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Cancer strikes people of all
ages, but you are more
likely to get cancer as you
get older, even if no one in
your family has had it. The
good news, is that the
chances of surviving cancer
are better today than ever
before.
When cancer is found early,
it is more likely to be
treated successfully. You
can help safeguard your
health by learning the
warning signs of cancer and
by having regular checkups.
What Symptoms Should I
Watch For?
You should see your doctor
for regular checkups; don't
wait for problems to occur.
But you also should know
that the following symptoms
may be signs of cancer:
changes in bowel or bladder
habits
a sore that does not heal
unusual bleeding or
discharge
thickening or lump in the
breast or any other part of
the body
indigestion or difficulty
swallowing
obvious change in a wart or
mole
nagging cough or hoarseness
unexplained changes in
weight
What If I Have One of
These Symptoms?
These symptoms are not
always a sign of cancer.
They also can be caused by
less serious conditions.
It's important to see a
doctor if you have symptoms
because only a doctor can
make a diagnosis. Don't wait
to feel pain! Early cancer
usually doesn't cause pain.
Some people believe that as
they age their symptoms are
due to "growing older."
Because of this myth, many
illnesses go undiagnosed and
untreated. Don't ignore your
symptoms because you think
they are not important or
because you believe they are
normal for your age. Talk to
your doctor.
What Regular Tests Should
I Have?
Most cancers in their
earliest, most treatable
stages don't cause any
symptoms or pain. That is
why it's important to have
regular tests to check for
cancer long before you might
notice anything wrong.
Checking for cancer in a
person who does not have any
symptoms is called
screening. Screening may
involve a physical exam, lab
tests, or procedures to look
at internal organs.
Medicare now covers a number
of screening tests for
cancer. For details, check
with the Medicare toll-free
help line at 1-800-633-4227.
Before recommending a
screening test, your doctor
will consider your age,
medical history, general
health, family history, and
lifestyle. You may want to
discuss your concerns or
questions with your doctor,
so that together you can
weigh the pros and cons and
make an informed decision
about whether to have a
screening test. If you are
50 or older, the following
are some of the cancer
screening tests that you and
your doctor should consider:
Mammogram. A woman's risk of
breast cancer increases with
age; about 80 % of breast
cancers occur in women over
age 50. A mammogram is a
special x-ray of the breast
that often can find cancers
that are too small for a
woman or her doctor to feel.
The National Cancer
Institute (NCI) recommends
that women in their 40s or
older have a screening
mammogram on a regular
basis, every 1 to 2 years.
Clinical Breast Exam. During
a clinical breast exam, the
doctor or other health care
professional checks the
breasts and underarms for
lumps or other changes that
could be a sign of breast
cancer.
Fecal Occult Blood Test.
Colorectal cancer is the
third leading cause of death
from cancer in the U.S. The
risk of developing
colorectal cancer rises
after age 50. It is common
in both men and women.
Studies show that a fecal
occult blood test every 1 or
2 years in people between
the ages of 50 and 80
decreases the number of
deaths due to colorectal
cancer. For this test, stool
samples are applied to
special cards, which are
examined in a lab for occult
(hidden) blood.
Sigmoidoscopy. A doctor uses
a thin, flexible tube with a
light (sigmoidoscope) to
look inside the colon and
rectum for growths or
abnormal areas. Fewer people
may die of colorectal cancer
if they have regular
screening by sigmoidoscopy
after age 50.
Pap Test. The risk of cancer
of the cervix (the lower,
narrow part of the uterus or
womb) increases with age.
Most invasive cancers of the
cervix can be prevented if
women have Pap tests and
pelvic exams regularly.
Older women should continue
to have regular Pap tests
and pelvic exams. The doctor
uses a wooden scraper or a
small brush to collect a
sample of cells from the
cervix and upper vagina. The
cells are sent to a lab to
check for abnormalities.
Pelvic Exam. In a pelvic
exam, the doctor checks the
uterus, vagina, ovaries,
fallopian tubes, bladder,
and rectum for any changes
in their shape or size.
During a pelvic exam, an
instrument called a speculum
is used to widen the vagina
so that the upper part of
the vagina and the cervix
can be seen.
Digital Rectal Exam.
Prostate cancer is the most
common cancer in American
men - especially older men.
More than 80 % of prostate
cancers occur in men 65 and
older. Research is being
done to find the most
reliable screening test for
prostate cancer. Scientists
at the NCI are studying the
value of digital rectal exam
and prostate-specific
antigen (PSA) in reducing
the number of deaths caused
by prostate cancer. For a
digital rectal exam, the
doctor inserts a gloved
finger into the rectum and
feels the prostate gland for
bumps or abnormal areas.
Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA).
This test measures the
amount of PSA in the
blood-stream.
Higher-than-average amounts
of PSA may indicate the
presence of prostate cancer
cells. However, PSA levels
also may be high in men who
have noncancerous prostate
conditions. Scientists are
studying ways to improve the
validity of the PSA test.
Skin Exam. Skin cancer is
the most common form of
cancer in the United States.
Routine examination of the
skin increases the chance of
finding skin cancer early.
A positive result on any of
these tests doesn't mean
that you have cancer. You
may need more tests. A
biopsy is the only sure way
to know whether the problem
is cancer. In this test, a
sample of tissue is removed
from the abnormal area and
examined under a microscope
to check for cancer cells.
What If I'm Told I Have
Cancer?
If tests show that you have
cancer, you should talk with
your doctor and make
treatment decisions as soon
as possible. Cancer is a
disease in which cells
become abnormal and keep
dividing and forming more
cells without order or
control. If left untreated,
cancer cells can damage
nearby tissues and organs.
Cancer cells also can break
away and spread to other
parts of the body. Thus,
early treatment means better
outcomes.
How Is Cancer Treated?
There are a number of cancer
treatments, including
surgery, radiation therapy,
chemo-therapy (anticancer
drugs), and biological
therapy (treatment that uses
the body's natural ability
to fight infection and
disease). Patients with
cancer often are treated by
a team of specialists, which
may include a medical
oncologist (specialist in
cancer treatment), a
surgeon, a radiation
oncologist (specialist in
radiation therapy), and
others. The doctors may
decide to use one type of
treatment alone or a
combination of treatments.
The choice of treatment
depends on the type and
location of the cancer, the
stage of the disease, the
patient's general health,
and other factors.
Before starting treatment,
you may want another doctor
to review the diagnosis and
treatment plan. Some
insurance companies require
a second opinion; others may
pay for a second opinion if
you request it.
Some cancer patients take
part in studies of new
treatments. These studies -
called clinical trials - are
designed to find out whether
a new treatment is both safe
and effective. Often,
clinical trials compare a
new treatment with a
standard one so that doctors
can learn which is more
effective. Clinical trials
offer important choices for
many patients. Cancer
patients who are interested
in taking part in a clinical
trial should talk with their
doctor.
Can Cancer Be Prevented?
Although your chances of
getting cancer increase
after age 50, there are
things that you can do to
prevent it. About 80 % of
all cancers are related to
the use of tobacco products,
to what we eat and drink, or
to a lesser extent to
exposure to radiation or
cancer-causing agents in the
environment and the
workplace. Many risk factors
can be avoided:
Do not use tobacco products.
Tobacco causes cancer. In
fact, smoking tobacco, using
smokeless tobacco, and being
exposed regularly to
involuntary tobacco smoke
are responsible for
one-third of all cancer
deaths in the U.S. each
year.
Avoid the harmful rays of
the sun. Ultraviolet
radiation from the sun and
from other sources - such as
sunlamps and tanning booths
- damages your skin and can
cause skin cancer.
Choose foods with less fat
and more fiber. Your choice
of foods may affect your
chance of developing cancer.
Evidence points to a link
between a high-fat diet and
cancers of the breast,
colon, uterus, and prostate.
Being seriously overweight
appears to be linked to
cancers of the prostate,
pancreas, uterus, colon, and
ovary and to breast cancer
in older women. On the other
hand, you may be able to
reduce your cancer risk by
making some simple food
choices. Try to eat a
varied, well-balanced diet
that includes generous
amounts of foods that are
high in fiber, vitamins, and
minerals. Aim for at least 5
servings of fruits and
vegetables each day. At the
same time, try to cut down
on fatty foods.
If you drink alcohol, do so
in moderation - not more
than one or two drinks a
day. Drinking large amounts
of alcohol increases the
risk of cancers of the
mouth, throat, esophagus,
and larynx. People who smoke
cigarettes and drink alcohol
have an especially high risk
of getting these cancers.
Where Can I Get More
Information?
The Cancer Information
Service (CIS), a program of
the National Cancer
Institute, can provide
accurate, up-to-date
information about cancer.
Information specialists can
answer your questions in
English, Spanish, and on TTY
equipment. The number is
easy to remember:
1-800-4-CANCER
(1-800-422-6237) or
1-800-332-8615 (TTY).
For more information about
health and aging, contact
the National Institute on
Aging Information Center at
1-800-222-2225 or
1-800-222-4225 (TTY). The
website address is
http://www.nih.gov/nia
National Institute on Aging
U. S. Department of Health
and Human Services
Public Health Service
National Institutes of
Health
2000
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