How to stay healthy? Prevention of cancer diseases

• Rak’n’Roll Cancer Foundation was founded in 2009 r. by the initiative of Magda Prokopowicz.

• From the very beginning, the key goal of the Foundation was to create a new way of communicating about cancer disease in Poland, to break down the stereotypes surrounding this illness and to improve the quality of life of those struggling with cancer, especially women.

• We have made it a priority to create programs that go outside the system and address problems that the medical community in Poland does not address.

• Everything that we do is designed to inspire others to a positive way of thinking, deliver proper solutions and to change the perception of cancer in people’s minds.

• Everything that we do centres around positive energy, smiles and the joy of life.

Foundation's programs

Cancer

• uncontrolled proliferation of some cells, leading to tumors, which can metastases to different organs

• most often diagnosed in older people, however, due to stress and the environment in which we live, more and more young people are faced with the disease

• we can decrease the risk of the disease by leading a healthy lifestyle and following a set of rules

• in about 5-10% cases of illness, cancer is genetic in origin

source: Europejski Kodeks Walki z Rakiem, IV edycja

Cancer in Poland

• malignant tumors are the second cause of death in Poland, approximately 100 thousand a year

• records show that there are 160 thousand new cases of cancer diagnosed each year

• according to recent prognosis, this number can increase to 185 thousand in the next 10 years

source: Strategia Walki z Rakiem w Polsce 2014-2025

Malignant tumors in Poland male and female

source: Krajowy Rejestr Nowotworów

Risk reduction 12 ways to stay healthy • Don’t smoke

• Smoking is one of the lead reason for cancer in Poland

• Quitting reduces the risk of 15 different cancer types

• It’s never too late to quit

source: Europejski Kodeks Walki z Rakiem, IV edycja

Risk reduction 12 ways to stay healthy • Smoke free environment is key

• More than 14 mln Poles are subject to passive smoking

at home

• Over 4 mln at the work place

• Exposing children to passive smoking has a very negative impact on their health

source: Europejski Kodeks Walki z Rakiem, IV edycja

Aleksandra Jastrzębska, kl. VI a Szkoła Podstawowa nr 5 w Tczewie Konkurs PSSE Tczew

Risk reduction 12 ways to stay healthy • Maintain your body weight

• Some types of cancer are caused by hormone levels in

the body • fat cells release an extra amount of hormones

• How to maintain your body weight: • choose low fat products

• pay attention to food portions

• be active physically

• monitor your body weight regularly

source: Europejski Kodeks Walki z Rakiem, IV edycja

Risk reduction 12 ways to stay healthy • Be active in your everyday life

• Physical activity with medium intensity • Acceleration of pulse and breathing

• For example: dancing, hiking, swimming, strength training

• Physical activity with large intensity • Acceleration of pulse and breathing, sweating

• For example: aerobics, tennis, running, intense strength training

• Frequency • Minimum 30 min each day

• At best 60 min physical activity with medium intensity or 30 min physical activity with large intensity every day

source: Europejski Kodeks Walki z Rakiem, IV edycja

Risk reduction 12 ways to stay healthy • Follow the instructions for proper nutrition

• a lot of wholegrain products, legumes, vegetables and fruits

• limit products with calories

• avoid sweet drinks

• avoid processed meats and limit red meat in your diet

• limit the amount of salt

source: Europejski Kodeks Walki z Rakiem, IV edycja

Risk reduction 12 ways to stay healthy • Limit alcohol consumption

• Drinking any amount of alcohol increases the risk of cancer

• Recommended alcohol reduction • Women: 1 portion daily

• Men: 2 portions daily

• 1 portion = 10-12ml pure alcohol

• 100-120ml red wine

• 60-80ml liqueur

• 150-180ml champagne

• 280-330ml beer

• 20-40ml vodka

• Getting drunk occasionally is more dangerous than drinking limited amounts every day

source: Europejski Kodeks Walki z Rakiem, IV edycja

Risk reduction 12 ways to stay healthy • Avoid excessive exposure to sunlight

• #7 rules against melanoma • Wear a shirt

• Wear sunscreen

• Wear a hat

• Wear sunglasses

• Rest in the shade between the hours: 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

• Avoid sun beds

• If you notice a strange mark on your skin, immediately consult a dermatologist and remember to check your skin every month

source: Europejski Kodeks Walki z Rakiem, IV edycja

Risk reduction 12 ways to stay healthy • Make sure to avoid carcinogenic substances in your

workplace • carcinogenic substances

• chrome, nickel, arsenic

• asbestos

• petroleum products

• vinyl chloride, benzene

• Carcinogenicity increasing with smokers

source: Europejski Kodeks Walki z Rakiem, IV edycja

Risk reduction 12 ways to stay healthy

source: Europejski Kodeks Walki z Rakiem, IV edycja Mapa: Radon - występowanie i działanie, fot. Agnieszka i Marek Sterniccy, Stężenie radu (Ra-226) w glebie w Polsce (źródło: Atlas radiologiczny CLOR)

• Avoid radiation caused by high concentration of radon • radon - the only gas radioactive element

• its derivatives associated with dust present in the air are deposited on the mucosa of the nose, throat, larynx and in the lungs; they can cause cancer

• Present in some areas of the country: Sudety, Przedgórzu Sudeckim, Górnym Śląsku

Risk reduction 12 ways to stay healthy • Women should remember that:

• Breast feeding reduces the risk of getting cancer, so breast feed your child

• Hormone replacement therapy increases the risk of developing certain cancers. Limit its use

• Be alert during the pregnancy • Symptoms of cancer may be similar to physiological

changes related to pregnancy, e.g. breast swelling, nausea, vomiting

• If there is a doubt, you always have to carry out diagnostics, it is safe for the fetus/ child

źródło: Europejski Kodeks Walki z Rakiem, IV edycja

Risk reduction 12 ways to stay healthy • Make sure your children are immunized against :

• Hepatitis B (for newborns)

• Human papilloma virus - HPV (for girls)

źródło: Europejski Kodeks Walki z Rakiem, IV edycja

Risk reduction 12 ways to stay healthy

• Monitor your breast every month

• Once a year • Mammography/ ultrasound

• Cytology

• Monitor your skin for changes

• Colonoscopy after 50 years old

• X-ray of the lungs (smokers 1/year; non smokers once every 2 years

• Monitor your testicles (20-45)

• Once a year • morphology

• Monitor your skin for changes

• Prostate exam after 50 years old

• Colonoscopy after 50 years old

• X-ray of the lungs (smokers 1/year; non smokers once every 2 years

Preventive examinations are key

Higher alertness in families with cancer

Reasons to worry

• Visible changes • in the shape, breast structure; feeling of a lump • in the shape, testicle structure; feeling of a lump • body weight without any reason • skin changes: colour, size, asymmetric shape, edges

• Symptoms that last for more than 2 weeks or reoccur: • cough and hoarseness • bleeding, tumors, infiltrations • persistent pains • constipation, indigestion, diarrhea • itching of the skin • persistent high fever

What to do

• Visit your doctor • obtain a referral for diagnostic tests

• further diagnostics in the oncological clinic

• Visit an oncologist • no need to have a referral

https://youtu.be/dt0eIH_-HF8