October: Cancer Awareness
There are many types of cancer, often early detection and reporting new signs and
symptoms to your medical professional helps with early intervention and can at times
improve prognosis.
A few types of cancer that will be discussed are: Thyroid Cancer, Pancreatic Cancer,
and Breast Cancer
1. Thyroid cancer
- Thyroid cancer occurs in the cells of the thyroid. The Thyroid produces hormones that
regulate your heart rate, blood pressure, body temperature and weight.
- Thyroid cancer occurs more often in women than in men.
- It is not clear what causes thyroid cancer, but as thyroid cancer grows, it may cause
these signs and symptoms:
Signs and Symptoms of Thyroid Cancer:
A lump that can be felt through the skin on your neck, changes to your voice,
including increasing hoarseness, difficulty swallowing, pain in your neck & throat,
and swollen lymph nodes in your neck.
-Factors that may increase the risk of thyroid cancer include:

Exposure to high levels of radiation. Examples of high levels of radiation include
those that come from radiation treatment to the head and neck and from fallout from
such sources as nuclear power plant accidents or weapons testing.
Tests and procedures used to diagnose thyroid cancer include:

Physical exam, Blood tests, removing a sample of thyroid tissue, imaging testscomputerized tomography (CT) scans, positron emission tomography (PET) or
ultrasound, Genetic testing. Your family history may prompt your doctor to
recommend genetic testing to look for genes that increase your risk of cancer.
2. Pancreatic Cancer:
Pancreatic cancer begins in the tissues of your pancreas. Often pancreatic cancer signs
and symptoms don’t occur until the disease is advanced
- Pancreatic Cancer typically spreads rapidly and is seldom detected in its early
stages.
-Pancreatic cancer is the leading cause of cancer death. Signs and symptoms may
not appear until pancreatic cancer is quite advanced and complete surgical removal
isn't possible
- Signs and symptoms of pancreatic cancer may include:
Upper abdominal pain that may radiate to your back, yellowing of your skin
and the whites of your eyes (jaundice),loss of appetite, weight loss,
depression, blood clots.
-Factors that may increase your risk of pancreatic cancer include:

African-American race, excess body weight, chronic inflammation of the pancreas
(pancreatitis) ,diabetes, family history of genetic syndromes that can increase cancer
risk, personal or family history of pancreatic cancer, smoking
-Diagnostic testing/procedures used to diagnose pancreatic cancer:

Imaging tests to create pictures of your internal organs. Imaging tests help
your doctor visualize your internal organs, including your pancreas. Imaging tests
ultrasound, computerized tomography (CT) scan and magnetic resonance
imaging (MRI), Using a scope to create ultrasound pictures of your
pancreas, an endoscopic ultrasound (EUS). The ultrasound device is passed
through a thin, flexible tube (endoscope) down your esophagus and into your
stomach in order to obtain the images. Your doctor may also remove a sample of
cells (biopsy) during EUS. A biopsy is a procedure to remove a small sample of
tissue from the pancreas for examination under a microscope, Endoscopic
retrograde cholangiopancreatography,(ERCP) uses a dye to highlight the bile
ducts in your pancreas. X-rays are taken of the ducts,
3. Breast Cancer:
Breast cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed in women in the United States
after skin cancer. Breast cancer can occur in both men and women, but it's far more
common in women.
Signs and symptoms of breast cancer may include:

A breast lump or thickening that feels different from the surrounding tissue, Bloody
discharge from the nipple, Change in the size or shape of a breast, Changes to the
skin over the breast, such as dimpling, Inverted nipple, Peeling, scaling or flaking of
the nipple or breast skin, redness or pitting of the skin over your breast, like the skin
of an orange.
Factors that are associated with an increased risk of breast cancer include:
Being female, increasing age, a personal history of breast cancer, family history
of breast cancer, inherited genes that increase cancer risk, radiation exposure,
obesity, beginning your period at a younger age, beginning menopause at an
older age, having your first child at an older age, having never been pregnant,
Postmenopausal hormone therapy, drinking alcohol.

Breast cancer survival rates have increased, and the number of deaths has been
declining, thanks to a number of factors such as earlier detection, new treatments
and a better understanding of the disease. Public support for breast cancer
awareness and research funding has helped improve the diagnosis and
treatment of breast cancer
It is important to follow up with your physician regularly and notify your physician with
any changes that may occur.