Cancer: A Word-Not a Sentence

The C word - spoken with reverence, or not spoken of at all - is something many people fear. The truth is that, if caught quickly - typically, in the early stages - the disease can often be dealt with efficiently. This is not to say it doesn't have its drawbacks - cancer is a scary word, despite the success rate that is soaring, due to advances in medical science and better monitoring.

The typical reaction to being told one has cancer, is a dignified silence and a total disbelief of the facts; only later - perhaps an hour, or a day, or a week later - does the significance of a diagnosis start to sink in - and then, people will react differently. Some maintain a dignified acceptance of the illness and place faith in their doctors and oncology specialists, while others fall apart, shun society, or become angry and inconsolable as they bear the unbearable.

It can be a killer; many people succumb to the illness, never recover; or they wilt slowly, as the cancer takes control, or spreads. For some, it's a time of waiting to die; for others, it's a slow, painful process, that no-one would ever wish on anyone. Death, to many in this scenario, is a blessing, not only to the cancer sufferer, but those near and dear, who may have watched the decline of a loved one.

The secret to beating cancer is to catch it early, or take measures to thwart it, before it takes hold. Diet and lifestyle are a key to this prevention, with nutritionists advising healthy eating, with such things as fruit, vegetables, omega 3 acids and doctors advising a non-smoking regime, coupled with regular exercise.

Recognising symptoms is an important part in fighting the disease; blood in the toilet, or being coughed up, are signs that things are not right inside the body. It's important to have these signs checked out at the earliest possible opportunity, although in the majority of cases, tests may show nothing as serious as cancer. For example, blood in urine can be a result of a urinary infection; but in all cases, it should be checked out; tests may include biopsies (small pieces of tissue) being taken, for lab analysis.

Lumps in tissue should also be checked out with a doctor; regular self-testing is advised, in order to detect changes in the body; unless one is certain a lump isn't a problem - many women find they get 'lumpy' breasts during menstruation, for example - then it should be examined by a doctor. Men also should check for lumps in their private areas - it's important to self-examine, particularly as a man ages - prostate and testicular problems increase with age, especially once past the 40 mark.

Cancer will never be eradicated; it's a disease, primarily of the older person, but no-one is 'immune'; it's thought that 1 in 3 of the population will experience some form of cancer during their lives. However, with proper care, a proper lifestyle, and regular monitoring, there s no reason why anyone should not be in with a fighting chance against this awful disease.

Article Source: http://www.content.onlypunjab.com

Eric Hartwell oversees the worlds best home page a user-led resource - you can read, digest and contribute your opinions on any subject.

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