Cancer - General

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General Cancer

Cancer Prevention Overview (PDQ®)

"The summaries in the cancer prevention section of PDQ address the prevention of specific types of cancer. Prevention is defined as the reduction of cancer mortality via reduction in the incidence of cancer. This can be accomplished by avoiding a carcinogen or altering its metabolism; pursuing lifestyle or dietary practices that modify cancer-causing factors or genetic predispositions; and/or medical intervention (chemoprevention) to successfully reverse preneoplastic changes. Much of the promise for cancer prevention comes from observational epidemiologic studies that show associations between modifiable lifestyle factors or environmental exposures and specific cancers. … The most consistent finding, over decades of research is the strong association between tobacco use and cancers of many sites. Hundreds of epidemiologic studies have confirmed this association. Further support comes from the fact that lung cancer death rates in the United States have mirrored smoking patterns with increases in smoking followed by dramatic increases in lung cancer death rates, and more recently decreases in smoking followed by decreases in lung cancer death rates in men. Infections may also be associated with cancer development. Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is a necessary event for subsequent cervix cancer, and vaccine-conferred immunity results in a marked decrease in precancerous lesions. … Additional examples of modifiable cancer risk factors include alcohol consumption (associated with increased risk of oral, esophageal, breast, and other cancers), physical inactivity (associated with increased risk of colon, breast, and possibly other cancers), and obesity (associated with colon, breast, endometrial, and possibly other cancers). Observational evidence shows associations between alcohol consumption, physical inactivity, and obesity and increased incidence of certain cancers."

Highlighted Articles

Vitamin D and prevention of breast cancer: Pooled analysis. (J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol. 2007)

"CONCLUSIONS: Intake of 2000IU/day of Vitamin D(3), and, when possible, very moderate exposure to sunlight, could raise serum 25(OH)D to 52ng/ml, a level associated with reduction by 50% in incidence of breast cancer, according to observational studies."

Sun Exposure and Prostate Cancer Risk: Evidence for a Protective Effect of Early-Life Exposure (Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention 2007)

"These findings suggest that, in addition to sun exposure in adulthood, sun exposure in early life protects against prostate cancer."

Highlighted Internet Site

NCI - General Cancer Prevention Information (includes specific cancers)

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Cancer - General

Diagnosis, Imaging, and Screening

NEWS:

Do PET Scans Help Cancer Patients Live Longer? "PET scans are usually more accurate than other imaging technologies such as computerized tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans. They can detect changes in the body’s biochemistry that distinguish cancerous cells from normal tissue."

Study finds measurable cancer risk from CT angiography scans "As the number of cardiovascular CT angiography scans continues to grow, researchers are attempting to gauge the potential effects of radiation exposure during the procedure. Although extensive epidemiologic studies are not yet available, new research suggests a measurable risk."

Symptoms Found for Early Check on Ovary Cancer "The symptoms to watch out for are bloating, pelvic or abdominal pain, difficulty eating or feeling full quickly and feeling a frequent or urgent need to urinate. A woman who has any of those problems nearly every day for more than two or three weeks is advised to see a gynecologist, especially if the symptoms are new and quite different from her usual state of health. Doctors say they hope that the recommendations will make patients and doctors aware of early symptoms, lead to earlier diagnosis and, perhaps, save lives, or at least prolong survival. But it is too soon to tell whether the new measures will work or whether they will lead to a flood of diagnostic tests or even unnecessary operations. Cancer experts say it is worth trying a more aggressive approach to finding ovarian cancer early. The disease is among the deadlier types of cancer, because most cases are diagnosed late, after the cancer has begun to spread. … She emphasized that relatively new and persistent problems were the most important ones. So, the transient bloating that often accompanies menstrual periods would not qualify, nor would a lifelong history of indigestion. Dr. Goff also acknowledged that the urinary problems on the list were classic symptoms of bladder infections, which is common in women. But it still makes sense to consult a doctor, she said, because bladder infections should be treated. Urinary trouble that persists despite treatment is a particular cause for concern, she said. With ovarian cancer, even a few months’ delay in making the diagnosis may make a difference in survival, because the tumors can grow and spread quickly through the abdomen to the intestines, liver, diaphragm and other organs, Dr. Goff said."

ARTICLES:

JOURNAL ARTICLES:

A favorable view: progress in cancer prevention and screening. (Recent Results Cancer Res. 2007)

Can PET/CT Replace Separate Diagnostic CT for Cancer Imaging? Optimizing CT Protocols for Imaging Cancers of the Chest and Abdomen. (J Nucl Med. 2007)

Cancer screening in the United States, 2007: a review of current guidelines, practices, and prospects. (CA Cancer J Clin. 2007)

Errors in Cancer Diagnosis: Current Understanding and Future Directions (Journal of Clinical Oncology 2007)

Monitoring Cancer Treatment with PET/CT: Does It Make a Difference? ( Nucl Med. 2007) "PET with the glucose analog (18)F-FDG is increasingly being used to monitor the effectiveness of therapy in patients with malignant lymphomas and a variety of solid tumors. The use of integrated PET/CT instead of stand-alone PET for treatment monitoring poses some methodologic challenges for the quantitative analysis of PET scans but also provides the opportunity to integrate morphologic information and functional information."

Screening for Cancer with PET and PET/CT: Potential and Limitations. (J Nucl Med. 2007)

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