WHAT IS CANCER?

A group of diseases characterized by uncontrolled growth and spread of abnormal cells.

If the spread is not controlled, it can result in death.

WHAT IS CANCER?

WHAT CAUSES CANCER? External factors –

Tobacco, chemicals, radiation, infectious organisms

Ten or more years often pass between exposure to external factors and detectable cancer.

Internal factors – inherited mutations, hormones, immune

conditions, and mutations that occur from metabolism

HOW IS CANCER TREATED? Surgery, radiation, chemotherapy,

hormone therapy, biological therapy and targeted therapy

CANCER FACTS 1,444,920 new cancer cases diagnosed in

2007 (not including skin cancer) 1 million new skin cancer cases expected

to be diagnosed in 2007 240,510 new breast cancer cases in

women 218,980 new prostrate cancer cases in

men 10,400 new cases diagnosed in children

0-14.

WHO IS AT RISK OF DEVELOPING CANCER?

Anyone About 77% of all cancers are diagonosed

in persons 55 or older. Childhood cancers (0-14 years) are rare.

WHO IS AT RISK OF DEVELOPING CANCER?

Lifetime Risk Refers to the probability that an individual , over the

course of a lifetime, will develop or die from cancer. In the US, men have a slightly less than a 1 in 2

lifetime risk of developing cancer; for wonmen,the risk is a little more than 1 in 3 chance.

Relative Risk Measure of the strength of the relationship between

risk factors and a particular cancer. Ie. Male smokers are about 23 times more likely to

develop lung cancer than nonsmokers, so their relative risk is 23

WHO IS AT RISK OF DEVELOPING CANCER?

All cancers involve the malfunction of genes that control cell growth and division.

About 5% of all cancers are strongly heredity

Most cancers do not result from inherited genes, but from damage (mutations) to genes that occur during one’s lifetime.

HOW DO MUTATIONS OCCUR? Result from internal factors such as

hormones

Result from external factors such as tobacco, chemicals, and sunlight

CANCER & DEATH 559,650 cancer deaths in 2007 (more

than 1500 a day) 168,000 cancer deaths caused by

tobacco use 186,550 cancer deaths related to obesity

or overweight, physical activity, nutrition 1,545 childhood (0-14 years) cancer

deaths 2nd most cause of death in US (heart

disease is #1) Cancer accounts for 1 of every 4 deaths

CANCER & SURVIVAL 5 year relative survival rate for cancer is

66%, due to early detection and improved treatments.

What can YOU do to prevent cancer?

Tobacco and Cancer - Smoking is the most preventable cause of

death in our society.Smoking damages nearly every organ in the

human body.Smoking is linked to 15 different types of

cancer and accounts for 30% of all cancer deaths.

(Includes smokeless tobacco products as well).

What can YOU do to prevent cancer?

In 2007, 20% of high school students smoked.

1 in 7 high school boys use some form of spit or other type of smokeless tobacco.

More than 2% of high school girls use spit or smokeless tobacco.

What can YOU do to prevent cancer?

Each day, more than 3,500 people under the age of 18 try their first cigarette.

Another 1,100 become regular, daily smokers.

About one third of these kids will die from a smoking-related disease in the future.

What can YOU do to prevent cancer?

Cigarette smoking accounts for at least 30% of all cancer deaths. It is a major cause of the following cancers:

lung voice box (larynx) mouth (oral cavity) throat (pharynx) bladder the swallowing tube connected to the

stomach (esophagus)

What can YOU do to prevent cancer?

Smoking is also linked to the following cancers:

pancreas cervix kidney stomach some leukemias

What can YOU do to prevent cancer?

Sun Safety – Most of the more than 1 million cases of

non-melanoma skin cancer diagnosed yearly in the United States are considered to be sun-related.

Melanoma, the most serious type of skin cancer, will account for about 59,940 cases of skin cancer in 2007 and most (about 8,110) of the 10,850 deaths due to skin cancer each year.

Take the Sun Safety Quiz

What can YOU do to prevent cancer?

Sun Protection – Cover up Use a sunscreen with SPF 15 or higher and

REAPPLY! Wear a hat Wear sunglasses Limit exposure between 10am – 4pm Avoid tanning beds and sunlamps

(Bronzers are considered cosmetic and not thought to be harmful when used properly)

What can YOU do to prevent cancer?

Be careful of sunburns. They increase your risk of skin cancer.

Check your skin monthly for any changes.

Use the ABCD method

What can YOU do to prevent cancer?

A is for ASYMMETRY: One half of a mole or birthmark does not match the other.

B is for BORDER: The edges are irregular, ragged, notched, or blurred.

C is for COLOR: The color is not the same all over and may include shades of brown or black, or sometimes with patches of pink, red, white, or blue.

D is for DIAMETER: The spot is larger than 6 millimeters across (about ¼ inch -- the size of a pencil eraser), although melanomas can sometimes be smaller than this.

What can YOU do to prevent cancer?

Food and Fitness Guidelines Maintain a healthy weight throughout life. (Being

overweight increases your cancer risk.)

Adopt a physically active lifestyle.

Eat a healthy diet, with an emphasis on plant sources.

Limit alcholoic beverage intake. * All data/statistics complied from the American

Cancer Society

Stories of Hope Click above to find inspiration, hope, and

support in these stories about other people whose lives have been touched by cancer.

Or share your own story of hope.