Cancer - refers to the abnormal and uncontrolled growth and spreading of body cells.
"Cancer is a diverse group of diseases in which some of the body’s cells become defective, begin to multiply out of control, can invade and damage the tissue around them, andcan also spread (metastasise) to other parts of the body to cause further damage." (AIHW 08)
Tumour - is an enlargement caused by the abnormal growth of cells.
Benign - refers to cancer cells which do not move around the body
Malignant - refers to cells which may move around the body and form secondary tumours.
Metasteses - are new tumours which may develop away from the original tumour.
Carcinogen - refers to any cancer causing agent and may include smoke, chemicals, sun etc
See the below videos for a brief overview of cancer.
Extent of the problem
Incidence
Cancer is increasing in incidence for both sexes, particulalry breast cancer, prostate cancer.
Males are more likely to be affected by cancer with 1 in 3 males likely to be diagnosed with cancer by age 75, with 1 in 4 females likely to be diagnosed with cancer by age 75. Females are more likely to be affected by cancer before the age of 55 due to breast, ovarian and cervical cancer.
The most common cancers in Australia are non-melanocytic skin cancers
The most frequently occurring life-threatening cancers include:
men: prostate cancer, colorectal cancer, lung cancer and melanoma (skin cancer)
women: breast cancer, colorectal cancer, lung cancer and melanoma in women.
The incidence of cancer is expected to continue to increase, largely due to an aging population.
Incidence of cancer (AIHW 08)
Mortality
Mortality rates for cancer are decreasing. (They have dropped from 212 persons per 100000 population in 1984 to 181 in 2005)
This lower death rate is being offset by an aging population which has meant tht the overall number of people dying from cancer has steadily increased.
There have been significant reductions in deaths from cervical cancer due to screening procedures that enable pre cancerous cells to be treated before turning cancerous. Death rates have also fallen for breast cancer, lung cancer & colorectal cancer.
Risk Factors
Lung cancer - smoking, exposure to cancer causing chemicals, gender, age, family history
Breast cancer - age, gender, family history, high fat diet, obesity, late first pregnancy or not having children, early onset of menstruation or late menopause
Skin cancer - prolonged sun exposure, fair skin, moles, blue eyes, fair or red hair.
colorectal - high fat diet, obesity, family history, age, gender.
Groups at risk
Lung cancer - smokers, workers exposed to carcinogenic material, people over 50.
Skin cancer - people with fair skin, red hair and blue eyes, people who work in outdoor occupations or who are exposed to sun for long periods.
Prostate cancer - Men over 50, men with a family history of prostate cancer.
Cervical cancer - women who have early first intercourse, women over 50, women who do not have regular pap smears, women who smoke.
Breast cancer - Women who have never given birth, obese women, women over 50, women with a family history, women who menstruate early, women who have late menopause.
Colorectal cancer - obese men & women, people with high fat low fibre diets, men over 50.
Cervical cancer - Women who have early first intercourse, women over 50, women who do not have regular pap smears, women who smoke.
Social determinants
Low socioeconomic status - more likely to be unemployed and have lower levels of education, more likely to adapt and maintain unhealthy behaviours, more likely to work in manual occupation where they have a higher chance of being exposed to cancer causing agents, poor access to treatment.
Age - personal mobility, poor or nil social support, comorbid conditions.
Geographic location - rural living have less access to preventative services, isolation and poor social support.
Ethnicity - some cultures more likely to smoke (vietnamese and chinese) or be obese (pacific islanders)
Indigenous - twice as likely to smoke as non atsi, multiple disadvantage - low ses, rural living, unhealthy behaviours.
Links
Cancer Council - information developed for the PDHPE Course. Up to date and covers everything.
Ottawa charter - cancer.pdf
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