Lesson #13 Flashcards
What can cancer statistics be used for?
- Describe health status of population
- Evaluate a test, treatment, therapeutic trial look for and identify causal factors
- assess the quality and control of certain practices
- assess and establish the health care economic system
- illustrate the probability of healing, remission, or recurrence
What are the different variable to consider with individual situations in regards to statistics?
- type of cancer
- location of cancer
- stage of cancer
- response to treatment
- important not to draw inferences
What are the different stages of cancer and what do they mean?
0 - no cancer, only abnormal cells with the potential to become cancer
1 - cancer is small in one area
2/3 - means cancer is larger and has grown into nearby tissues or lymph
4- means the cancer has spread to other parts of you body
- patients with the same disease stage tend to have similar treatments
According to WHO what is the leading cause of death?
cancer - 9.6 million deaths
What information was found in regards to cancer resources?
- 70% of deaths from cancer occur in low-middle income countries
- 25% of those are caused by hepatitis and HPV
- late stage diagnosis and inacessible diagnosis and treatment are common in those communities
- only 1 in 5 low-middle income countries have the necessary data to drive cancer policy.
What are the 6 major modifiable factors that the WHO report reinforces the relationship between cancer behavior and dietary risks
- high BMI
- low fruit and vegetable intake
- alcohol use
- tobacco use (most important risk factor for cancer)
- lack of P.A
according to statistics canada in 2019 what % of people will develop and die of cancer?
1/2 will develop cancer
1/4 will die of cancer
What are the leading causes of cancer death?
- lung
- breast
- Colorectal
- prostate
What is the leading cause of cancer?
lung cancer
Since 1988, death rates from cancer has made progress, how much in each gender?
35% in men, 20% in women
What cancers have the higest survival rates?
thyroid and testicular
how does biological sex, age and region affect cancer diagnosis?
sex:
- men: more likely to be diagnosed
- women: more likely to survive
age:
- 90% of cancer diagnosis occur in those >50yrs
- in 2016, cancer was leading cause of death in <15yrs
region:
- higher in the east of canada
What are the newly emerging pattern in CCS in 2019?
- blood related have biggest increase in survival
- pancreatic is 3 leading cause of death
- breast cancer death rates decreased 48% since 1986
- lung, incidence and death rates is now decreasing
What is the situation in quebec?
- cancer is leading cause of death
- numbers keep increasing because of increasing population
- most diagnosed: prostate in men, breast in women
- leading in death: lung
- mortality rate has decreased since 1988 - increase in 5 year survival from 55% to 63%
what elements can help prevent cancer?
- healthy diet
- lifestyle behaviours and physical activity
- healthy weight
- be aware of warning signs and screening policies for asymptomatic ind
- awareness of environmental carcinogens
Name lifestyle risk factors
- smoking
- alcohol intake (recommended only 1F, 2M)
- diet high in red/processed meat increases risk of colorectal cancer -> fruits/vegetables may be protective
- physical activity: lowers the risk (low intensity endurance activities)
- sedentary lifestyle increases risk of cancer
- last three need additional research
What diet changes can you make to decrease odds of cancer?
- reduce saturated fat, especially red meat
- increase to at least 5 servings of fruits and veg
- establishing daily caloric intake that helps maintain body weight
What vitamins has scientific research in relation to cancer?
on-going research?
Vit D - may lower risk of some types of cancer
ongoing - selenium - helps agaisnt oxidative damage and infection
What carcinogens have been identified?
asbestos
arsenic
radon
What is known about vaccines?
the HPV vaccines helps to protect against cervical caner
What is melanoma?
type of cancer that develops from the pigment-containing cells (melanocytes) - typically occurs in the skin, but may rarely occur in the mouth, intestines, or eyes
What are the risk of people in 1980s of developing sking cancer vs. 1960?
2-3 times more
What is the comprehensive approach to skin cancer prevention?
- wear SPF30
- seek shade, especially between 10-4
- dont get sunburn
- avoid tanning
- cover up with clothing, hat, sunglasses
- examine your skin and seek dermatologist if needed
What can be used to early detection and diagnosis?
The CAUTION acronym?
- changes in bowel or bladder habit
- a sore that doesnt heal
- unusual bleeding or bloody discharge
- thickening or lump in breast or elsewhere
- indigestion or difficulty swallowing
- obvious change in wart or mole
- nagging cough or hoarseness
What types of tests are used for diagnosing cancer?
Imaging:
- Xrays
- CT scan (combination of many xrays)
- MRI (use magnetic fields, gradients, and radio waves)
- ultrasounds (use high frequency sound wave)
Biopsy:
- removal of small piece of tissue, analyzed under microscope to see characteristics
Blood tests:
- Can use tumor markers such as prostate specific antigen (PSA test) - it is made by the cancer cell
DNA analysis:
- can be used to identity gene mutations associated with cancer
- can use sputum for lung cancer, urine for bladder, feces for colon
Routine tests:
- self-exams (breast, skin, testical)
- primarily implemented in high-income countries
What do screening guidelines for asymptomatic patients vary on?
- depend on individuals age
- personal risk level
What are screening guidelines for asymptomatic patients for prostate
- PSA or digital rectal exams
- limitations for testing may outweigh benefits of screening of men at average risk of developping
- recommend talking to doctor about benefits and limitations
What are screening guidelines for asymptomatic patients for cervical cancer?
- paptest every 1-3 years as of 21 years (for those sexually active)
- those with higher risk, tested more often
What are screening guidelines for asymptomatic patients for colorectal cancer
- stool tests (every 2 years for those 50-74)
- follow up of positive test with colonoscopy (not recommended for those who don’t have a high risk of cancer
What are screening guidelines for asymptomatic patients for breast cancer?
- wtv age, know what is normal
- mammography - low energy x-rays is the most reliable method of finding breast cancer
What are the different types of cancer treatments?
Surgery:
- when tumor is accessible and easily removes without damage. When removed early with carcinoma in situ, complete cure is possible.
Radiation therapy:
- if tumor metastasized (spread)
Chemotherapy:
- used when cancer has spread. Reach all parts of the body and affects rapidly dividing cells
- different drugs can target different targets
- several drugs combined usually
how does radiation affect cells?
- damages DNA ells
- other cells can be damaged (ie: reproductive cells, epithelia, cells lining stomach, cells giving rise to blood and hair
What are side effects of radiation?
- sterility temporary
- hair loss
- nauseau
- anemia
What is a stem cell transplant?
- replaces stem cells when bone marrow have been damaged or destroyed by the disease or through radiation or chemotherapy
- stem cells develop into different cells
- can be allogeneic (removed from donor) or autologous (one’s own stem cells are harvested)
What is the goal of immunotherapy?
to boost the immune system (Cytotoxic T cells) so that it becomes more effective at destroying cancer cells
What are the different types of immunotherapy?
- immune checkpoint inhibitors
- T- cell transfer therapy
- monoclonal antibodies
- treatment vaccines
- immune system modulators
Describe immune checkpoint inhibitors?
Check points keep immune response from being too strong. inhibitors allows cells to respond to cancer more strongly
Describe T-cell transfer therapy
- immune cells are taken from tumor and changed in the lab
- selected cells are grown in large batches
- cells are put back into body
Describe monoclonal antibodies?
- immune system proteins created in the lab
- designed to bind to specific targets on cancer cells
- some mark cancer cells so that they will be better sen and destroyed by immune system
Describe how vaccines can work vs. cancer?
- can help by boosting immune system
What are immune system modulators?
- enhances the body’s immune response agaisnt cancer
What are side effects that can occur with immunotherapy?
- when immune system is extremely activated
What are the focus for improving immunotherapy?
- finding solutions for resistance
- finding ways to predict responses to immunotherapy
- learning more about how cancer cells evade or suppress immune responses against them
- how to reduce the side effects of treatment from immunotherapy
Name another focus of treatmnets?
inhibition of blood vessel formation, which brings nourishment and provides a pathway for cancer cell migration
- > aims at starving the cancer cells
- > often used in combination with chemotherapy
What is gene therapy? Car-T and clinical trials
you know
