CANCER DETECTION, SCREENING AND TREATMENT

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CANCER DETECTION, SCREENING AND TREATMENT

Cancer is a general term for a large group of diseases, whose causes, characteristics and occurrence can vary greatly. There is no completely clear-cut definition of cancer. Cancer is particularly a disease of older people. Due to population ageing, we have seen an increase in cancer incidence.

There are over 260 000 people in Finland who have had cancer at some stage in their lifetime.

More and more people are able to recover from the disease. The scope for recovery depends on many things, such as the type of cancer and the tumour distribution. Many patients who cannot make a permanent recovery are able to live long lives due to developments in cancer treatment.

Cancer Detection:

Detecting cancer is a multi-stage process. Often, the patient will go to a doctor because of some symptom or other. Sometimes cancer is discovered by chance or from screening. The final cancer diagnosis is based on a pathologist’s opinion.

Mass screening for cancer focuses on specific cancers and their systematic detection in their early stages.

In Finland, municipalities arrange pre-defined, free breast cancer screening and cervical cancer screening for their residents. Some municipalities also arranged screening for colorectal cancer during the years 2004-2014.

Mass screening for cancer aims to

  • detect the disease at the earliest stage possible
  • reduce mortality due to cancer
  • reduce the incidence of cancer (treatment in preliminary stage)

In addition to population screening, there is also screening for other cancers. Currently, however, only recommended population based screening is approved as a screening programme.

Cancer Treatment:

Cancer refers to the abnormal growth of cell tissue. Tumours are usually divided into benign and malignant. A benign tumour is localised, develops slowly and does not usually result in the patient’s death. Malignant or cancerous tumours develop more rapidly. They are not localised and are often fatal for the patient.

Cancer cells do not always form a compact tumour. Leukaemia, for example, is a cancer in the blood-forming tissue where cancer cells circulate in the body and behave to some extent like healthy cells. Eventually they displace healthy cells, preventing their normal function.

To know more about cancer visit https://www.imedpub.com/cancer-epidemiology-and-prevention/

Media Content

Roslin
Journal Coordinator

Journal of Cancer Epidemiology and Prevention