CANCER
The purpose of this site is
to explore skin and breast cancers, which are two of the more common cancers
occurring in college-aged people.
Cancer Facts
- A group of diseases involving abnormal cell
growth
- Cell growth is uncontrolled and without order
- Can affect any organ, tissue or cell
- The accumulation of cells creates a tumor, which
can be benign or malignant
- Benign tumors are not cancer and can usually be
easily removed. They are not
life-threatening.
- Malignant tumors are cancers, which grow out of
control and can travel to other areas of the body, and result in further
damage and cancerous growths.
- The spread of cancer to other areas is known as
metastasis.
- The American
Cancer Society tracks the statistics of all cancers.
- Does not discriminate by age, race, gender or
any other category. It can happen
to YOU.
Skin
Cancer
FACTS:
- Most common of all cancers
- Approximately 500,000 (½ million) new cases each
year
- 9200 people die from skin cancer each year
- Classifications:
- Basal Cell – Skin cancer common to Caucasians,
appears as a small fleshy bump or nodule on the head, neck or hands. It does not spread quickly. Untreated, the cancer will begin to
bleed, crust over, then repeat the cycle
- Squamous Cell – Typically found on the rim of
the ear, face, lips, mouth and other sun exposed areas of the body
- Malignant Melanoma – Most virulent of all skin
cancers. May appear as mixed
shades of tan, brown, and black moles also on sun-exposed areas of the
body.
- Prognosis varies depending on how early the
cancer is found
The
As with all cancers, they
can develop even if you take all the precautions, however your chances can be
reduced with some simple daily activities.
|
Can I Keep it from
Happening to Me? (Prevention) |
It’s time to make an
Appointment (Symptoms) |
|
|
Ø
Crust or scaly
lesion that may occasionally bleed Ø
Unusual
changes in moles, freckles, sores, or discoloration of skin Ø
Open sore that
bleeds for weeks |
Skin Cancer Treatment:
- Electrodesiccation – Scraping and heating to remove the tumor
- Cryosurgery – Destroying the tumor by freezing
- Radiation - Irradiating the cancerous tissue
- Surgery – Removal of the cancerous tissue
Breast Cancers
FACTS
- Occurs in approximately 1 in 8 women, but much
less common in men
- Second leading cause of death in black women
- You are at greater risk if you:
- Have
a close relative, such as a mother, sister, maternal aunt, or maternal
grandmother with breast cancer
- You
have never breast-fed a baby or you had your first child after age 30
- You
started your menstrual period very early or you went through menopause
very late
- First symptom for about 80% of women is a lump
in the breast, usually found themselves during a self breast exam
- Lumps are usually painless and may be difficult
to feel at first
- Skin over lump may be dimpled or creased. May have a bloody discharge from the
nipple or nipple may start to turn inward
- For information on breast self-exams visit:
ASK YOURSELF: (adapted
from American Cancer Society)
- Are you over age 50?
- Do you have a personal or family history of
breast cancer (especially mother, sister, or daughter)?
- Did you have your first child after age 30 (or
have no children)?
- Did you have chest radiation as a child or young
woman as treatment for another cancer?
- Did you begin menstruating before age 12, or go
through menopause after age 50?
- Have you been on hormone replacement therapy for
more than 5 years?
- Do you drink one or more alcoholic beverages a
day?
- Are you physically inactive?
Treatment
Options
A treatment plan will be
devised by the physician depending on physician preference, recommended
treatments, client issues and may include any or all of these options.
Breast Cancer Treatment: Based on factors such as age, family
history, size of tumor, and how much cancer has spread
- Surgery: Most
common treatment for breast cancer
q Lumpectomy:
Removal of tumor and tissue around it
q Partial Mastectomy:
Removal of tumor, some normal breast tissue, and lining over the chest muscles
below the tumor
q Total Mastectomy:
Removal of entire breast
q Radical Mastectomy:
Removal of breast, lymph nodes under the arm, and lining over the chest
muscles
o
Chemotherapy – Use of combination of drugs taken by mouth or
injection to kill cancer cells
o Radiation - Use of high energy x-rays to damage cancer cells and stop
them from growing
o Alternative/
Complementary Practices – Seek doctor’s approval before
starting or seeking alternative measures in treating the disease.
Other resources available to you:
American Cancer Society Breast Cancer Resource Center
The National
Cancer Institute
CancerNet-Credible, current,
and comprehensive cancer information from the National Cancer Institute
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
BreastCancerInfo.com from
the Komen Foundation
This website is the result
of a Health Promotion Nursing Center Volunteer Activity created by NUR 211
students Alice Carr, Dave Eckman, Lorissa Lai, Luke Mikolajczyk, Millicent
Udeaja, Chris Witowski, and Tamika Whitaker.