoing clinical trails.

Targeted Biological Therapy is the treatment targeting specific characteristics of cancer cells. This method, when compared to chemotherapy, is less likely to harm normal healthy cells.

Hormone Therapy, also known as anti-oestrogen therapy, retards the ability of oestrogen to stimulate the growth of breast cancer cells.

Anti-Angiogenic Medications are drugs which kill the cancer cells by cutting-off blood supply to them (cancer cells).

Breast cancer is curable if it is detected and treated at its early stage or upon discovering symptoms of breast cancer.

By: Ken Soh

Symptoms

Colon cancer early symptoms include blood in the stool or unable to pass motion suggesting that the colon is blocked. Frequent diarrhea, constipation and unexplained stomach aches are early colon cancer symptoms or other forms of cancer.  Weight loss, when there have been no changes to diet or exercise routine, may be an early symptom of colon cancer or other digestive cancers.

Risk factors
There are many studies that indicate that diet plays an important factor. A combination of a diet high in protein and fats seems to be what causes colon cancer. Genes also play an important role while smoking adds to the risk of getting colon cancer.

Diagnosis
A faecal occult blood test is done to determine the presence of blood in the stool. If the result shows the presence of blood,  the best way to diagnosis colon cancer is by doing a colonscope.

Treatments
After colon cancer has been diagnosed, treatments for colon cancer depend on the stage of the cancer and whether the cancer has recurred. The overall health of the cancer patient is also an important factor in determining the treatment for colon cancer.

It is recommended that those especially with a family history of colon cancer to undergo colorectal cancer screening earlier.  The good news is that when colon cancer is detected early when it is still confined to the mucosal layer, the cure rate is up to 90% through surgery.

By: Ken Soh

Cervical cancer is the second most prevalent cancer and the main cause of cancer deaths in women after breast cancer. The main cause of the disease is the sexually transmitted human papillomavirus (HPV), meaning that this is a preventable form of cancer.

How to detect cervical cancer
Pap smear screening can detect potentially precancerous changes. Therefore regular tests are important and are recommended. The introduction of Pap smears as screening tools about 50 years ago has significantly reduced the number of deaths due to this type of cancer.

Possible causes of cervical cancer
While it may not be possible to pinpoint with accuracy the causes of cervical cancer, the following are possible risk factors:

• Having several sexual partners
• Consuming oral contraceptives (the Pill)
• Smoking: Women smokers are more than 10 times likely to get cervical cancer than women who do not smoke
• A weak immune system

Treatment of cervical cancer
Preventing the disease in the first place is crucial. There are now vaccines available that target several strains of HPV to prevent the infection. Once diagnosed, treatment for cervical cancer differs according to stage, age and tumor size. The options include surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy or a combination of all three.

Pap smear
A Pap smear involves the removal of tissue cells from the cervix. These tissues are then examined under the microscope for changes that might determine cancer or pre-cancerous states. Since a Pap smear can identify both cancerous as well as pre-cancerous states of cervical cells, it is important for women who are sexually active to do a Pap smear annually.

The American Cancer Society (ACS) recommends a first Pap test within three years of having sexual activity or by age 21, followed by a Pap test every 1-2 years after that. An annual Pap test is also recommended if you have risk factors for cervical cancer.

Medical doctors recommend a more detailed examination at the very first sign of illness to rule out the possibility of  symptoms of cervical cancer. It may also help in detecting early cancer symptoms.

By: Ken Soh

As a man ages
The prostate gets bigger as a man gets older. This is an inevitable sign of aging, just as similar to having gray hair or wrinkles. This condition is known as Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH).  When the prostate gets larger, the surrounding layer of tissue stops it from expanding. This causes the prostate gland to press against the urethra. This in turn causes the bladder wall to become thicker resulting in the frequent urge to urinate even when there is a small amount of urine.

Symptoms of prostate cancer
The most common early symptoms of prostate cancer are difficulty in urinating and the urgency to leak. The bladder retains the urine while creating frequent sensations to urinate, usually at night. The urine flow is slow, weak and intermittent.

Treatment
There are a wide range of drugs for the treatment of BPH depending on the symptoms and severity of the condition. While some sufferers respond to drug treatment, others may require surgical methods. It is important to consult your medical specialist for advice before resorting to self-medication.

Alternatively, herbs can be used to treat prostate cancer.

Caution
Urine retention causes strain on the bladder which will ultimately lead to urinary tract infection and the inability to control urination. It may also cause damage to the kidney and bladder, and if permanently damaged, BPH treatment will be ineffective.

Hence it is imperative that medical attention is required at the first sign of difficulty in urinating. Remember that early diagnosis saves you surgery costs not to mention the sufferings you may undergo if the symptoms are left untreated.

By: Ken Soh

Here are some of these common tell-tale signs which have been usually overlooked.

Difficulty in urinating
The most common early symptom of prostate cancer is difficulty in urinating. The bladder retains the urine while creating frequent sensations to urinate, usually at night. The urine flow is  slow, weak and intermittent with the urge to urinate often even though the urine output is a few drops.

Diarrhea and constipation
Frequent diarrhea, constipation and unexplained stomach aches are early symptoms of colon cancer or other forms of cancer.

Unexplained weight loss
If you are losing weight when there have been no changes to your diet or exercise routine, this may be an early symptom of colon cancer or other digestive cancers. It can also be associated  with tuberculosis, diabetes and many other medical conditions.

Chronic cough and chest pain
It is extremely difficult to pinpoint which particular type of cancer as several types of cancer, including leukemia and lung tumors, can cause and share these symptoms. If the symptoms persist or recur more than normal, these are early warning signs which cannot be dismissed without further screening.

Blood in the stool
A sign of colorectal cancer is blood in the stool or rectal bleeding which most people mistake it for hemorrhoids.

Blood in the urine
Bladder cancer has early symptoms of blood in the urine, frequent and/or painful urination.

Difficulty in swallowing
Although this is a common problem among the elderly people, it cannot be taken lightly as this may be an early symptom of cancer of the esophagus.

Headaches
Changes in vision, headaches and dizziness are early warning signs of brain cancer especially if these symptoms do not go away.

Tiredness or fatigue
Tiredness is an early symptom of leukemia or anemia. It can also be a early sign of pancreatic cancer or other forms of cancer

Swellings or lumps

Lumps on your body may represent cancer or a swollen lymph gland related to cancer. Enlarged lymph nodes indicate changes in the lymphatic system, which can be a sign of cancer. A lump or an enlarged lymph in the neck or underarm is sometimes a sign of thyroid, head, or throat cancer. A painless lump on the neck or underarm can be an early symptom of leukemia.  Lumps in the testicles may be  cancer of the testicle. However, often the swellings are not cancerous.

The above is not an exhaustive list of all symptoms. You must watch for any abnormal warning signs in your body. Always consult the medical specialist when you notice that these symptoms do not go away. It may turn out to be non-cancerous, so go for early diagnosis…it may save your life.

By: KenSoh