The last week in September is dedicated to Take A Loved One to the Doctor Day, according to the American Cancer Society. It may seem like such a small thing, but when it comes to cancer prevention, it makes a big impact. Make it your mission this September to take at least one family member or friend to the doctor, and make sure their health is on the right track. After all, the saying goes “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”
There are so many different areas of the body that cancer affects, and September is National Ovarian and Prostate Cancer month. Over 21,000 women will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer and of these cases over 14,000 are fatal. Ovarian cancer accounts for more deaths than any other cancer of the female reproductive system, and ranks fifth in cancer deaths among women. Recent studies have found that 1 in every 7 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer. Over 200,000 men are diagnosed yearly. There is a silver lining to this deadly disease. Over 2.5 million men at some point in their lives have been diagnosed with prostate cancer and have survived.
September also brings awareness to leukemia and lymphoma, cancers that affect bone marrow, blood cells, lymph nodes and other parts of the lymphatic system. Leukemia and lymphoma are closely related cancers that result from DNA changes of a single stem cell. There are several different types of leukemia, each just as dangerous as the next. Currently, there are an estimated 310,000 U.S. patients living with or in remission from leukemia, according to the American Cancer Society. The good news is that since 1960 the survival rate for leukemia has more than quadrupled.
Lymphoma usually comes in two forms: Hodgkin’s and Non-Hodgkin’s. It’s important to correctly diagnose between these two types of cancers, as the treatments and outcomes are different for each one. The difference is in the white blood cells, and a doctor can correctly assess which type of lymphoma it is by examining the cells under a microscope. 20,000 patients diagnosed will die from this disease this year, but now Hodgkin’s is said to be one of the most curable forms of cancer.
Cancer prevention really does start with you. Many people have reservations about doctors and hospitals, and it is up to you to show someone how much you care by taking the time to take them for a check-up. For many people having a loved one take them works wonders in easing fears and overcoming objections. The best way to treat any type of cancer is to take steps to prevent it before it happens, or catch it in the early stages before it becomes aggressive.
Thanks to advances in medicine and innovative new technology and treatments, such as the ones provided by University Cancer Centers, the survival rate for many of these cancers has seen vast improvement. With Houston being a leading medical metropolis, there is no reason not to take time out of your day and potentially save someone’s life.