Attention to Sudden Weight Loss and Fatigue.
Cancer has been entering the lives of one of two people in recent years due to himself or a relative. Common symptoms in many types of cancer; unexplained weight loss, fatigue, fatigue, and high fever, but this disease can sometimes come quietly. Early diagnosis and correct treatment planning play an important role in the successful treatment of cancer that affects millions of people in our country every year. Memorial Ankara Hospital Medical Oncology Department Experts gave information about “diagnosis and treatment of cancer disease and prevention methods” before “01-07 April Cancer Week”.
Read More Content Below.
- Listen to the signals your body gives
- Low-dose thorax tomography can be life-saving for smokers
- Cancer treatment should be planned individually
- The effect of psychological support on treatment success is great
- Take care of the Mediterranean type of nutrition
1. Listen to the signals your body gives.
Cancer is a term used to describe more than 200 disease groups that affect one or more organs or areas of the body. It is when damaged cells in a certain tissue or organ reproduce uncontrollably, forming a mass or tumor.
Although it is not a definitive factor causing cancer, there are many factors that increase the risk of cancer.
The most important of these risk factors are; cigarettes, obesity, some chemicals brought by industrialization, sedentary life, UV rays, and some infections.
The symptoms of cancer, which can imitate many diseases, may also be similar to the symptoms of different diseases.
Most types of cancer progress very insidiously and show symptoms only in the last stage.
Some cancers also appear with findings depending on the organ in which they are located. In addition, there are general complaints caused by cancer in the body, regardless of which organ it is located in.
These are seen in almost every type of cancer; symptoms such as weakness, sudden weight loss, loss of appetite, fever.
2. Low-dose thorax tomography can be life-saving for smokers.
Thanks to the screenings for early diagnosis of cancer, most cancer types detected at an early stage can be treated without causing fatal losses. Common screening tests;
Annual smear tests for cervical cancer, cervical cancer, annual mammography for breast cancer, stool occult blood for colorectal cancers, endoscopy, colonoscopy, low dose thorax tomography for lung cancer, and PSA test for prostate cancer.
Low-dose thorax tomography for lung cancer, which is a very common type of cancer, is a screening that is especially useful for smokers or people who are at risk for lung cancer.
3. Cancer treatment should be planned individually.
Cancer is a disease that should be treated with a multidisciplinary approach, in cooperation with many departments.
Although medical oncology is related to drug treatment of cancer, it also takes an active role in directing the patient to surgery, radiotherapy, or another department.
Surgical methods are an important option for cancer. However, radiotherapy is also the key to successful results in cancer treatment.
Forming systemic treatment part; chemotherapy, smart drugs, and immunotherapy, which is the prominent treatment method of the last 5 years, is very important in treatment.
Treatments need to be applied differently depending on the cancer type and stage.
In some patients, treatments called curative are applied, while in others, only palliative, that is, treatments to prolong the patient's survival and reduce cancer-related complaints.
The most important point in the fight against cancer is the personal planning and implementation of the treatment.
4. The effect of psychological support on treatment success is great.
In addition to medical applications to achieve successful results in treatment; It is also very important for patients and their relatives to think positively and not to give up treatment.
Patient psychology is very important, even in nausea control after chemotherapy. For example; "Nausea of expectation" is quite common. In this case, when the patient thinks that his stomach will be blurred when he comes to the hospital and receives chemotherapy, he experiences nausea before coming to the hospital.
With the psychological support, the positive approach of the patient and their relatives to the treatment process, not giving up the treatment, contributes greatly to the continuity and success of the treatment.
Another factor that positively affects the success of cancer treatment is the patient-patient relatives and the oncology team's communication is strong.
The doctor answering all the questions that the patient is wondering and explaining what he will encounter during the treatment provides the patient to own the treatment more.
5. Take care of the Mediterranean type of nutrition.
Cancer is a mostly preventable disease as long as the guidelines of healthy living are followed.
A balanced diet and having a lively lifestyle are the primary ones to be considered for cancer prevention.
For this purpose; It is important to gain Mediterranean-type eating habits. It is necessary to reduce red meat and limit it to 2 servings a week, to prefer more fish, olive oil, and vegetable dishes, and to create a rich nutrition program from fruits, legumes, milk, and dairy products.
Movement should be added to life with exercises such as brisk walking for at least half an hour a day.
In addition, smoking should be completely avoided and alcohol consumption should be limited.
Precautions should be taken to protect from infections, sexually transmitted diseases, and the harmful effects of the sun.
It is absolutely necessary to avoid the solarium, Weight Loss which is much more harmful than the sun.
