Cancer

Oral cancer refers to cancers of the head and neck. It includes cancer of the lips, tongue, cheeks, gums, salivary glands, floor of the mouth, hard and soft palate, sinuses and pharynx. Brain cancer falls in a different category. The leading causes of oral cancer are smoking and drinking too much alcohol. Ninety per cent of oral cancers are squamous cell carcinoma of oral mucosal origin. Squamous cells line the lips and the oral cavity. The oral cavity is bounded above and laterally by the…

Treatment of non-small cell lung cancer: Surgery Surgery is the treatment of choice in NSCLC that has not spread beyond the lung. The goal of surgery is to remove the lung tumour along with the lymph nodes in the chest. The surgeon will remove the tumour with surrounding normal lung tissue. During surgery, serious complications such as excess bleeding, wound infection and pneumonia can occur. Following surgery, patients may experience difficult breathing, shortness of breath, pain and weakness…

Follow-up care After finishing the treatment, check-ups are recommended to look for any side-effects of the treatment or any new symptoms or signs of recurrence or spread. The doctor may recommend any one or more of the following tests: -Chest X-ray -CT scans -Ultrasound -Blood test A CT scan is recommended every 6-12 months for first the 2 years and yearly after that. Food and nutrition Eating right is a key part of cancer treatment. You need to keep your body as strong as possible before,…

What tests do you need to have done Medical history and physical examination: The doctor will take your history and based on symptoms and signs suggestive of lung cancer, may recommend some of the following tests: Blood test: This is primarily to understand the overall health status of the person. Imaging tests: Chest X-ray:  This can detect an abnormal large mass or small nodules in the lung. CT scan: This can detect small lesions and provide a more detailed view of the lungs, which is…

Can lung cancer be prevented?  You can lower your risk by doing the following: Stop smoking Avoid second-hand smoke Avoid carcinogens at work Work with other people to keep your environment pollution-free Eat low-fat, high-fibre diet and do regular exercise Screening Screening: Screening is recommended for high risk individuals which includes: Those between the ages of 55-79 Smoked for 30 or more years Person who has quit smoking within the past 15 years Screening test includes:  …

Cancer that starts in the lungs is called primary lung cancer. The lungs are common sites for metastasis of other types of cancers, which start elsewhere in the body, such as breast cancer or colon cancer. That is called secondary lung cancer. It is important to know whether the cancer started in the lungs (primary) or has spread to the lungs (secondary). Cancer cells will be different in primary and secondary lung cancer, so the treatment will depend on the type of cancer. For eg. cancer that…

There are usually no symptoms in the early stage of lung cancer. In most cases, diagnosis is made after the disease has advanced. Common symptoms include: Having a cough most of the time Cough that does not go away after 2-3 weeks or becomes worse Pain in chest, shoulder, back or arms, which is not associated with coughing Shortness of breath Coughing of blood or blood in sputum An ache when breathing or coughing Recurrent chest infection such as pneumonia Hoarseness of voice Loss of appetite…

You are at risk of developing lung cancer if, you are:  A smoker: Smoking is the main cause of lung cancer. Smokers are at 15-20 times greater risk of developing lung cancer than non-smokers. The risk increases with the number of cigarettes smoked each day and the number of years you have smoked. Doctors calculate risk in pack years (number of packs of cigarettes smoked per day multiplied by number of years smoked). Risk increases with even 10 pack years of smoking history. Even if…

Follow-up care Follow-up care is important to maintain good health after treatment and to watch for signs of recurrence. Follow-up care is extremely important in the first five years after treatment because risk of recurrence is highest during this time. In colorectal cancer, 80% of recurrence occurs in the first 2-3 years after surgery and 95% occurs within 5 years. Follow-up care includes: Physical examination every 3-6 months CT scan of chest and abdomen every 6-12 months Colonoscopy one…

There are several options to consider. These can be used alone or in combination. Treatments for colorectal cancer include: Surgery Chemotherapy Radiation therapy Targeted therapy Surgery This is the most common treatment to remove cancer from the colon or rectum or from distant organs. Types of surgery: This depends on the type, size, location and extent of the spread of cancer. Options include: Polypectomy: Small growths on the inner lining of the colon, called polyps, are removed by…