Early detection of cancer

One problem often encountered in cancer therapy is a cancer that is found already in an advanced stage. Advanced cancer have a different behavior from early-stage cancer, and would complicate recovery efforts. To increase the life expectancy of cancer patients, cancer patients should be treated as early as possible. Therefore, the cancer needs to be recognized as early as possible. The earlier known, the greater the chance for cure. Because of complaints and symptoms appear until several years the cancer grows, it needs to be increased awareness of cancer and cancer test routine checks done regularly, especially for a high risk for cancer. If there is one let alone both parents, siblings, grandparents who have cancer, these individuals need to be more aware of the possibility of cancer.

Symptoms or characteristics of cancer is often not obvious in the early moments. In general, it takes a long time (several years) before the onset of complaints or symptoms of cancer. Therefore, it is more often recognized too late cancer cases due to complaints and symptoms appear until the cancer reaches an advanced stage.

Complaints and symptoms of cancer according to the organ who have it. Symptoms of uterine cancer led to complaints in connection with the functions of reproductive organs, such as menstrual disorders. Prostate cancer symptoms appear with urinary disorders. Colorectal cancer appears to complaints bowel disorders and abnormalities in the feces.

According to Wan decentralization (2008), at least ten warning signs for a tumor or cancer towards malignancy, namely:
1. In the mammary gland, skin, tongue, or other parts, palpable lump that is not lost.
2. Moles striking changes, such as color changing, rapidly grew in size, itching, hair loose or easily removed, discharge, bleed easily.
3. Disorders in the digestive process that lasts a long time or continuously, and not soon disappear.
4. Time to swallow feels there are obstacles, pain, discomfort or discomfort behind the breastbone, there was a foreign object in throat, or pain in the gut.
5. Ringing in the ears, decreased hearing, nasal congestion, nosebleeds, ripple or issued bloody sputum, headache (continuous), lump in the neck.
6. Abnormal menstrual bleeding, outside the menstrual period, or at the time of menopause arise vaginal bleeding irregularities, also bleed when touched.
7. Hoarseness, dry cough, coughing up blood ongoing or continuous.
8. Stools mixed with blood, mucus, or diarrhea (loose stools), constipation (hard bowel movements) that occur alternately without obvious cause; bloody urine (hematuria) of unknown cause (idiopathic).
9. Wounds that never healed, or healed long ago.
10.Berat loss without apparent cause.

If you experience one or more of the above symptoms, consult your doctor.

With the advancement of science and medical technology, now we do not have to wait until the complaint or symptoms of cancer. Now with the various types of laboratory tests to check blood and tumor markers (tumor marker), many cases of cancer can be recognized already in early stages.

These various tumor marker tests (tumor markers):
• CEA (carcinoembryonic antigen): For colon cancer, pancreas, lung, breast, ovary, bladder, leukemia, thyroid, bone (also elevated in pregnancy, colitis, rectal polyps, ulcers, kidney failure, lung disease , breast cysts)
• AFP (Alpha-fetoprotein): Cancer of the liver, testicles, ovaries, stomach, pancreas, colon, breast, kidney, lung (also increased in infants with neurological abnormalities, hepatitis virus, twin pregnancy, abortion)
• PSA (Prostate-specific antigen): Prostate cancer (also elevated in benign prostate enlargement, prostatitis (prostate inflammation)
• CA 19-9 (carbohydrate antigen): Cancer of the pancreas, liver, lung, stomach, large intestine (also increased in inflammation of the pancreas, gallbladder inflammation, gallstones, cirrhosis)
• CA 125: Cancer of the ovaries, cervix, pancreas, liver (also elevated in pregnancy, endometriosis, pelvic inflammation, hepatitis, menstruation, lung disease, heart inflammation, gastrointestinal disease)
• NSE: eyeball, lung, pancreas, thyroid, breast, prostate, digestive, kidney son (also elevated in liver disease)
• BRCA-1 & 2: Breast cancer and ovarian
• EBV IgA-EA: Nose and throat

The emergence of the complaints and symptoms will lead doctors to perform the examination. Starting from the physical examination to find a lump (tumor) and the investigation with the help of x-rays, ultrasound (ultrasonography), MRI (magnetic resonance imaging), CT-Scan (computerized tomography scanning), and followed by laboratory examination of blood, urine, stool, cerebrospinal fluid, and biopsies (taking tissue fragments on the suspected type of cancer and then examined the cells under a microscope).

If you experience one or more of the above symptoms, consult your doctor.

Do not let cancer claimed the lives!

The sooner we know, the greater the expectations of our lives!

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