Cancer is a disease in which some cells of the body grow uncontrollably. These cells may form tumors, which are lumps of tissue. Tumors can be cancerous or not cancerous (benign).Benign tumors do not spread into, or invade, nearby tissues. When removed, benign tumors usually don’t grow back, whereas cancerous tumors sometimes do.

• Extreme tiredness that doesn’t get better with rest.
• Weight loss or gain of 10 pounds or more for no known reason
• Eating problems such as not feeling hungry, trouble in swallowing, pain in abdomen, or nausea and vomiting
• Swelling or lumps anywhere in the body
• Pain, especially new or with no known reason, that doesn’t go away or gets worse
• Skin changes such as a lump that bleeds or turns scaly, a new mole or a change in a mole, an ulcer that does not heal, or jaundice
• Cough or change in voice that does not go away
• Unusual bleeding or bruising for no known reason
• Change in bowel habits, such as constipation or diarrhea, that doesn’t go away or a change in how your stools look
• Bladder changes such as pain when passing urine, blood in the urine or needing to pass urine more or less often
• Fever or nights sweats
• Headaches
• Vision or hearing problems
• Mouth changes such as ulcers, bleeding, pain, or numbness

• Cancer is contagious
• Cancer can spread by needle testing/biopsy (except for very few)
• Cancer means death sentence
• Older people are not fit for treatment
• Hair will fall in all types of cancer therapies
• If you have a family history of cancer, you will definitely get it
• Treatment is extremely costly
• All cancer patients will receive same type of treatment

Surgery, Chemotherapy, Radiotherapy, Targeted therapy, hormonal therapy, immunotherapy, transplantation are the various which are used separately or in combination to treat cancers. Type of therapy used is usually decided by the type & stage of cancer in combination to various other factors.

We need to perform a set of tests in order to stage cancer which helps us in tailoring the appropriate therapy .

Whether a person’s cancer can be cured depends on the type and stage of the cancer, the type of treatment they can get, general condition and comorbidities of the patient and various other factors. Some cancers are more likely to be cured than others. But each cancer needs to be treated differently. There isn’t one cure for all cancers.

The patient should commence cancer treatment as early as possible after getting properly staged using appropriate investigations. Delay in starting treatment gives cancer cells an opportunity to keep multiplying which in turn can impact the results of treatment.

Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), also known as chronic diseases, tend to be of long duration. The main types of NCD are cardiovascular diseases (such as heart attacks and stroke), cancers, chronic respiratory diseases (such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma), and type II diabetes. Every two seconds, a person dies prematurely from an NCD. It kills 41 million people each year, equivalent to 74% of all deaths globally. Each year, 17 million people die from an NCD before age 70; 86% of these premature deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries. Cardiovascular diseases account for most NCD deaths, or 17.9 million people annually, followed by cancers (9.3 million), chronic respiratory diseases (4.1 million), and diabetes (2.0 million including kidney disease deaths caused by diabetes). These four groups of diseases account for over 80% of all premature NCD deaths. Tobacco use, physical inactivity, the harmful use of alcohol, unhealthy diets, and air pollution all increase the risk of dying from an NCD.

Yes, we can prevent or reduce the risk of NCDs by eliminating the use of tobacco and the harmful use of alcohol, maintaining an active lifestyle consuming a healthy diet, and improving air quality. Actions towards these goals are cost-effective ways for people to reduce the number of NCD deaths. Working on these risk factors can not only save lives but also save families from anticipated financial burdens.

An International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) Working Group
Concluded that there is consistent evidence that higher amounts of body fat are associated with an increased risk of more than 13 types of cancers. People who have a higher BMI at the time their cancer is diagnosed or who have survived cancer have higher risks of developing a second, unrelated cancer (a second primary cancer). Being overweight and obesity can cause changes in the body including long-lasting inflammation and higher-than-normal levels of insulin, insulin-like growth factor, and sex hormones. These changes may lead to cancer. The risk of cancer increases with the more excess weight a person gains and the longer a person is overweight.

Losing weight reduces the risk of some types of cancer, such as breast cancer (after menopause) and endometrial cancer. Some body changes that occur as a result of weight loss also reduce cancer risk and cancer relapse risk. For example, overweight or obese people who intentionally lose weight have reduced levels of certain hormones that are related to cancer risk, such as insulin, estrogens, and androgens. It also lowers the risk of heart disease and diabetes. Losing even a small amount of weight has health benefits and is a good place to start.

No, losing weight by increasing physical activity as well as calorie deficit by consuming fewer calories, are required to achieve and sustain weight loss. Weight loss is difficult to achieve with exercise alone without working on diet, stress, and sleep.

ACLM recommends the use of low-fat, whole food plant-based eating styles to reverse or minimize insulin resistance. Remission should be the goal of treatment using intensive lifestyle intervention as a primary component of medical care. Medicines are to be used as and when required and can be stopped once the disease goes into remission.

These food items are prepared through industrial methods and techniques. They generally include artificial colors and flavors, emulsifiers, and preservatives, in addition to refined sugars, saturated & trans fats, salt, and sweeteners. These are mostly ready-to-eat food or require minimal cooking or effort in preparation like chips, biscuits, confectionary or bakery items, soft drinks, instant noodles, ketchup, sauces, candies, pastries, etc.

The processing of UPF makes these foods convenient, pocket-friendly, highly flavourful, and attractive. The combination of added sugar, salt, refined carbohydrates, and saturated and trans fats make these foods extremely tasty which leads to overeating and making it difficult to stop eating in limited quantities. High consumption of these types of foods is associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular disease, cerebrovascular disease, obesity, metabolic syndrome, depression, cancer, and all-cause mortality.

Yes, cooking methods that use dry heat like grilling, baking, broiling, roasting, and frying produce advanced glycation end products (AGEs) which cause inflammation in the body. It has been linked to diseases like diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, heart and liver diseases, and premature aging.

Once you’ve decided to quit tobacco, pick a quit date within the next month. This is an important step. Picking a date too far away gives you time to change your mind. Still, you need to give yourself enough time to prepare. You might choose a date with a special meaning like a birthday or anniversary, or any other special day of your life, or any random date. Circle the date on your calendar. Make a strong, personal commitment to quit on that day. Let others around you also know of your plan.

All of the HPV vaccines were tested on thousands of people around the world before they were approved. And they continue to be constantly monitored for safety. So far, all studies show no deaths have been linked to any HPV vaccine. Common, mild side effects include headache, fever, nausea, and dizziness. Sometimes pain and redness can happen where the shot was given. As with any medication or injection, people may have an allergic reaction afterward. Anyone who has a severe (life-threatening) allergy to any ingredient in the HPV vaccine should not get the vaccine, including a severe allergy to yeast. Some people may faint after getting any vaccine, including HPV vaccines. Fainting after getting a shot is more common in teens than in young children or adults. To keep people from getting hurt from fainting, a 15-minute waiting period for people of all ages is recommended after any vaccination.