Cancer is the unrestrained increase in aberrant body cells. These anomalous cells divide faster than normal cells and form tumors that proliferate throughout the body. These uncharacteristic cells do not die easily. Different body organs or tissues can develop cancer.
This leads to numerous types of cancers depending on the part of the body where they form (The New York Times, 2012). Examples of cancers are breast cancer, colon cancer, lung cancer, among many others. This article gives an overview of what the public ought to know about the cancers.
Indicators of cancers depend on the location of the malignant cells. For example, constipation and passing watery or blood-stained stool may be witnessed in colon cancer. On the other hand, coughing, chest pain, and difficulties in breathing may accompany cancer of the lungs.
However, the general symptoms of all cancers include loss of weight, exhaustion, depression, and appetite loss. These symptoms may not always mean that an individual has cancer. However, it is vital that a person with such symptoms must undergo a thorough medical examination.
This report identifies high risk dynamics of cancers. Such dynamics include poisons in the environment, viruses, genetics, obesity, exposure to radiations, and alcoholism. Dietary alterations may also put certain people at risk of cancers.
This report attributes the high incidences of stomach cancer in Japan to the Japanese diet. This article cites the leading cancers in women and men in the United States. It shows that cancer of the breast leads among the women whereas prostate cancer is common among men.
This report also gives some pieces of advice on precautions to take against cancers, among which are diagnosis of cancers, and available treatment options.
This article covers descriptive epidemiology adequately. It gives essential information on cancers such as causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment. However, it does not give information on measures of disease frequency.
It does not give prevalence and incidence rates of cancer (actual numbers involved). Bonita, Beaglehole, Kdjellstrom, and World Health Organization argue that such information (prevalence and incidence) is useful in the progress “of epidemics of non communicable diseases” (2006).
References
Bonita, R., Beaglehole, R., Kdjellstrom, T. & World Health Organization (2006). Basic epidemiology. India: World Health Organization.
The New York Times (2012). Cancer. Web.