AMC Healthcare Shines a Light on Cancer Awareness Week

In the UK, Cancer Prevention Week is a week dedicated to spreading the awareness of the devastating impact this disease has every year on hundreds and thousands of families. Cancer is diagnosed in approximately 393,000 people and claims the lives of around 167,000 individuals every year in the UK alone. That is an average of 460 people every day. This is in the UK alone.

This week is a chance to use your initiative to shed a spotlight on this pandemic, and to reach out to people who suffer or have suffered, whether themselves or a loved one. Cancer Awareness week serves as a beacon of hope in the fight against cancer. AMC Healthcare are shedding a light on this topic this week, in hopes of people coming together to ensure that cancer is acknowledged.

Understanding Cancer

Cancer is a condition where cells in a specific part of the body grow and reproduce uncontrollably. The cancerous cells can invade and destroy surrounding healthy tissue, including organs. Cancer sometimes begins in one part of the body before spreading to other areas. According to the NHS website: 1 in 2 people will develop a form of cancer during their lifetime. In the UK, the 4 most common types of cancer are:

• Breast cancer
• Lung cancer
• Prostate cancer
• Bowel cancer

There are more than 200 diverse types of cancer, and each is treated in a particular way.

Prevention

There is no way you can stop your body from developing a form of cancer, however there are some ways to prevent the likelihood of it developing.

Here are some factors, our nurses have recommended when it comes to prevention:

• Alcohol consumption: When you drink alcohol, your body breaks it down into a chemical called acetaldehyde. Acetaldehyde damages your DNA and prevents your body from repairing the damage, making it extremely difficult to fight any cancerous cells.
• Tobacco/Smoking: Poisons in cigarette smoke can weaken the body’s immune system, making it harder to kill cancer cells, which drastically increases your chances of cancerous cells becoming widespread and eventually untreatable.
• Keeping Active: Physical activity can help regulate some hormones that contribute to the development of cancer and help keep the immune system healthy.

Cancer Self-Examinations

It is important to understand the normal behaviour of your body, what it looks and feels like, so if you were to notice anything abnormal, you can consult your doctor. A lot of people talk about doing ’self-checks’ and ‘self-examinations’ on themselves at home to try and catch cancer early if it is there.

There are over 200 diverse types of cancer that can cause many different signs and symptoms of cancer. Some common cancer symptoms are easy to identify, but others can happen in your body making them difficult to see or touch.

A common self-examination people may take part in is checking their breasts and chests. Most people feel around the area with three fingers in a circular motion, to see if they can feel or see an abnormal lump. Abnormal lumps in the body are not always cancerous, there is more cases of them not being cancerous, but it is always good to make sure just in case.

If you, or a loved one is concerned about their wellbeing and suspect they may have cancer, please go, and see your doctor as soon as possible.

 

Donating to Cancer Research UK is an incredible way to support the lives struggling around the UK. You can also find out a lot more information about cancer and the diverse types on the cancer research website.

At AMC Healthcare, we are committed to providing comfort and support to all those affected by this disease, and we encourage everyone to join us in this noble cause. AMC are here to help. We offer plenty of job roles for nurses who specialise in cancer treatments and diagnosis, to help the people suffering. Discover jobs on our search section for roles linking to different specialisms.

Together, let us work towards a future where cancer is acknowledged, understood, and overcome.