Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Cancer has no respect for life

Cancer remains a plague throughout the world, respecting no one at any age.

It is the sixth leading cause of death in Arkansas, and one of the leading causes of death in Nevada County as well. According to the Arkansas Department of Health (ADH), there are 495 cancer deaths per 100,000 people in Arkansas. The figures for Nevada County are 469 deaths per 100,000.

Lung and prostate cancer are two of the leading types in Nevada County. There were 11 cases of prostate cancer reported in 2000, and 10 cases of lung cancer.

In looking at the cancer deaths for Nevada County in 2000, the most recent statistics available from the ADH, three died from colorectal cancer, seven from lung cancer and two from prostate cancer. A total of 13 died from other forms of the disease.

One of the biggest contributors to cancer in Nevada County is smoking. According to the ADH, 25.6 percent of Arkansans smoke. Other problems include poor dietary habits and not taking time for leisure or exercise.

A shocking stat is 35.8 percent of high school students currently smoke, while 15.8 percent in middle schools smoke. This is also coupled with poor dietary habits, as less than 20 percent eat five or more servings of fruits and vegetables daily, and 61.5 percent dont exercise regularly or vigorously.

According to data from the ADH, smoking is responsible for 87 percent of lung cancer cases in the nation, and at least 30 percent of all other cancers. In addition, about 1/3 of all cancer deaths are attributable to improper nutrition and other lifestyle factors.

Arkansas has a cancer coalition, which is a statewide network of organizations and individuals committed to improving the health of Arkansans. Locally, the Prescott-Nevada County Health Association works to educate residents about the dangers of cancers and how the disease can be somewhat avoided.

There are certain risk factors people should know about where cancer is concerned;

The risk factors for breast cancer start with age, family history, post menopausal estrogen replacement or the use of oral contraceptives, other benign breast diseases, a first pregnancy when the mother is older than 30, early menarche or late menopause, and having no children.

The signs and symptoms of breast cancer include: an abnormality on a mammogram before it can be felt; occasional pain in the breast; painless mass/lump in the breast; nipple discharge; nipple retraction or tenderness; and skin dimpling or other skin changes.

For colorectal cancer, the signs are: family/personal history, polyps or inflammatory bowel disease, physical inactivity, high fat and/or low fiber diet and inadequate intake or fruits and vegetables, along with alcohol ingestion.

Signs for colorectal cancer are: rectal bleeding; blood in the stool; and a change of bowel habits.

Lung cancers risk factors are: smoking, being in an environment with tobacco smoke, a diet lacking fruits and vegetables, working around asbestos, radon, radiation and arsenic.

The symptoms include: persistent cough; coughing or spitting blood; weight-loss or bone pain; shortness of breath; hoarseness and headaches; and swelling of the face or neck, chest, shoulder or arm pain.

Age is a primary risk factor for prostate cancer, which only affects men. Family history is another, as are dietary factors and occupations in the rubber and cadmium industry.

Sometimes there are no symptoms of prostate cancer when its in its early stages. But other late-stage indicators include: frequent or painful urination; difficulty starting urination; blood in the urine; and bone pain.

There are things people can do to help prevent or catch the disease in its early stages. The simplest is to have cancer screenings done.

For breast cancer, this should begin at age 40 with annual mammograms. Women in their 20s and 30s should have clinical breast exams every three years, while women over 40 should have this done annually. Women should also report any breast changes to their health care provider immediately.

Starting at age 50 for men and women, colorectal cancer screenings should be done. There are five testing options: an annual fecal occult blood test; flexible sigmoidoscopy every five years; a double contrast barium enema every five years; or a colonoscopy every decade.

For lung cancer the best thing is to quit smoking and avoid secondhand smoke. Eating a healthy, balanced diet, with at least five fruits and vegetables daily and monitoring indoor radon levels will help.

In are area of prostate cancer, men should begin getting tested annually at age 50, or 45 if they are African American or have a family history of the disease. Men should also have a digital rectal exam each year, along with a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test.

PSA testing will be available at the Health-A-Rama Saturday, Sept. 17, at the Potlatch Building in the Nevada County Fairgrounds.