5 Non-infectious Disease- Cancer

Question 1

Q: What is the concept of epidemiological transition?

Answer 1

A: phase of development witnessed by a sudden and stark increase in population growth rates brought by medical innovation in disease or sickness therapy and treatment, followed by a re-leveling of population growth from subsequent declines in fertility rates.

Decline in total mortality and a significant reduction in infectious diseases and deficiency diseases,

This increases the relative role of chronic non-communicable diseases

“Epidemiological transition” accounts for the replacement of infectious diseases by chronic (non-communicable) diseases over time due to expanded public health and sanitation

Question 2

Q: Give 4 examples of chronic non-communicable diseases.

Answer 2

A: cancers, cardiovascular and chronic respiratory disease, and diabetes

Question 3

Q: What is the rise in cases of chronic conditions due to?

Answer 3

A: ageing population i.e. people are living long enough to get these diseases.

may also be due to lifestyle factors

Question 4

Q: Health and disease patterns evolve in diverse ways due to which factors? (6)

Answer 4

A: demographic, socioeconomic, technological, cultural, environmental and biological changes.

Question 5

Q: Provide an example of the emergence of new infectious disease?

Answer 5

A: AIDS

Question 6

A: Provide 2 examples of the emergence of previously controlled infections.

Answer 6

A: Tuberculosis and Dengue Fever

Question 7

Q: Provide 3 example of transition.

Answer 7

A: – The decline in stomach cancer
– The rise and fall of lung cancer
– The shift from stroke to heart disease

Question 8

Q: What are the 2 main factors that affect changes in disease?

Answer 8

A: DEMOGRAPHY AND EPIDIOMIOLOGY

Question 9

Q: What is demographic transition?

Answer 9

A: From high birth and death rates to low birth rates and death rates

Question 10

Q: What is epidemiological transition?

Answer 10

A: Infectious diseases are replaced by degenerative and man- made diseases

Question 11

Q: In many countries, cancer is the cause of what proportion of deaths?

Answer 11

A: more than a quarter

Question 12

Q: Where is the burden of cancer shifting to?

Answer 12

A: less developed countries

Question 13

Q: What are the 3 most common causes of cancer death?

Answer 13

A: Lung , liver, and stomach cancers.

Question 14

Q: Cancer rates in migrants tend to converge towards what? Points to?

Answer 14

A: local cancer rates over time

pointing to a role for modifiable risk factors

Question 15

Q: At least a third of all cancers may be preventable through?

Answer 15

A: number of lifestyle and environmental approaches- additional burden due to infections

Question 16

Q: What is the largest preventable cause of cancer in the world?

Answer 16

A: Smoking

Question 17

Q: Age-specific cancer incidence and mortality rates have fallen for some cancers, while other cancers have become more common. What does this reflect? (4)

Answer 17

A: changes in relevant exposures, diagnosis, treatment, and screening

Question 18

Q: Cancer can take 20 years to appear. What does this mean? Give 2 examples.

Answer 18

current cancer rates are affected by changes and exposures that took place in the past.

– Rates of smoking-related cancers in women will continue to increase in most countries
– The number of cases attributable to asbestos exposure will also continue to increase

Question 19

Q: What 2 factors may become more important contributors to cancer rates than infections in some countries.

Answer 19

A: smoking and being overweight

Question 20

Q: Name 4 major carcinogens.

Answer 20

A:  Tobacco
 Alcohol
 Air pollution
 Occupational agents

Question 21

Q: What are the 3 main classifications of disease/injury?

Answer 21

A: • Communicable
• Non-communicable
• Injuries

Question 22

List preventable cancer risk factors. (7)

Answer 22

A: o Smoking (equal in both high and low-income countries)
o Alcohol
o Unsafe sex (mainly for genitalia affected cancers)
o Obesity
o Contaminated injections
o Air pollutants
o Smoke from fuel like coal

Question 23

Q: In low income, what is the most prevalent cancer mortality? Lowest incidence and why?

Answer 23

A: Cervical and breast cancer

Colorectum cancer- most likely due to high meat diets in middle and high income countries that low income countries cannot afford

Question 24

Q: In middle income, what is the most prevalent cancer? Highest mortality?

Answer 24

A: breast cancer may be most prevalent, even being greater than Lung

The mortality however, is highest for lungs, with breast having the 4th highest mortality

Question 25

Q: For high income, what are the 3 most dominant cancers in terms of incidence. Order in terms of highest mortality rate.

Answer 25

A: Breast, Colorectum and Lungs

Lung cancer has the highest mortality rate, followed by Colorectum than Breasts

Question 26

Q: In men, the most frequent cause of premature cancer deaths is from which type? Particularly where?
Where is this pattern different?

Answer 26

A: Lung cancer, particularly in developed countries

This pattern changes in West Africa, where the cancer death in men is highest for Liver cancer

Question 27

Q: For women, the most frequent cause of premature death (0-69 age) is? Where? What it is elsewhere?

Answer 27

A: Lung cancer (Europe, America, Canada and China)

Breast/cervical cancer

Question 28

Q: Why has the rate of breast cancer decreased? (2)

Answer 28

A: increased screening and reduced use of hormone therapy as it was linked to increased risk of breast cancer

Question 29

Q: Why has stomach cancer incidence decreased a lot since 1950?

Answer 29

A: proved that decrease salt use (this was used to help preserve food for longer) and the later use of refrigeration reduced the chance of food being contaminated by bacteria that could increase risk of cancer

Question 30

Q: Name 4 (infectious) agents that are related to cancer deaths.

Answer 30

A: o Hepatitis-> Liver
o H.Pylori-> Stomach
o HPV-> cervical cancer/ oral and pharyngeal
o EBV-> lymphomas