World Cancer Day: Empower yourself with knowledge

4 February is World Cancer Awareness Day, when the spotlight falls on the global impact of cancer in order to raise awareness of the importance of prevention and to increase understanding of cancer detection, treatment and care.

Being aware of risk factors, heeding early warning signs and making use of cancer screenings and treatments can increase your chances of successful treatment.

Risk factors you can control
Although genetic risk factors for developing cancer such as a family history of the disease cannot be controlled, you can reduce other risk factors by making healthy lifestyle choices. These include:

• Beating the smoking habit
• Maintaining a healthy weight
• Following a nutritious diet which includes a variety of fresh fruit and veggies
• Protecting your skin from the sun
• Staying physically active and exercising regularly
• Avoiding excessive alcohol intake
• Regularly checking your body for warning signs
• Going for regular check-ups.

Early detection is the key
The earlier cancer is detected, the greater the chance of successful treatment. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), early diagnosis is particularly relevant for cancers of the breast, cervix, mouth, larynx, colon, rectum and skin. The following are a few early warning signs of cancer:

• Loss of appetite. Cancer can change metabolism. In patients with stomach, pancreatic, colon and ovarian cancer, tumours can press against the stomach, making them feel too full to eat and leading to weight loss.
• A lump in the neck or elsewhere. Most cancers can be felt through the skin. These cancers occur mostly in the breasts, testicles, nymph nodes (glands) and the soft tissues of the body. A lump or thickening may be a sign of early or late cancer and should be reported to a doctor, especially if it was detected recently or has grown in size.
• Changes to your skin. Skin cancers often start as changes to the skin, such as a growth that starts to look different, a mole that changes shape or colour, or a sore that doesn’t heal. These can be new growths or precancerous lesions – changes that are not cancer, but could become cancer over time.
• Swelling in lymph nodes that doesn’t go away in a week or so – especially under the arms, which could be an indicator of breast cancer.

All Medihelp’s medical aid plans offer benefits for a full basket of preventive care screening tests, including tests to screen for cancer such as a mammogram for women over 40 and an annual prostate test (PSA level) for men. Members on all our medical aid options (except MedMove!) are also rewarded for taking care of their health with a care extender benefit, which activates additional benefits. 

Medihelp also provides support to cancer patients through its oncology programme offered in cooperation with the oncologists of the Independent Clinical Oncology Network (ICON) to provide patients with the best possible care and treatment.

Family history of cancer?
According to the American Cancer Society, about 5-10% of all cancers are inherited. Be aware of your family’s cancer history and have regular check-ups for certain types of cancer that run in your family.

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