I. What is tumor? What is cancer?
1.What is tumor: abnormal proliferation of cells. (Non-tumor proliferation often has obvious stimulating factors, and the proliferation is limited to a certain degree and a certain time.)
2.Tumor classification.
Benign tumor, malignant tumor (often collectively called cancer).
Malignant tumors are divided into cancer (epithelial malignant tumors) and sarcoma, with cancer accounting for most of the incidence and sarcoma accounting for only 10%, but with a high degree of malignancy and poor treatment effect and greater harm.
Recently, the Journal of Cancer for Clinicians published the latest global statistics, which is the first time after 6 years, the number of new cases: 12.7 million/year, 7.6 million deaths/year. 2000 statistics are: number of new cases: 10.1 million/year, 6.2 million deaths/year. The number of malignant tumor cases in China is about 1.8 to 2 million per year.
Why do people grow cancer?
When human body is affected by internal and external carcinogenic factors, the genetic genes of cells may be damaged and changed, and these mutated genes will reproduce cells that are completely different from the previous generation in form and function, and these mutated cells will proliferate without restriction by the body. The disease is cancer.
Cancer-causing factors in human body include: oncogenes, carcinogenic substances, low immune function, etc.; anti-cancer factors include: oncogenes, immune function, substances contained in diet that can block or destroy carcinogens and substances that can inhibit or kill cancer.
What people have higher risk of cancer?
1.Age: children aged 3-6 have a high incidence of tumor, the cancer rate increases 2.7 times for every 10 years after the age of 20, and the peak of cancer is between 40 and 60 years old.
2.Gender: except for female-specific cancer, there are more males than females
3.Heredity: people who are related to cancer patients have higher cancer risk, and high cancer family phenomenon is occasionally seen in clinical practice;
4.Region: higher incidence of upper gastrointestinal cancer in the north of China, higher incidence of liver cancer in the southeast coast and south of China, and higher incidence of nasopharyngeal cancer in the two regions.
5, bad habits: the risk of lung cancer is 25 times higher for those with a smoking index of 600; more upper gastrointestinal cancer for those who drink highly alcoholic beverages
6, lifestyle habits and attitudes: the incidence of bowel cancer is higher among those who have less than one stool per day, and the incidence of cervical cancer is higher among those who are sexually promiscuous and frequent
7, obesity: intestinal cancer, endometrial cancer, breast cancer
8, precancerous lesions: oral cavity, digestive tract, vulvar-vaginal mucosal leukoplakia, chronic inflammatory atypical hyperplasia, atrophic gastritis, cervical polyps, multiple polyps in the intestine, cystic hyperplasia of the breast, etc.
9, viral infection: nasopharyngeal cancer incidence is related to EBV infection; liver cancer incidence is related to hepatitis B virus infection, cervical cancer incidence is related to herpes virus infection; gastric cancer is related to Helicobacter pylori infection.
10, chronic diseases: chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis, hepatitis B for more than 5 years have a higher risk of liver cancer, long-term non-healing ulcers
11, withdrawn, introverted, low self-esteem; divorced, widowed, family disharmony, traumatized.
IV. What parts of human body are prone to grow cancer?
Except for hair and finger (toe) nails, cancer can grow inside and outside the human body from head to toe.
The cancers that occur in male cancer-prone areas are: brain tumor, nasopharyngeal cancer, lung cancer, esophageal cancer, stomach cancer, liver cancer, intestinal cancer, leukemia and lymphoma, accounting for 92.6% of the total number of cancers in men.
The cancers occurring in the good parts of women’s cancer are: brain tumor, nasopharyngeal cancer, lung cancer, esophageal cancer, stomach cancer, liver cancer, intestinal cancer, leukemia, breast cancer, cervical cancer, which together account for 90.3% of the total number of women’s cancers. It can be seen that there are hundreds of cancers, but if we do a good job in the prevention and treatment of the above eleven types of cancers, we can control more than 90% of cancers within the scope of our prevention and treatment.
V. When does cancer occur?
Cancer is usually latent in the body for many years, but there are no symptoms in the early stage of cancer. Cancer cells proliferate geometrically, and the metastasis and symptoms of cancer are related to the number of cancer cells, but the metastasis varies from one type of cancer to another, and there are usually no symptoms in the early stage, and there can be no or very mild symptoms in the middle stage, but obvious symptoms and typical symptoms will appear only in the late stage. In order to prevent cancer, it is necessary to go to the hospital regularly for cancer prevention checkups, so that early detection and early treatment can be achieved with the best results.
Can cancer be contagious?
So far, there are no cases or evidence that cancer is contagious. It has been proved by many facts that cancer is not contagious. In real life, people may occasionally find that several people in a family have cancer, but this is not the result of contagion. This phenomenon is called cancer aggregation, or high cancer family, which is caused by two reasons: firstly, family genetic predisposition, i.e. family members have genetic defects that tend to cause cancer, such people are more sensitive to cancer-causing factors and more prone to cancer; secondly, a family lives in the same environment and enjoys the same dietary structure and consumes more of the same carcinogenic substances, such as regional selenium deficiency, food containing more nitrite, aflatoxin, etc. The second is that a family living in the same environment enjoys the same dietary structure and consumes more of the same carcinogenic substances, such as regional selenium deficiency and food containing more strong carcinogens like nitrite and aflatoxin. The incidence of cancer in such people’s homes is naturally higher.
VII. What are the cancer-causing factors in life?
1.Genetic susceptibility 2%.
2. Diet 30~35%, such as food containing nitrite, aflatoxin, high fat, high calorie, low fiber and unscientific food processing;
3, smoking 30~32%, leading to lung cancer, etc.
4.Viral infection 10%, viruses directly damage DNA of cells and change genetic genes to cause cancer, such as hepatitis B and C virus, herpes virus, EBV
5.Sex life 7%, leading to cancer of reproductive organs
6.Alcohol consumption 4%, damages the mucosa of the upper gastrointestinal tract and the liver, causing chronic inflammation and hyperplasia, leading to the corresponding cancers
7.Industrial occupational exposure 4%, carcinogenic substances used or produced in production, leading to skin cancer, lung cancer, etc.
8.Environmental pollution 2%, such as industrial exhaust waste, vehicle exhaust, home decoration, electrical pollution
9, food additives 1 %, such as flavors, saccharin, coloring, preservatives.
10, radiation 1%.
11. Other unknown factors 5%.
VIII. How much is the relationship between smoking and cancer?
A lit cigarette can emit about 6,800 chemicals, including tar, nicotine, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, etc. are strong carcinogens. Among all kinds of cancer deaths, 30% are directly related to smoking, especially the incidence of lung cancer, which is 20 times higher in smokers than in nonsmokers, and 85% of lung cancer is caused by smoking; in addition, 50-70% of pharyngeal and oral cancers are related to smoking, more than 50% of esophageal cancers are related to smoking, 30-40% of kidney and bladder cancers are related to smoking, and the incidence of stomach and cervical cancers are also Stomach cancer and cervical cancer are also related to smoking. The adverse effects of smoking are reversible. Studies have shown that cancer rates increase slightly in the first 3 years after quitting smoking, and begin to decrease in the fourth year, with cancer rates dropping to the same level as non-smokers in 15 years.
9. How to be alert and find out if I have cancer?
It is necessary to popularize the knowledge of cancer prevention and control and to raise the vigilance against cancer. There are two ways to detect cancer at an early stage: one is self-observation and examination; the other is to go to an oncologist for cancer prevention examination. Cancers that can be detected by self-examination include: skin cancer, malignant melanoma, oral cancer, tongue cancer, breast cancer, penile cancer, testicular cancer, and female vulvar cancer. Cancers that can detect clues by themselves include: nasopharyngeal cancer, laryngeal cancer, esophageal cancer, bowel cancer, cervical cancer, brain tumor, etc. Cancers such as kidney, bladder and prostate can sometimes detect suspicious clues from hematuria or difficulty in urination.
X. What is metastasis or spread of cancer? What does it mean?
Metastasis and spread of cancer are the same thing, they are two terms for the same phenomenon. They refer to the process of cancer cells crossing out of the primary lesion and continuing to grow in a new place, forming a new lesion with the same nature as the primary lesion. Cancer cells can metastasize by direct infiltration, lymphatic metastasis, hematogenous metastasis, and implantation metastasis. Cancer metastasis is the most important basis for cancer staging and prognosis in clinical practice. Cancer without metastasis is considered early stage; cancer with a small amount of near metastasis is already in the middle stage; cancer with distant metastasis is already in the late stage. Most early stage cancers can be cured with proper treatment, while mid-stage cancers can still be cured with standardized treatment, and only late stage cancers are difficult to be cured.
XI. What are the methods to check cancer?
1.Detailed inquiry of medical history, life history, bad habits and hobbies;
2.Laboratory examination: clinical tests, biochemical tests, organ function tests and tumor marker tests can provide the necessary basis for cancer diagnosis.
3.Physical examination: X-ray fluoroscopy, radiography, imaging, ultrasound, endoscopy, isotope scan, CT, MRI and other examinations can provide a clear basis for cancer diagnosis.
4.Cytological and pathological examination: fine needle aspiration or cutting biopsy for cytological or pathological examination of the suspicious lesions found can make the most authoritative and clear diagnosis of cancer or non-cancer.
12.What are the methods to treat cancer?
1.Surgery: It is the first choice for early and middle stage cancer treatment, and also has some positive effect on advanced cancer patients.
2.Radiotherapy: It is a local treatment as well as surgical treatment.
3.Chemotherapy: applying drugs that have the effect of killing or destroying cancer cells to treat cancer. Systemic chemotherapy is administered orally and intravenously, and the drugs are administered all over the body and have effects on cancer cells scattered in all parts of the body, while the toxicity of the drugs also acts on the whole body; local chemotherapy is administered by choosing a certain artery or arterial vein, so that the drugs act on the local area where the cancer is located in high concentration first, which not only improves the efficacy of the drugs but also reduces the effect of drug toxicity on the whole body.
4.Local physiotherapy: Using high temperature and ultra-low temperature to inactivate and destroy cancer cells, these treatments have immediate effect on small cancer lesions.
5.Immunotherapy: Using biological products with immune activity or mobilizing human immune function to obtain inhibition or inactivation of cancer cells to achieve the purpose of cancer treatment. It is still in the research and experimental stage.
6.Chinese herbal medicine treatment: Chinese herbal medicine has good conditioning effect on the side effects of chemotherapy and radiotherapy, which can enhance physical fitness, improve appetite and reduce the side effects of radiotherapy and chemotherapy; for patients who refuse surgery and radiotherapy and advanced cancer patients, the use of Chinese herbal medicine has certain conditioning effect.
XIII. What is the effect of current cancer treatment?
The effectiveness of cancer treatment depends on the stage of cancer and whether the treatment method is appropriate or not. In the 1930s, the cure rate of cancer was only 20%, but now the cure rate has reached more than 50%. Thirty years ago, the 5-year survival rate of esophageal cancer and gastric cancer was only 20% after treatment, but now it is more than 50%; the 5-year survival rate of breast cancer was only 45% after treatment, but now it is more than 75%; the 5-year survival rate of lung cancer was only 10% after treatment, but now it is more than 50%; the cure rate of early skin cancer, choriocarcinoma and testicular seminoma is close to or reached 100%. In short, the time when cancer was an “incurable disease” has passed. Nowadays, in situ cancer can be cured 100%; early stage cancer can be cured more than 70%; mid-stage cancer can still achieve a 5-year survival rate of 40% to 50% after treatment; but the treatment effect of advanced cancer is not yet optimistic.
Can cancer be prevented? What are the best strategies?
The American oncologist Stern said that “almost 60% to 80% of cancers are man-made”. Therefore, reducing or eliminating these human factors can prevent 60% to 80% of cancers.
The “3-3-3 principle” of malignant tumor, medical experts have concluded that
First, 1/3 of malignant tumors can be prevented by good living and working habits.
Secondly, 1/3 of malignant tumors can be cured through early detection.
Third, 1/3 of middle and late stage tumors can improve the quality of life and prolong the life span through reasonable treatment. Therefore, early detection, early diagnosis and early treatment are the key to cure. The clinical treatment of tumor adopts the policy of “prevention-oriented, combined with prevention and treatment, with emphasis on three early stages (early detection, early diagnosis and early treatment)”. According to the recent statistics of the World Health Organization, if cancer patients can be detected early, the cure rate can reach 80%.
Cancer is a lifestyle disease and there are four kinds of unhealthy lifestyles as follows.
1. unreasonable diet; 2. smoking; 3. psychological tension and stress; and 4. lack of exercise.
It is human beings themselves who cause the increase of tumor incidence through the destruction of living environment and bad living habits, therefore, the prevention of tumor is especially important: 1.
1, regular diet, meat and vegetarian, vegetarian food is the main.
2, enhance physical fitness, adhere to daily exercise.
3.Be open-minded, relaxed and indifferent to fame and fortune.
4, regularity of life.
In short, people are required to achieve the four words of “movement, stillness, moderation and discipline” in daily life. (Movers insist on exercising every day to enhance physical fitness and prevent diseases), (Quieters are open-minded, calm in dealing with things, and not angry at troubles), (Sections are reasonable and disciplined in eating), (Rulers combine work and rest and live a regular life).
Cancer patients should first establish three major concepts.
1.Recognize that cancer is not a terminal disease and there is hope for a cure.
2. Believe that the immune system in the body has the function of fighting against cancer cells.
3. Accept treatment actively and build up confidence in modern medicine.
Clinical experience shows that: psychotherapy with drug treatment will have better effect. Therefore, cancer patients and their family members should actively cooperate with doctors, create a good treatment environment together, and appropriately participate in some activities that are beneficial to physical and mental health, so that their bodies can recover health as soon as possible. As early as 2000 years ago, the Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Internal Medicine already linked the causes of diseases with psychological and social factors, reflecting the view that the mind and body should be treated together. The Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Internal Medicine states that a good healer must first heal his mind and then his body. This pioneered the mind-body medicine.
In China’s traditional medical theory, the focus on prevention of disease began early. Su Wen? The Four Qi Tuning Shen Da Lun said: “The sage does not treat the sick to treat the unwell, not to treat the chaotic to treat the unrest …… the sick has become and then treated, as if thirsty and wear well, bucket and cast cone, is not also late!” This idea was inherited and carried forward by later generations of physicians, forming the principle of “prevention before illness, prevention after illness”.
Cancer prevention diet: Chinese herbal dietary therapy
According to the condition of cancer patients, choosing suitable food can play a good role in supplementing nutrition, strengthening resistance, inhibiting bone metastasis and promoting recovery, but if the diet is improper, it will deplete the body, encourage the disease and aggravate the development of the disease, therefore, the following principles should be noted according to the person, the disease and the time.
1, the weak should choose light, digestible, nutritious food, avoid deep-fried, fried, fatty and other greasy, undigestible food.
2.People with hot constitution should choose cool food, avoid eating ginger, onion, chili, wine, smoked products and spicy and greasy food such as mutton and dog meat, etc. Patients with cancer fever should avoid raw and cold fruits, cold drinks and cold dishes, greasy, etc. to avoid hurting the spleen and stomach, and avoid wine and spicy food to avoid hurting the stomach complex.
3.Foods with leukocyte-raising effect, such as snapper, cinnamon, jujube, silver fungus, mushroom, etc., should be consumed during radiotherapy or chemotherapy, and smoking, alcohol and greasy should be avoided. After radiotherapy should avoid eating mutton, dog meat, chicken and other hot Yin-injuring foods.
4, should not eat withered yellow spotted fruits, vegetables, as well as moldy, spoiled peanuts, grain, beans, can not eat pickled and spoiled fish, meat, sauerkraut, etc., because these foods contain foreign protein, aflatoxin, etc., can aggravate the disease.
According to the theory of Chinese medicine, a reasonable diet should be based on “five grains for nourishment, five fruits for help, five animals for benefit, five dishes for filling, and the combination of odors to serve, in order to replenish essence and benefit qi.”