Cancer Awareness: September

September is my favorite cancer awareness month, because it highlights a cause very dear to my own heart: ovarian cancer. That being said, it is also the busiest cancer awareness month, with 9 types of cancers being showcased. These cancers are, in total: ovarian cancer, childhood cancers, overall gynecologic cancers, Hodgkin’s lymphoma, leukemia, lymphoma, multiple myeloma, thyroid cancer, and prostate cancer.

Ovarian cancer is cancer of the ovary. It is represented by the teal cancer ribbon. Unfortunately, as most symptoms can be explained by other (non-cancerous) conditions, ovarian cancer is not typically diagnosed until a later stage, usually when it has already spread. Symptoms include: bloating, pelvic pain, difficulty eating, and frequent urination. While the cause of ovarian cancer is still unknown, there are some risk factors: older women who have never given birth, those with a first or second degree relative with ovarian cancer, those with the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutations, infertility, endometriosis, and using post-menopause estrogen replacement therapy. More than half of the women diagnosed are over 55. About 22,000 women are diagnosed each year, and about 14,000 women die each year from ovarian cancer.

Gynecologic Cancers include the following cancers: uterine and endometrial cancers (peach ribbon), ovarian cancer (teal ribbon – see above), and cervical cancer (teal and white ribbon – also highlighted in January.)  Since ovarian and cervical cancers are highlighted on their own, I will focus on uterine and endometrial cancers, here. Uterine cancer is cancer of the uterus, and also includes endometrial cancer. Symptoms include unusual or post-menopausal bleeding, pelvic pain or pressure, or an unusual discharge. It is hard to diagnose, as a pap smear will generally only show cervical cancer and not uterine cancer.  About 45,000 new cases are diagnosed each year, with the majority being endometrial. About 8,000 women die from these cancers yearly.

Childhood cancer is a very broad term to include any cancers that primarily strike kids. These can include: leukemia, brain and nervous system tumors, neuroblastoma, Wilms tumor, lymphoma, rabdomyosarcoma, retinoblastoma, bone cancer, and more. These cancers are represented by the gold cancer ribbon. You will see a couple of these cancer types shown on their own in this, and other months.

 

Hodgkin’s lymphoma is a type of lymphoma originating from white blood cells called lymphocytes. This type of cancer is represented by the violet cancer ribbon. It was named after Thomas Hodgkin, who first described abnormalities in the lymph system. Symptoms include enlargement of lymph nodes, itchy skin, night sweats, unexplained weight loss, back pain, red colored patches on the skin, and more. In seems to strike men more than women. It also seem to strike more-so in ages 15-40 and over 55. Other risks include: a family history, infectious mononucleosis, Epstein-Barr virus, a weakened immune system (including infection with HIV or presence of AIDS), prolonged use of human growth hormone, and exposure to exotoxins (such as Agent Orange.) About 9000 new cases will be diagnosed each year, and about 1100 people will die each year from this cancer.

Leukemia is a cancer of the bone or bone marrow. It involves an abnormal increase of immature white blood cells. It is a broad term to cover a spectrum of different types of disease. It is represented by the orange cancer ribbon. About 250,000 new cases are diagnosed each year, and about 209,000 people die from it each year. About 90% of the cases are adults. Some symptoms include bruising easily, bleeding excessively, lowered immune system, mouth sores, diarrhea, anemia, and more. There are some known causes, but because there are more than one type of leukemia, the same cause for one may not apply to another. Some causes include: ionizing radiation, viruses (such as the human T-lymphotropic virus or other retroviruses), chemical (such as benzene or chemotherapy from a previous malignancy), family history, and more.

Lymphoma is a blood cancer that occurs when immune system white blood cells divide faster than normal cells or live longer than they should.  It can develop in the lymph nodes, spleen, bone marrow, blood, or other organs. Lymphoma in general is a broad term to include a number of diseases. (Hodgkin’s lymphoma, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, lymphoma of the skin, and more.) It is represented by the lime green cancer ribbon. Some symptoms include swelling of lymph nodes, fever, night sweats, weight loss, loss of appetite, fatigue, itching, and more.

Multiple myeloma is a cancer of the plasma cells, a type of white blood cell. These plasma cells accumulate in the bone marrow. It is represented by the burgundy cancer ribbon. Some symptoms include: bone pain, anemia, renal failure, infection, and neurological symptoms. About 22,000 new cases are diagnosed in the US each year, and about 10,000 people die each year. It is the 2nd most prevalent blood cancer (after non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma). It affects men more than women, and has a higher rate amond African Americans and Native Pacific Islanders.  Family history can play into risk factors, as well.

Thyroid cancer is a cancer of the thyroid. It is represented by the multicolored teal,  pink, and blue cancer ribbon.  Symptoms include: a nodule in the thyroid region of the neck, enlarged lymph nodes, pain in the neck, and changes in voice. About 60,000 new cases are found in the US each year, and about 1800 people die each year. About 2/3 of the cases are found in those younger than 55, which is the reverse of a lot of other cancers that are typically found later in life. It is, however, one of the most survivable types of cancers with one of the lowest death rates.

Prostate cancer is a form of cancer that develops in the prostate. It is represented by the light blue cancer ribbon. Some symptoms (usually not found in early stages) include: frequent urination, increased night urination, difficult started urination, blood in the urine, or painful urination. Risk factors include: family history, age, and obesity. It is not very common under aged 45. There are about 230,000 new cases in the US each year, and about 30,000 people die each year.

 

As always, know your bodies!