Cancer, which is increasingly common around us, claims the lives of millions of people in our country every year.
On the road to fighting cancer, there is sadness,but more hope.
While, not all cancers can be cured, some cancers have made great progress in treatment and have even reached a cure.
Uncle Deng checked the latest research data so far, and among all cancer types, there are five types of cancer that have a chance of cure of more than 90%, and if you meet them, you are lucky.
Prostate cancer
5-year survival rate (US): 99%
Most prostate tumors, which grow slowly or not at all, are generally not life-threatening.
Many men with these tumors can still live for many years unharmed, and the cancer is usually not the direct cause of their death.
On the other hand, once the cancer begins to spread (metastasize), it is very difficult to treat, and some of the cancer cells can metastasize to other parts of the body at a rapid rate.
In this case, the 5-year survival rate after diagnosis is only 29%. But thankfully, most prostate cancers are detected before they spread.
There are usually two ways to check for prostate cancer:
- rectal finger examination: The doctor will insert a gloved finger into the rectum to examine the prostate.
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- Prostate specific antigen (PSA): tested by drawing blood.
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PSA levels are usually high in the blood of patients with prostate cancer, but because the causes of elevated PSA levels are not limited to prostate cancer, there is controversy about PSA screening for prostate cancer, and it is important to follow your doctor’s advice about whether to perform this test.
In addition, symptoms such as difficulty urinating or hematuria, which may be a sign of prostate cancer or other prostate disease, should be seen promptly.
Thyroid cancer
5-year survival rate (US): 98 %
The thyroid, a butterfly-shaped gland in the neck, secretes hormones needed to control energy expenditure such as heartbeat.
Thyroid cancer tends to be papillary and slow-growing. Even if the tumor is large or has begun to spread to other nearby tissues, it can usually be treated or completely cured by removing the gland. After surgery, patients can take medicine to replace the hormones produced by the thyroid.
Thyroid cancer can now be diagnosed earlier, increasing the chances of a cure.
But there is a type called “undifferentiated thyroid cancer,” which has a 5-year survival rate of only 7 percent and is very rare.
Today, there is still no specific screening for thyroid cancer. Most people find out they have a tumor only when they notice a lump or swelling in their neck, and sometimes doctors may accidentally find a problem with the thyroid when they have an ultrasound for another reason.
So, it is important to see your doctor if you have a lump in your neck that is accompanied by other symptoms such as difficulty breathing and swallowing.
Testicular cancer
5-year survival rate (US): 95.1%
In the early stages (when the tumor has not spread elsewhere), doctors can cure this cancer by surgically removing the tumor from the testicle. Often, if a patient has one testicle removed, the other testicle produces enough hormones to maintain a normal sex life and produce sperm.
For advanced cancers, surgery combined with radiation or chemotherapy is often more effective, and sometimes stem cell transplantation may also be effective. Many doctors believe that the chemotherapy drug cisplatin (cisplatin) has significantly improved survival rates for patients with advanced testicular cancer.
There are excellent treatments for testicular cancer even in its advanced stages, and the 5-year survival rate for this type of cancer is 73%, which is considered quite high for advanced cancers.
There is no appropriate screening for testicular cancer. If you feel a lump in your testicle, or if one becomes larger than the other, you should see your doctor promptly. This may be an early sign of a tumor.
Melanoma
5-year survival rate (US): 95.1%
In the early stages, patients can usually detect melanoma with the naked eye. Before it spreads, doctors can surgically remove it and cure it.
If not caught early, melanoma is more likely to spread to other parts of the body than other skin cancers. Once it spreads beyond the surface of the skin, it will be very difficult to treat. The 5-year survival rate for patients with metastatic melanoma is only 15-20% after diagnosis.
Does screening work? The answer is yes.You need to look for large, dark, strangely shaped or raised spots on the skin, with a particular focus on the back, scalp, scrotum, and toes.
These areas are generally less likely to form melanoma, so if any changes occur, consult your doctor immediately, who will determine if they are abnormal. People at high risk with a personal history or family history of the disease need to visit their dermatologist for regular screening.
Early breast cancer
5-year survival rate (US): 99% to 100%
Modern medicine has made great strides in treating breast cancer.
Doctors know more about how to diagnose and treat breast cancer than ever before, and people’s knowledge has also increased. For example, we now know that there are many types of breast cancer, not just one, and that different treatments will be used for different types.
Breast cancer is easier to treat before it has spread, compared to after it has spread, and certain types of breast cancer are relatively easy to treat. For example, “estrogen receptor-positive” breast cancer goes into remission with drugs that lower estrogen levels, but “triple-negative” breast cancer is more stubborn, and some targeted treatments may not work.
Studies have found that regular mammograms can help prolong survival, but the frequency of screening should be based on your doctor’s recommendations. Some doctors believe that the general population can be screened every other year starting at age 50, except for those at high risk.
The American Cancer Society recommends that women have annual mammograms starting at age 45, while women between the ages of 40 and 44 can choose whether to have annual mammograms if they wish.