The next best thing to prevention
The sooner cancer is diagnosed, the better the chances of survival. In this light, perhaps the best alternative medicine for cancer other than prevention is early detection. If a malignancy is caught early enough, the need for harsh conventional treatments such as chemotherapy and surgery could be avoided and the tumor may be treated mostly with an alternative medicine for cancer program.
Sometimes it takes something as scary as a cancer diagnosis to get serious
about changing your lifestyle to a healthier one. Caught early enough, cancer
can be seen as simply an early warning sign to change unhealthy habits in order
to live a long and vibrant life. While there are many resources in alternative
medicine for cancer treatment one of the most useful tools for cancer survival
lays in educating oneself about the different preemptive measures of early diagnosis.
Recommendations for early detection
"Based on scientific research and expert opinion, the American Cancer Society (ACS) has established recommendations to detect cancer early in asymptomatic people (without symptoms of cancer). The ACS believes that early detection examinations and tests can help save lives and reduce suffering from cancers of the breast, colon, rectum, cervix, prostate, testis (testicles), oral cavity (mouth), and skin. "
"Some of these cancers can be found early by self examinations (such as breast
self-examination), physical examinations by a health professional (such examinations
of the breast, thyroid gland, skin, colon and rectum, testicles, and prostate),
and by x-ray or laboratory tests (such as mammography, the Pap test, and the
prostate-specific antigen or PSA blood test). In many cases, a combination of
two or more early detection approaches (such as mammography, clinical breast
examination by a health professional, and breast self-examination) is the most
effective strategy."
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"The 5-year relative survival rate for people with cancers for which the ACS has specific early detection recommendations (breast, colon, rectum, cervix, prostate, testis, oral cavity, and skin) is about 82%. The 5-year survival rate is defined as the percentage of people alive at least five years after diagnosis of cancer. The 5-year relative survival rate calculation excludes people who die of other causes."
"Both rates include people regardless of the type of treatment, if any, they receive. The outlook for survival for people with these cancers is greatly improved by early detection. In fact, if all Americans had early detection testing according to ACS recommendations, the 5-year relative survival rate for people with these cancers would increase to about 95%." (www.cancer.org/docroot/PED/content/PED_2_3X_Early_Detection.asp?sitearea=PED)
List of cancer-related check ups
The following list of exams was excepted from the American Cancer Society.s Web site www.cancer.org/docroot/PED/content/PED_2_3X_ACS_Cancer_Detection_Gui.
"For people having periodic health examinations, a cancer-related checkup should include health counseling and depending on a person's age might include examinations for cancers of the thyroid, oral cavity, skin, lymph nodes, testes, and ovaries as well as for some non-malignant diseases."
Breast Cancer
- "Yearly mammograms starting at age 40 and continuing for as long as a woman is in good health.
- Clinical breast exams (CBE) should be part of a periodic health exam, about every three years for women in their 20s and 30s and every year for women 40 and over.
- Women should report any breast change promptly to their health care providers. Breast self-exam (BSE) is an option for women starting in their 20s.
- Women at increased risk (e.g., family history, genetic tendency, past breast cancer) should talk with their doctors about the benefits and limitations of starting mammography screening earlier, having additional tests (e.g., breast ultrasound or MRI), or having more frequent exams."
Colon and Rectal Cancer
"Beginning at age 50, both men and women at average risk for developing colorectal cancer should follow one of these five testing schedules.
- Fecal occult blood test (FOBT)* or fecal immunochemical test (FIT)
- Flexible sigmoidoscopy every 5 years
- Yearly FOBT or FIT plus flexible sigmoidoscopy every 5 years
- Double-contrast barium enema every 5 years
- Colonoscopy every 10 years
"For FOBT, the take-home multiple sample method should be used. The combination of yearly FOBT or FIT plus flexible sigmoidoscopy every 5 years is preferred over either of these options alone. All positive tests should be followed up with colonoscopy. People should begin colorectal cancer screening earlier and/or undergo screening more often if they have any of the following colorectal cancer risk factors."
- " A personal history of colorectal cancer or adenomatous polyps.
- A strong family history of colorectal cancer or polyps (cancer or polyps in a first-degree relative younger than 60 or in two first-degree relatives of any age) Note: a first degree relative is defined as a parent, sibling, or child.
- A personal history of chronic inflammatory bowel disease.
- A family history of an hereditary colorectal cancer syndrome (familial adenomatous polyposis or hereditary non-polyposis colon cancer)."
Cervical Cancer
The American Cancer Society recommends:
- "All women should begin cervical cancer screening about 3 years after they begin having vaginal intercourse, but no later than when they are 21 years old. Screening should be done every year with the regular Pap test or every 2 years using the newer liquid-based Pap test.
- Beginning at age 30, women who have had 3 normal Pap test results in a row may get screened every 2 to 3 years with either the conventional (regular) or liquid-based Pap test. Women who have certain risk factors such as diethylstilbestrol (DES) exposure before birth, HIV infection, or a weakened immune system due to organ transplant, chemotherapy, or chronic steroid use should continue to be screened annually.
- Another reasonable option for women over 30 is to get screened every 3 years (but not more frequently) with either the conventional or liquid-based Pap test, plus the HPV DNA test.
- Women 70 years of age or older who have had 3 or more normal Pap tests in a row and no abnormal Pap test results in the last 10 years may choose to stop having cervical cancer screening. Women with a history of cervical cancer, DES exposure before birth, HIV infection or a weakened immune system should continue to have screening as long as they are in good health.
- Women who have had a total hysterectomy (removal of the uterus and cervix) may also choose to stop having cervical cancer screening, unless the surgery was done as a treatment for cervical cancer or precancer. Women who have had a hysterectomy without removal of the cervix should continue to follow the guidelines above."
Endometrial (Uterine) Cancer
"The American Cancer Society recommends that all women should be informed about the risks and symptoms of endometrial cancer, and strongly encouraged to report any unexpected bleeding or spotting to their doctors. For women with or at high risk for hereditary nonpolyposis colon cancer (HNPCC), annual screening should be offered for endometrial cancer with endometrial biopsy beginning at age 35."
Prostate Cancer
"Both the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test and digital rectal examination (DRE) should be offered annually, beginning at age 50, to men who have at least a 10-year life expectancy. Men at high risk (African-American men and men with a strong family of one or more first-degree relatives such as father or brothers diagnosed at an early age) should begin testing at age 45. Men at even higher risk, due to multiple first-degree relatives affected at an early age, could begin testing at age 40. Depending on the results of this initial test, no further testing might be needed until age 45."
"Information should be provided to all men about what is known and what is uncertain about the benefits and limitations of early detection and treatment of prostate cancer so that they can make an informed decision about testing. Men who ask their doctor to make the decision on their behalf should be tested. Discouraging testing is not appropriate. Also, not offering testing is not appropriate."
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