Introduction
This is a health issue. Quite a deviation from the
predominantly business topics we normally look at. Well, cancer affects
everyone - business people and non-business people, including the health
professionals. And so, if cancer is such a far-reaching issue, why not talk
about it here? This writer is not a doctor, but if cancer has knocked on your
own door, you have to sit up and discuss it. If only to help save a few souls.
First things first: what is cancer?
Well, specialists say cancer, broadly-speaking, is abnormal
growth of body cells. “Abnormal”, of course, is a wide term. However, in a
cancer patient, there are cells that grow in an anomalous manner. That way, the
irregularly-growing cells become a problem. That is as simple a way as specialists
can find to explain what cancer is to an ordinary patient or an ordinary
non-patient interested in knowing a little about the ailment. And that is how
they put it to this writer after a cancer diagnosis last year 2025.
How does one know they have cancer?
It is often difficult for anyone
to know they have cancer if no tests have been done. Even medical specialists
would rather not call an affliction cancer unless tests have been carried out. So,
one must not assume they have cancer, or have no cancer, if specific tests have
not been conducted.
Who is likely to have cancer?
Experts say anyone can have cancer, but the likelihood
increases with age. The survival rate, on the other hand, decreases with age.
So, a 20-year-old, ordinarily, is far less likely to get cancer than a 60-year
old, and talking survival chances, a patient in their 20s has more chances of
successful cancer treatment than one in their 60s, the doctors say. That is
because immunity is not as high in those of advancing age as in the youthful.
How does cancer start?
Many are aware that there are some obvious causes of cancer.
For example, smoking is well-known to be a common cause of lung cancer. Some
cancers are triggered by exposure to certain germs, and an organism called H-Pylori
is one such attacker, causing cancer in areas like the stomach. Some cancers
are known to be a result of genetic factors.
Early detection is half the battle won
Normally, cancers that
are detected early are a lot easier and cheaper to treat, the author was
informed. Many people have had long and costly cancer fights not because the
cancer was untreatable or naturally stubborn, but as a result of going to
hospital late. The implication is that delay allows the illness to grow more extensively.
That not only reduces the chances of a complete cure but also raises the cost
of treatment. Cancer at a more advanced stage costs more to treat or cope with than
cancer that is just starting, say the experts.
Early detection means one does not have to underestimate any
persistent feeling of illness. An abdominal pain that will not go away after a
day, for example, almost certainly needs the attention of health specialists. The
time of one day is not based on any scientific standard. However, in general, one
full day with abdominal pains should be too long a period for one to not be
worried about what could be happening inside their body. The “one day” period is
thus based on common sense judgment.
The abdominal pain may turn out to be a cancer in the
stomach, small or large intestine or somewhere else inside the body. The health
specialists will decide what type of tests, if any are required, are to be
done. Almost certainly, there will be tests. Some of the common physical
examinations are endoscopy, colonoscopy and laparoscopy. These procedures are
about looking inside the body and even extracting pieces of tissue for
laboratory tests. Other ways of examining
for cancer include PET and CT scans.
Cancer treatment is expensive
Cancer treatment, if it can be accessed, is expensive almost
everywhere. This is all the more reason to seek the attention of specialists
when a health problem appears relentless or unusual. So, it is earlier visit to
the hospital, earlier diagnosis, less treatment time or easier management, less
expenses, less chances of complications.
Talking about complications, one of the most feared
situations is spreading of the cancer to areas beyond where it started. For
example, doctors say some cancers could start in the stomach and, if diagnosed
early, the affected part could just be “cut out” in a relatively
straightforward surgery. They say that if there is delay in seeking
professional services, the cancer could spread (they call it metastasis) to
other areas such as the brain and the lungs, becoming a real challenge to
overcome and dampening patient survival prospects.
Since cancer can come to almost anyone, it is one reason for
everyone to make efforts to save, if they can. Alternatively, one could take
out good insurance cover with a reliable firm. Insurance is from many angles
the better avenue. Unfortunately, not everyone can afford insurance good enough
to cover cancer treatment costs, especially in poor countries and at lower
income levels. However, it is always a good idea for governments to prioritise
health issues and be as inclusive as possible.
Prospects for cancer treatment
Cancer has been
one of the biggest health challenges man has known. Happily, according to many
reliable sources, there have been great advances in the treatment and
management of cancer in recent years. Still, one must seek hospital help early
when they have a health problem.
