The big “C” is arguably the most dreaded of all diseases, with its general reputation as a fast killer. While other serious illnesses are also horrible, including Alzheimer’s dementia, the devastating nature of almost all forms of cancer understandably instills extreme fear in all of us.
The estimated new cases of all varieties of cancer for 2014 among all ages are: For all sites – 855,220 (men) and 810,320 (women), a total of 1.665,540 for both. Specific sites: colon and rectum, 71,830 (men), 65,000 (women); lungs and bronchus, 116,000 (men), 108,210 (women); breast, 232,670, and prostate, 233,000.
Expected deaths among those cases above: For all sites, 310,010 (men) and 275,710 (women), a total of 585,720. For colon and rectum, 26,270 (men), 24,040 (women); lungs and bronchus, 86,930 (men), 72,330 (women); breast, 40,000; and prostate, 29,480.
These projections are extrapolations from the mortality data of the United States National Center for Health Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, from 1995 to 2010, according to the American Cancer Society Surveillance Research, 201.
Not inevitable
While there are causes of cancer which are beyond our control, like “proneness” or predisposition due genetic defects in us, long-term build-up of undetectable minute quantities of residual harmful agents in the water and foods we consume, and chemical/ionic environmental hazards we are exposed too daily, there are behaviors and habits we can use to lessen our risk of developing cancer. The same strategy is also beneficial in protecting our DNA from further damages and strengthening our immune system to minimize our susceptibility to other very common diseases, like high blood pressure, diabetes, heart attack, stroke, Alzheimer’s, etc.
We must not surrender
I often hear people say, “all of us will die of something,” or “if it is our time to go, there’s nothing we can do,” or, “we cannot change our fate or destiny.”
As I have pointed out in my book, Let’s Stop “Killing” Our Children, our fate is, to a significant extent, in our hands, within our control, especially when it comes to our health. Sometimes, we do what we know is unhealthy and then rationalize to have an excuse to justify our behavior. Some smokers, for instance, even blame the right decision they finally made: “I quit smoking months ago and now I got lung cancer.”
In this case, the delay in stopping the exposure to the carcinogen (cancer-causing agent, tobacco) had allowed the lung cancer to develop and start growing prior to quitting. Had the person not quit, the cancer would have continued to grow anyway, perhaps even at a faster rate.
Immune system response differs
Each person has his/her own tolerance and threshold to self-abuse and environmental hazards, explaining why two individuals of the same age and health status could react differently to the same carcinogen. I often cite my paternal grandmother, who smoked daily and even chewed beetle nut for more than 50 years, lived to almost 90 years old, without developing any cancer. However, as shown by medical statistics, more than 30 percent of those who allow themselves to be exposed to carcinogens directly or indirectly, by commission or omission, or who fail to protect themselves with today’s known strategy that reduces the risk of growing malignant tumors, would end up developing cancer.
“Outsmart” our genes
Unfortunately, medical science still has no practical and inexpensive way of predicting who among us could tolerate smoking tobacco or eating high cholesterol and high carbohydrate foods daily, and/or being sedentary (couch potato) and not develop cancer, or high blood pressure, diabetes, heart attack, stroke, or Alzheimer’s, etc. Genetic “detective work” to find out all defective genes in us which make us prone to acquire certain diseases is cost-prohibitive and most impractical for general application. Besides, a negative discovery might not even be effective enough to scare us to abandon our unhealthy habits and behavior, and persuade us to adopt a healthier lifestyle, as some people might argue.
One reassuring medical observation is the fact that most genetic factors could be outweighed by behavioral modification and living a healthy lifestyle. This gives us power to reduce our risk for diseases, including cancer.
Exercise and diet are key
Daily exercise regimen, even as simple as walking, briskly if possible, has been shown to significantly reduce cancer risk. Regular work-out also lowers the risk for development of high blood pressure, arthritis, diabetes, heart attack, stroke and Alzheimer’s. That’s the amazing global benefit we get from exercise, a lot healthier, safer and cheaper than any pill or potion falsely and deceptively marketed “to improve health and life span.” Together with exercise, our diet, the foods we eat, the beverage we drink, directly determines the future status of our health and longevity.
Stay away from toxic substances
We are surrounded by toxic agents in our environments, including our home, where harmful chemicals (aerosols, air fresheners, lysol, chlorine, detergents, toilet cleaners, etc) abound. Tobacco and alcohol are two proven culprits in the development of cancers. While occasional use of alcohol in moderation) is considered safe, even a single stick of cigarette is deemed harmful to our body. Contrary to an older belief, the damaging effects of tobacco on our DNA is almost immediate, only seconds after the smoke is inhaled.
Anti-cancer foods
Here is a list of the food items that are helpful in our strategy in preventing cancer, which, as I stated earlier, could also bolster our body’s immune system to prevent a host of other illnesses: Beans and lentils, nuts, dark leafy vegetables, oatmeal, whole grains, apples, broccoli, garlic, onions, tomatoes (processed, like paste or ketchup) curry, cumin, cinnamon, and other spices, red grapes, milk, tea and coffee. Wheat, trans-fat, gluten, high fructose corn syrup are among the unhealthy ingredients out there we should avoid. Reading the food labels is recommended. Also, the lesser carbohydrate we consume daily (especially rice, bread, cakes, ice cream and other deserts, candies, etc), the lower our risk for diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, cancer and Alzheimer’s. Soft drinks, which I have written against, naming it “liquid candy,” are very toxic to our body, especially to children, as they lead to metabolic syndrome in the long run.
Indeed, we have the tools and the power to protect our body (the only one we’ve got, with no spare) from most diseases known to man, including cancer. In this regard, our destiny is in our hands. What we do with those gifts is up to us.
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Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, Cardiac Surgeon Emeritus in Northwest Indiana and chairman of cardiac surgery from 1997 to 2010 at Cebu Doctors University Hospital, where he holds the title of Physician Emeritus in Surgery, is based in Las Vegas, Nevada. He is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, the Philippine College of Surgeons, and the Denton A. Cooley Cardiovascular Surgical Society. He is the chairman of the Filipino United Network – USA, a 501(c)(3) humanitarian foundation in the United States. Email: [email protected]
