Don’t be afraid of the unknown. Step into the Colon Cancer Free Zone.

1. Don’t be afraid of the unknown.Step into the Colon Cancer Free Zone. • Understanding Cancer Causes and Prevention • Presented by theAmerican Cancer Society

2. Common Cancers • Colon Cancer • Lung Cancer • Breast Cancer • Cervical cancer • Prostate Cancer • Skin Cancer

3. Estimated 2006 Cancer Cases & Deaths • Estimated Cancer Cases • Estimated Cancer Deaths

4. Basic Facts About Colon Cancer • Removing polyps early may prevent them from becoming cancer • 2nd leading cause of cancer deaths. • 3rd most common cancer in men and women • Early colon cancer usually has no symptoms. • Signs & symptoms typically occur only in advanced colon cancer. • One of the most preventable cancers!

5. Colon Cancer Screening Guidelines • The American Cancer Society recommends every man and woman 50 years and older begin testing for colon cancer. • Yearly Fecal Occult Blood Test (FOBT) or Fecal Immunochemical Test (FIT) • Flexible Sigmoidoscopy every 5 years • Yearly FOBT/FIT plus Flexible Sigmoidoscopy every 5 years preferred over either test alone • Double Contrast Barium Enema every 5 years • Colonoscopy every 10 years • The best test is the one you get! • Talk with your healthcare provider.

6. Basic Facts About Breast Cancer • Women have a 1 in 7 chance of getting invasive breast cancer. • The chance of dying from breast cancer is about 1 in 33. • Breast cancer death rates are going down. This decline is probably the result of early detection and improved treatment. • Most frequently diagnosed cancer in women.

7. Breast Cancer Screening Guidelines • Earliest sign of breast cancer is usually an abnormality detected on a mammogram before it can be felt by the woman or health care professional. 40 and Older • Yearly mammogram • Yearly clinical breast exam • 20’s and 30’s • Clinical breast exam every three years • Any age • Report any breast changes such as lump to a doctor right away • If at increased risk, talk with a doctor about starting screening earlier or having more frequent exams

8. Basic Facts About Lung Cancer • Accounts for 29% of all cancer deaths. • Takes many years to develop and can not be seen on X-ray in early stages. • Often metastasizes before it is found. • People who don’t smoke but who breathe the smoke of others have a higher risk of lung cancer. • Non-smoking spouses of smokers have a 30% greater risk of developing lung cancer than do spouses of nonsmokers. • Tobacco smoke causes more than 8 out of 10 cases and 1 in 5 deaths from lung cancer

9. Lung Cancer Screening • Lung Cancer screening is currently not advised even for people at higher risk, such as those who smoke. • National 10-year study (launched in 2002) looking at whether a new x-ray method called spiral CT scanning can reduce lung cancer deaths. • Smoking is the most preventable cause of death in the U.S.

10. Basic Facts About Cervical Cancer • When found and treated early, cervical cancer often can be cured. • Symptoms usually do not appear until abnormal cervical cells become cancerous. • Vaccines against HPV have been developed and shown to be effective. • New cases and deaths from cervical cancer have gone down in the past several years due to screening. • The primary cause of cervical cancer is infection with human papillomavirus (HPV).

11. Cervical Cancer Screening Guidelines • Screening should begin 3 years after a woman becomes sexually active, but no later than 21 years of age. • The American Cancer Society recommends screening with the regular Pap test every year or the liquid-based Pap test every 2 years. • Nearly all cases of cervical cancer can be prevented if a women is screened regularly.

12. Basic Facts About Prostate Cancer • Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of death in men, second only to lung cancer. • While 1 man in 6 will get prostate cancer during his lifetime, only 1 man in 33 will die of this disease. • 65% of prostate cancer cases are diagnosed in men 65 and older. • African American men are at higher risk. • Prostate cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer in men.

13. Prostate Cancer Screening Guidelines • Beginning at age 50, men should be offered the Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) blood test and a digital rectal examination (DRE) every year. • African American men are at increased risk for prostate cancer and should be tested beginning at age 45. • Men with a father, brother, or son with prostate cancer before age 65 should be tested. • The 5-year survival rate for men diagnosed at a local or regional stage approaches 100%.

14. Basic Facts About Skin Cancer Melanoma • Accounts for about 4% of skin cancer cases, but causes about 79% of skin cancer deaths. • The number of new cases of melanoma in the U.S. is on the rise. • Non-melanoma (basal cell or squamous cell) • Most common type of skin cancer – more than 1 million cases a year • Most curable • People do not often die of these cancers. About 1,000 to 2,000 people die of non-melanoma skin cancer per year in the U.S. • Men get these cancers about twice as often as women. • Two main types of skin cancer are melanoma & non-melanoma

15. Skin Cancer Early Detection • The best detection is to recognize changes in skin growths or appearance of new growths. • Melanoma ABCD rule • Asymmetry • Border irregularity • Color variability • Diameter > 6 mm • (E for enlargement of evolution?) • Non-melanoma • Nonhealing, changing, growing sore or bump

16. Cancer Risk Factors • . • Risk factors that can’tbe changed • Family or personal history of cancer • Age • Gender • Race • Genetics

17. Cancer Risk Factors • . • Risk factors that can be changed • Use of cigarette & other tobacco products • Diet (Obesity) • Physical inactivity • Alcohol use • Sun exposure

18. Reduce Your Risk Choices for good health • Follow testing guidelines • Know your family history • Eat a healthy well balanced diet • Get regular exercise • Don’t smoke or use other tobacco products • Avoid excessive alcohol consumption • Use the slip, slap, slop method for skin protection

19. Reduce Your Risk • Tobacco accounts for about 1/3 of all fatal cancer cases. • More than 60 cancer causing agents found in tobacco • If a person stops smoking before lung cancer develops, the lung tissue slowly returns to normal. • Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), tobacco cessation telephone counseling & other counseling services have been shown to be very effective in helping someone quit. • One important thing an employer can do is ban tobacco use in the workplace

20. Reduce Your Risk About 1/3 of fatal cancer cases could be prevented by better nutrition and physical activity • Adults should get moderate to vigorous activity for a minimum of 30 to 45 minutes, 5 or more days a week • Shown to reduce risk of breast and colon cancer • Children and adolescents should get 60 minutes a day of moderate to vigorous physical activity at least 5 days a week

21. Reduce Your Risk Choices for good health • Eat 5 or more servings of fruits and vegetables a day • Choose whole grain foods • Limit your intake of red meat • Maintain a healthy weight • Balance caloric intake with physical activity • Lose weight if currently overweight or obese • If you drink alcoholic beverages, limit consumption

22. Reduce Your Risk • Cancer of the skin is the most common of all cancers. It accounts for about half of all cancers. • Slip on a shirt • Slap on a hat • Slop on sunscreen • Look for shade in the in the middle of the day • Wrap on sunglasses

23. Information American Cancer Society • 1-800-ACS-2345 • National Cancer Information Center • 24 hours a day, 7 days a week • Comprehensive information about cancer and resources in your area • www.cancer.org • Comprehensive cancer information

24. American Cancer Society Our Mission • The American Cancer Society is the nationwide, community- based voluntary health organization dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by preventing cancer, saving lives, and diminishing suffering from cancer, through research, education, advocacy, and service.