5 steps to good health
4 February 2010, 15:56
Cancer is on the increase and in the back of many people's minds is the niggling fear that one day their number will come up - but it is possible to minimise your risk of getting the disease, say experts.
"Most cancers are caused by environmental and lifestyle factors and it is vital for the country to sit up and take note," says Lorraine Govender, provincial manager of Cansa in KwaZulu-Natal.
Professor Vikash Sewram, director of the Medical Research Council's Oncology Research Unit and Cancer Research Initiative of South Africa, says that opportunities for controlling and reducing the burden of cancer exist, but they require a concerted effort by the public.
/>
"Most cancers are caused by environmental and lifestyle factors and it is vital for the country to sit up and take note," says Lorraine Govender, provincial manager of Cansa in KwaZulu-Natal.
Professor Vikash Sewram, director of the Medical Research Council's Oncology Research Unit and Cancer Research Initiative of South Africa, says that opportunities for controlling and reducing the burden of cancer exist, but they require a concerted effort by the public.
"Research has come a long way and now with a better understanding of the risk factors for the disease and the processes involved in its spread to other organs, it is possible to prevent and treat most cancers," he says.
How can you minimise your risk? Here are Cansa's top five tips:
1. Quit smoking
Your risk of getting lung cancer is 15 times greater if you are a smoker, says Peter Ucko, a director at the National Council Against Smoking, and as a smoker you are at greater risk of getting tongue, lip, nasal and salivary gland cancer.
"You increase your risk of getting cancer in every part of the body if you are a smoker, because blood goes to every part of the body," says Ucko.
There are about 200 poisonous chemical compounds and 60 cancer-causing chemicals in tobacco. Whether you smoke it, chew it or sniff tobacco, it is harmful, he says.
Hubbly Bubbly, the hookah craze popular among teens, is not safe either.
"Youngsters think hookah smoke is safer than cigarette smoke because it passes through water, but water does not clean the smoke. It still contains deadly toxins and the highly addictive drug, nicotine. Smoking a hookah pipe can damage the lungs making it painful to breathe, as well as cause cancer of the lungs, mouth and bladder."
Where to get help: National Council Against Smoking National Quit Line: 011 720 3145; www.smokenders.co.za; www.nicorette.co.za
2. Reduce alcohol
Director of Sanca in Durban, Carol du Toit, says studies show that alcohol consumption is linked to cancer of the oral cavity, pharynx, larynx, oesophagus, colon, breast and liver. There is also evidence that drinking alcohol may be linked to cancer of the lung, stomach and pancreas.
"A number of studies show that moderate alcohol consumption may be linked to cancer of the bladder, kidney, colon, ovaries and prostate," she says.
Excessive alcohol consumption damages the liver and, in addition to development of cancer of the liver, it may lead to a fatty liver, alcohol hepatitis and liver cirrhosis.
Where to get help: Sanca 031 202 2241, www.sancadbn.co.za; Alcoholics Anonymous: 031 301 4959.
3. Be sun smart
Skin cancer is the most common cancer in South Africa with almost 20 000 new cases every year and more than 700 deaths annually, and because of global warming and other environmental changes, experts predict an increase in skin cancers.
"There is no such thing as a healthy tan," says Govender. "A tan is a sign of skin damage from the sun and everyone must avoid sunburning and suntanning." She gives this advice:
Where to get help: Call Cansa toll free at 0800 22 66 22 or see www.cansa.org.za
4.Eat well, exercise to control weight
There is conclusive evidence that overweight people are more at risk of getting cancer, but how obesity causes cancer has not been determined.
It is thought that obesity raises the risk of getting the disease by raising the body's hormone levels - the sex hormones like oestrogen or protein hormones like insulin, and insulin-related growth factors.
"Too much fat around the waist, for instance, can disrupt insulin metabolism and increase the risk of colon cancer," says Durban dietician Priya Seetal.
"Losing weight has been shown to improve insulin sensitivity and to decrease the level of sex hormones in the blood so it is assumed that losing weight will also decrease cancer risk."
Losing weight might also help with a more obvious cancer-obesity link. Obesity can cause acid reflux, which can make you more susceptible to oesophageal or throat cancer.
Excess weight is also associated with gallstone formation, which increases the risk of gallbladder cancer.
Where to get help: Dietetics department at your local hospital; Weigh-Less: 0861 10 0551. Weight Watchers: 0861 11 3225.
5. Avoid cancer-causing infections
Hepatitis B and C: chronic infection with hepatitis B and C virus increases your risk of cancer and, in adults, sexual transmission is a major mode of transmission.
Thanks to South African Professor Michael Kew and his team of researchers who discovered the link between hepatitis B and liver cancer and developed the vaccine, it is hoped that eventually hepatitis B-induced liver cancer will be eradicated. Since 1991, the World Health Organisation has recommended that the hepatitis B vaccine be part of the routine immunisation.
Epstein Barr virus (EBV): this has particular importance in non-Hodgkin's lymphomas, occurring in immunosuppressed individuals, who are at increased risk for certain cancers. Malaria and EBV increase the risk of Burkitt's lymphoma in young African children.
Human Papilloma Virus (HPV): a sexually transmitted virus. Certain types can cause cervical cancer. Two cervical cancer vaccines, Gardasil and Cervarix, were registered by the Medical Control Council in February 2008 but are available only in the private sector. The best way to protect yourself is to live a sexually safe lifestyle and have regular pap smears.Visit your local clinic or contact Cansa.
Where to get help: Contact Cansa at 031 205 9525.
- This article was originally published on page 10 of The Daily News on February 04, 2010
Johannesburg
