The word cancer is something that nobody wants to hear, but the reality is that in recent years has become a real problem for public health, estimated that about 2020 250.000 be diagnosed new cases in Spain.
In addition, there are more than 100 types in total, although the most common in men are prostate, lung and colon, and in women breast, colon and uterus.
The importance of a healthy life
The likelihood of a cancer are many factors that can not be controlled, such as genetic or chance. However, it is in our hands have healthy lifestyle habits that will reduce the risk of autism. Primary prevention plays a fundamental role.
Explained from the Oncology Service, composed by Dr. Ricardo Yaya, Carlos Fernandez Martos and Andrés Poveda Velasco Hospital HLA San Carlos.Such as studies confirm, there are practices that increase the likelihood of cancer, are such as snuff, exposure to solar radiation or alcohol intake.
According to professionals San Carlos OfficeAlso it is vital in our food routine. Leading a healthy lifestyle and a balanced diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables, canned meat avoiding or limiting red meat consumption, coupled with increased physical activity, it helps prevent some cancers such as colon cancer.
The medical team also does not forget vaccinations such as hepatitis B or human papillomavirus, since they will be fundamental in reducing the incidence of primary liver and cervical tumors, respectively.
«Es indispensable que la población general participe en los programas de cribado de diferentes tipos de cáncer, ya que han demostrado su eficacia en la disminución de su prevalencia y mortalidad», Advise physicians of HLA Hospital de Dénia, and specify that «se recomienda la realización de una mamografía bianual en mujeres entre los 50 y los 69 años para el diagnóstico precoz del cáncer de mama. Del mismo modo, se recomienda la práctica de un sencillo test de sangre oculta en heces bianual entre los 50 y los 74 años, o bien una colonoscopia cada 10 años, para la prevención del cáncer colorrectal. Las citologías anuales o bianuales del cérvix uterino se recomiendan a todas las mujeres entre los 25 y los 60 años de edad».
What are the most effective treatments?
«En cuanto al tratamiento, la cirugía sigue siendo, en la mayor parte de los casos el arma fundamental para la curación de un buen número de tumores. Sin embargo, el papel de la radioterapia y la quimioterapia es de gran importancia a la hora de disminuir las tasas de recaída de aquellos tumores que, habiendo sido extirpados con éxito, presentan factores de alto riesgo de recaída. Del mismo modo, la quimioterapia tiene un papel principal en el tratamiento de aquellos tumores que por su extensión local o su diseminación a distancia no permiten una intervención quirúrgica curativa» Oncologists comment HLA San Carlos.
In recent years, treatments have improved greatly because of the large number of scientific and technological advances in this field. For example, immunotherapy and the development of 'targeted therapies' expectations have successfully increased survival of patients diagnosed with tumors not susceptible curative surgical treatment. «Estas terapias dirigidas, mediante pruebas moleculares practicadas en sangre del paciente o sobre muestra tumoral, permiten seleccionar un grupo de pacientes que serán altamente sensibles a ese tratamiento evitando las toxicidades propias del mismo a los pacientes que no vayan a beneficiarse de ellas˝clarify the facultative.
In any case, the treatment of cancer requires a multidisciplinary team to address the case of each tumor from a global perspective integrating all treatment options that can offer different specialties.
Unit of Medical Oncology Hospital HLA San Carlos, composed of specialists with extensive experience in various fields of oncology, offers a comprehensive and personalized care for each patient, assessing the different possible options to each case and offering solutions for every clinical situation . These different solutions range from the use of antitumor drugs of last generation, to the coordinated monitoring each case different as surgery or radiotherapy.
