Cancer is one of the common diseases and can affect every human at different stages in life. Here are some facts about cancer:
1. The most common cancers diagnosed in men are lung, liver, stomach, colorectal and prostate cancers.
2. For women, the most common cancers are breast, lung, colorectal , cervical and stomach.
3. Breast cancer is more common in the left breast than the right. The left breast is 5 – 10% more likely to develop cancer than the right breast. Young girls can get affected by breast cancer later in their life if they chose to smoke while they were young. Men can also get breast cancer.
4. Around half of cancer cases are preventable. The following behaviours can help reduce the risk of cancer: maintaining a healthy body mass index, eating high amounts of fruits and vegetables, exercising regularly, avoiding tobacco use, and limiting alcohol use.
5. Tobacco use is the largest preventable cause of cancer. Smoking tobacco accounts for 30% of all cancer deaths and 80% of all lung cancer deaths.
6. Those who sleep less than six hours a night are more likely to develop colon cancer than those who sleep more.
7. Even lack of physical exercise can be a cause of cancer. Up to half of all cancer deaths are preventable. Also, there are 28 million cancer survivors worldwide.
8. There are more skin cancer cases due to indoor tanning than lung cancer cases due to smoking. The left side of the body is also 10% more prone to melanoma (a type of skin cancer).
9. There are more than 200 types and sub types of cancer. Cancer patients have increased risk of suicide.
10. Men are more likely to show suicidal tendencies than women after being diagnosed.
11. Oxygen kills cancerous cells. It is advisable to inhale more oxygen by means of exercising and deep breathing.
If you wish to seek medical consultation regarding cancer or any illness, please make an appointment at Amtan Medical.
Sources: Roche Research, Fact Retriever