Cancer continues to take lives because many people do not know important
facts and signs indicating that they have cancer. Read this and be on
the safe side.
Millions of people are living with cancer in the UK, but the survival rate can be high if it is spotted early
Cancer is one of the biggest killers in the UK, and over 2.5 million people are currently living with some form of the disease.
But as new treatments are developed and campaigns, such as Race for
Life and Move-member, raise awareness of symptoms, the deaths caused by
cancer have dropped. In the past decade alone there has been a 10 per
cent decrease in death rates, BBC News reported.
And while cancers can be caused by genetics and environmental
factors that are out of our control, 30 per cent of cancers worldwide
could be prevented by leading a healthy lifestyle and being immunized
against viruses such as HPV and HBV, according to the World Health Organization.
Below are the symptoms of the most common types of cancer in the UK.
Lung cancer
One of the most serious forms of the disease, around 44,500 people
are diagnosed with lung cancer each year. The chance of survival is 5
per cent, and around 35,000 people will die of the disease each year.
However, 89 per cent of cases are preventable.
There are two forms of primary lung cancer: the term used to
describe the disease when it has not spread to other parts of the body.
More than 80 per cent of cases are non-small-cell lung cancer,
which fall into the categories of squamous cell carcinoma,
adenocarcinoma or large-cell carcinoma. Each of these forms attack
different areas of the lung.
Small-cell lung, or oat-cell, cancer is rarer, but is more
aggressive than non-small-cell. The vast majority of patients with
oat-cell cancer are smokers, according to Cancer Research UK.
Symptoms: Feeling breathless and having a
persistent cough, as well as an aching or feeling pain when breathing or
coughing are all symptoms of lung cancer. Coughing up blood or
rust-coloured spit or phlegm, as well as repeatedly having infections
such as bronchitis and pneumonia are signs, too.
Sudden and unexplained tiredness and weight loss can also be caused by the disease.
Public Health England in 2013 launched a campaign urging people not
to ignore persistent coughs, as almost 24,000 people a year in England
are diagnosed with the disease at the earliest stage when treatment is
most likely to be successful.
Bowel
Also known as colon or rectal cancer, bowel cancer affects around
one in 20 people in the UK, with around 41,000 people diagnosed with it
each year. Over 16,000 of those patients will die of the disease. It has
a survival rate of 57 per cent, and can be prevented in 54 per cent of
cases.
It is most common in the over 60s; those with a diet low in fibre
and high in red and processed meat; the overweight; and those who lead a
sedentary lifestyle. Drinking and smoking can also heighten the risk,
as well as a family history of the condition.
Symptoms: Bowel cancer can be easily mistaken for other illnesses because the signs are common in many conditions.
Blood in your stools and pain in the abdomen can be caused by bowel
cancer. Changes in bowel movements - such as constipation or diarrhea -
that last for more than a few days are also linked to the disease.
But these are also common in people with haemorrhoids or those
whose eating habits have changed, according to the NHS. In the latest
stages, weight loss, pain when eating and bloating become evident.
Breast
Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer in the UK, but lung
cancer is the deadliest according to Cancer Research UK. The majority
of people who get breast cancer are women over the age of 65, however
younger women and men can also develop the disease.
Each year, over 53,000 new cases of breast cancer are diagnosed,
but it has a survival rate of 78 per cent, meaning it causes over 11,000
deaths annually. It can be prevented in 27 per cent of cases.
Symptoms: Many people know that breast cancer is
signaled by unusual lumps and thickening in the breast, but campaigners
have urged that are other warnings signs that are unknown.
The charity Breast Cancer Care is among organisations to urge the
public to be wary of all the symptoms of the disease. A change in the
size, shape or skin on the breast; swelling in the armpit; and constant
pain in the area can signal breast cancer. However, the nipples can also
be affected. Redness, a rash or discharge coming from the nipple are
all signs of the disease.
While lumps in the breast generally aren't cancerous, the NHS urges people to visit their GP if they notice anything unusual.
Prostate
This form of cancer only affects men, because it is found in the
satsuma-sized prostate gland located between the penis and the bladder.
Over 47,000 new cases of prostate cancer are diagnosed each year. But it
has a high survival rate of 84 per cent. Almost 11,000 people die of
the disease each year. There are no clear ways of preventing prostate
cancer, according to Cancer Research UK.
Symptoms: In the early stages, prostate cancer
does not cause any symptoms for many years, meaning it is usually caught
when it is developed.
The condition is usually picked up when the gland becomes so large
that it affects the function of the urethra and makes passing urine more
frequent, slower and weaker.
Blood in the urine and erectile dysfunction are also signs. If the
cancer pushes against the spinal cord, weakness or numbness in the legs
or feet and the loss of bladder and bowel control can also occur.
However, difficulty passing urine can also be a sign of a common
condition called benign prostatic hyperplasia, where the inner part of
the prostate continues to grow as men get older.
