CANCER

INTRODUCTION:
• Cancer is a complex and multifaceted disease that
affects millions of people worldwide.
• It is a group of disease characterized by
uncontrolled cell growth.
• Cancer is a leading cause of death globally, and its
impact extends far beyond the individual.
• t places a significant burden on healthcare
systems, families, and communites.
WHAT IS
CANCER?
• Cancer is a disease in which some of the body’s cells
grow uncontrollably and spread to other parts of the
body.
• Cancer can start almost anywhere in the human body,
which is made up of trillions of cells. Which where
abnormal cells divide without control and can invade
nearby tissues.
• According to WHO (World Health Organization)
cancer is the second most common cause of death in
the world.
• According to the National Cancer Institute, 2
million people were diagnosed with cancer in
2023, and about 610,000 people died from
cancer. Research shows that more than 40% of
these cases and nearly half of the deaths can be
linked to preventable causes.
HISTORY OF
CANCER
The name “cancer” first appeared around 400
BCE and we have Hippocrates to thank for it,
a physician from Ancient Greece known as
the “Father of Medicine”. According to
Hippocrates, the disease was caused by an
imbalance of the four humours: blood,
yellow bile, phlegm and black bile
Hippocrates is credited with naming "cancer"
as "karkinoma" (carcinoma) because a tumor
looked like a "crab" ("karkinoma" is Greek
for "crab") in that there is a central body to a
tumor and the tumor extension appeared as
the legs of the "crab".
In 1937, the U.S. Congress made the conquest of
cancer a national goal with a unanimous vote to pass
the National Cancer Institute Act. This Act created the
National Cancer Institute, which was expected to break
new theoretical ground by conducting its own research,
promoting research in other institutions and
coordinating cancer-related projects and activities. In
1971, President Richard M. Nixon signed the National
Cancer Act, launching a National Cancer Program
administered by the National Cancer Institute.
 MOST
COMMON
TYPES OF
CANCER
 1. Stomach Cancer (gastric
cancer)
• Stomach cancer forms when there’s a genetic
mutation (change) in the DNA of your
stomach cells. DNA is the code that tells cells
when to grow and when to die. Because of
the mutation, the cells grow rapidly and
eventually form a tumor instead of dying.
The cancer cells overtake healthy cells and
may spread to other parts of your
body(metastasize)
Skin Cancer
• Skin cancer is a disease that involves the growth of abnormal
cells in your skin tissues.
• Normally, as skin cells grow old and die, new cells form to
replace them. When this process doesn’t work as it should — like
after exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light from the sun — cells
grow more quickly.
• These cells may be noncancerous (benign), which don’t spread or
cause harm. Or they may be cancerous.
• Skin cancer can spread to nearby tissue or other areas in your
body if it’s not caught early. Fortunately, if skin cancer is
identified and treated in early stages, most are cured.
Prostate Cancer
• It develops in the prostate, a small walnut-shaped
gland located below the bladder and in front of the
rectum in men and people assigned male at birth
(AMAB). This tiny gland secretes fluid that mixes
with semen, keeping sperm healthy for conception
and pregnancy.
• Prostate cancer is a serious disease. Fortunately,
most people with prostate cancer get diagnosed
before it spreads beyond their prostate gland.
• Treatment at this stage often eliminates the cancer.
Colon Cancer
• Colon (colorectal) cancer starts in your colon (large
intestine), the long tube that helps carry digested food to
your rectum and out of your body.
• Colon cancer develops from certain polyps or growths in
the inner lining of your colon.
• Healthcare providers have screening tests that detect
precancerous polyps before they can become cancerous
tumors.
• Colon cancer that’s not detected or treated may spread to
other areas of your body. Thanks to screening tests, early
treatment and new kinds of treatment, fewer people are
dying from colon cancer.
Breast Cancer
• is one of the most common cancers that affects women
and people assigned female at birth (AFAB).
• It happens when cancerous cells in your breasts multiply
and become tumors. About 80% of breast cancer cases
are invasive, meaning a tumor may spread from your
breast to other areas of your body.
• Breast cancer typically affects women age 50 and older,
but it can also affect women and people AFAB who are
younger than 50.
• Men and people assigned male at birth (AMAB) may
also develop breast cancer.
Lung Cancer
• Is a disease caused by uncontrolled cell division in your
lungs.
• Your cells divide and make more copies of themselves as a
part of their normal function. But sometimes, they get
changes (mutations) that cause them to keep making more
of hemselves when they shouldn’t.
• Damaged cells dividing uncontrollably create masses, or
tumors, of tissue that eventually keep your organs from
working properly.
• Lung cancer is the name for cancers that start in your lungs
— usually in the airways (bronchi or bronchioles) or small
air sacs (alveoli).
Lung Cancer
• Is a disease caused by uncontrolled cell division in your
lungs.
• Your cells divide and make more copies of themselves as a
part of their normal function. But sometimes, they get
changes (mutations) that cause them to keep making more
of hemselves when they shouldn’t.
• Damaged cells dividing uncontrollably create masses, or
tumors, of tissue that eventually keep your organs from
working properly.
• Lung cancer is the name for cancers that start in your lungs
— usually in the airways (bronchi or bronchioles) or small
air sacs (alveoli).
CAUSES OF
CANCER:
Age
Advancing age is the most important risk factor for
cancer overall, and for many individual cancer types.
According to the most recent statistical data from
NCI's Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results
program, the median age of a cancer diagnosis is 66
years.
Alcohol
Drinking alcohol can increase your risk of
cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, larynx
(voice box), liver, and breast. The more you
drink, the higher your risk. The risk of cancer is
much higher for those who drink alcohol and
also use tobacco. Doctors advise people who
drink to do so in moderate amounts.
Cancer-causing substances in the
environment
Cancer is caused by changes to certain genes that
alter the way our cells function. Some of these genetic
changes occur naturally when DNA is replicated
during the process of cell division, but others are the
result of environmental exposures that damage DNA.
Chronic inflammation
Inflammation is a normal physiological response
that causes injured tissue to heal. An inflammatory
process starts when chemicals are released by the
damaged tissue. In response, white blood cells make
substances that cause cells to divide and grow to
rebuild tissue to help repair the injury. Once the wound
is healed, the inflammatory process ends. In chronic
inflammation, the inflammatory process may begin
even if there is no injury, and it does not end when it
should. Over time, chronic inflammation can cause
DNA damage and lead to cancer.
Diet
Many studies have looked at the
possibility that specific dietary components
or nutrients are associated with increases or
decreases in cancer risk.
Immunosuppression
Many people who receive organ transplants take
medications to suppress the immune system so the body
won't reject the organ. These "immunosuppressive" drugs
make the immune system less able to detect and destroy
cancer cells or fight off infections that cause cancer. Infection
with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) also weakens the
immune system and increases the risk of certain cancers
Infectious agents
Certain infectious agents, including viruses,
bacteria, and parasites, can cause cancer or increase
the risk that cancer will form. Some viruses can disrupt
signaling that normally keeps cell growth and
proliferation in check. Also, some infections weaken
the immune system, making the body less able to fight
off other cancer-causing infections. And some viruses,
bacteria, and parasites also cause chronic
inflammation, which may lead to cancer.
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)
HIV is the virus that causes acquired immunodeficiency
syndrome (AIDS). HIV does not cause cancer itself, but
infection with HIV weakens the immune system and makes
the body less able to fight off other infections that cause
cancer. People infected with HIV have increased risks of a
number of cancers, especially Kaposi sarcoma, lymphomas
(including both non-Hodgkin lymphoma and Hodgkin
disease), and cancers of the cervix, anus, lung, liver, and
throat.
Obesity
People who are obese may have an increased risk of
several types of cancer, including cancers of the breast
(in women who have been through menopause),colon,
rectum, endometrium (lining of the uterus), esophagus,
kidney, pancreas, and gallbladder.
Radiation
Radiation of certain wavelengths, called ionizing
radiation, has enough energy to damage DNA and
cause cancer. Ionizing radiation includes radon, X-
rays, gamma rays, and other forms of high-energy
radiation. Lower-energy, non-ionizing forms of
radiation, such as visible light and the energy from cell
phones and electromagnetic fields, do not damage
DNA and have not been found to cause cancer.
Sunlight
Exposure to UV radiation causes early aging of the skin
and skin damage that can lead to skin cancer. People of all
ages and skin tones should limit the amount of time they
spend in the sun, especially between mid-morning and late
afternoon, and avoid other sources of UV radiation, such as
tanning beds. It is important to keep in mind that UV
radiation is reflected by sand, water, snow, and ice and can go
through windshields and windows. Even though skin cancer
is more common among people with a light skin tone, people
of all skin tones can develop skin cancer, including those
with dark skin.
Tobacco
• Tobacco use is a leading cause of cancer and of death from
cancer. People who use tobacco products or who are
regularly around environmental tobacco smoke (also called
secondhand smoke) have an increased risk of cancer
because tobacco products and secondhand smoke have
many chemicals that damage DNA.
• There is no safe level of tobacco use. People who use any
type of tobacco product are strongly urged to quit. People
who quit smoking, regardless of their age, have substantial
gains in life expectancy compared with those who continue
to smoke. Also, quitting smoking at the time of a cancer
diagnosis reduces the risk of death.
Tobacco
• Tobacco use is a leading cause of cancer and of death from
cancer. People who use tobacco products or who are
regularly around environmental tobacco smoke (also called
secondhand smoke) have an increased risk of cancer
because tobacco products and secondhand smoke have
many chemicals that damage DNA.
• There is no safe level of tobacco use. People who use any
type of tobacco product are strongly urged to quit. People
who quit smoking, regardless of their age, have substantial
gains in life expectancy compared with those who continue
to smoke. Also, quitting smoking at the time of a cancer
diagnosis reduces the risk of death.
SYMPTOMS
OF CANCER
Some of the symptoms that cancer may cause
include:
1. Breast changes
2. Bladder changes
3. Bleeding or bruising
4. Bowel changes
5. Cough or hoarseness that does not go away
6. Eating problems
7. Fatigue that is severe and lasts
8. Fever or night sweats for no known reason
9. Mouth changes
10. Neurological problems
11. Skin changes
12. Swelling or lumps
13. Weight gain or weight loss for no known reason
• Each year, approximately 400 000 children develop
cancer. The most common cancers vary between
countries.
• Cervical cancer is the most common in 23 countries.
• Some chronic infections are risk factors for cancer;
this is a particular issue in low- and middle-income
countries. Approximately 13% of cancers diagnosed
in 2018 globally were attributed to carcinogenic
infections, including Helicobacter pylori, human
papillomavirus (HPV), hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C
virus, and Epstein-Barr virus (2).
 WHO
RESPONSE
TO CANCER
• In 2017, the World Health Assembly passed the
Resolution Cancer prevention and control in the
context of an integrated approach (WHA70.12) that
urges governments and WHO to accelerate action to
achieve the targets specified in the Global Action Plan
for the prevention and control of NCDs 2013-2020
and the 2030 UN Agenda for Sustainable
Development to reduce premature mortality from
cancer.
WHO and IARC collaborate with other UN
organizations, inlcuing the International Atomic
Energy Agency, and partners to:

● Increase political commitment for cancer prevention and control;

● Coordinate and conduct research on the causes of human cancer and the
mechanisms of carcinogenesis;
● Monitor the cancer burden (as part of the work of the Global Initiative on Cancer
Registries);
● Identify “best buys” and other cost-effective, priority strategies for cancer
prevention and control;
● Develop standards and tools to guide the planning and implementation
of interventions for prevention, early diagnosis, screening, treatment and
palliative and survivorship care for both adult and child cancers;
● Strengthen health systems at national and local levels to help them
improve access to cancer treatments;
● Set the agenda for cancer prevention and control in the 2020 WHO
Report on Cancer;
● Provide global leadership as well as technical assistance to support
governments and their partners build and sustain high-quality cervical
cancer control programmes as part of the Global Strategy to Accelerate
the Elimination of Cervical Cancer;
● Improve breast cancer control and reduce avoidable deaths from breast cancer,
focusing on health promotion, timely diagnosis and access to care in order to
accelerate coordinated implementation through the WHO Global Breast Cancer
Initiative;
● Support governments to improve survival for childhood cancer through directed
country support, regional networks and global action as part of the WHO Global
Initiative for Childhood Cancer using the CureAll approach;
● Nncrease access to essential cancer medicines, particularly through the Global
Platform for Access to Childhood Cancer Medicines; and
● Provide technical assistance for rapid, effective transfer of best practice
interventions to countries.
Stages of
cancer
● Stage 0 means there's no cancer, only abnormal cells
with the potential to become cancer. This is also called
carcinoma in situ.
● Stage I means the cancer is small and only in one
area. This is also called early-stage cancer.
● Stage II and III mean the cancer is larger and has
grown into nearby tissues or lymph nodes.
● Stage IV means the cancer has spread to other parts of
your body. It's also called advanced or metastatic cancer.
7 lifestyle tips
to reduce
your cancer
risk
Don't Use Tobacco
Maintain a healthy weight and active
lifestyle
Be mindful of what you eat and drink
Wear sunscreen
Know your family history
Up to one hour of moderate activity
daily or 30 minutes of vigorous
activity is recommended to cut your
caner risk!
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