In a nutshell, cancer has no cure-all or magic bullet. There are still many unanswered questions. We—not just oncologists and cancer researchers—everyone and the society, have a lot of challenges on the road ahead, despite remarkable progresses in cancer breakthroughs and medical technologies.
Starting off 2022, I’d like to emphasize a couple of challenging areas where we all can contribute to saving lives.
Cancer landscape is changing. Cancer cases in age are getting young (such as colon cancer), rare or malignant cancers show upticks (such as pancreatic cancer). Cancer itself is a disease of changing; the changes taking place inside the body dynamically. Our human practices are connected to our health outcomes.
One of the key attentions in fighting cancer is the influence of one’s daily habits or culture and the environment (both physical and social). So, can we all relate to this? Based on multiple cancer risk factors in our daily life that I previously described, how about starting with just one unhealthy behavior to change for this New Year’s Resolution and doing it consistently? As for environment in our home, workplace and community, get rid of as many cancer-causing substances or toxins as you possibly can.
Then look at a bigger picture: climate change can significantly impact public health, specifically one area is through affecting food security, which involves our dietary behavior. A smart approach is to increase consumption of plant-based foods—that in turn, not only to reduce the human impact on the environment but also to reduce the incidents of chronic diseases from cardiovascular conditions to cancers.
Furthermore, let’s provide more support for cancer patients. Recent studies in breast cancer survivors revealed that social environment contributes to a huge difference in an individual’s prognosis. This is because social environment can alter basic physiological processes that may modulate cancer growth, and social isolation enables this physical setting to promote cancer.
One current twist is the challenge of COVID pandemic. Many people skipped early screening or testing, and healthcare systems were overwhelmed by care for severely sick patients with COVID. Fundamentally, the concern is that delayed detection or diagnosis will lead to promoting cancer growth, bringing about a poor projection in years or a decade later, as cancer is not formed overnight. With advanced medicine and technology nowadays, the earlier you detect a cancer or precancerous cells, the sooner you can get effective treatment, and the better outcome or prognosis you will achieve.
So, if you have reservation to a hospital visit or preventive screen, you can always take advantage of virtual appointment/visit or available home-testing kit. Those genetically vulnerable individuals need to take more stringent risk-reducing measures.
One immediate action is HPV vaccination. Why?
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Human papilloma virus (HPV) is a family of more than 150 related viruses. According to CDC, “HPV is so common that nearly all sexually active men and women get the virus at some point of their lives.” To help you understand more, I’m highlighting some new research updates:
- HPV does not just cause female cancers, though being responsible for 99% of cervical cancer and 65% of vaginal cancer. Evidence shows HPV to be the cause of estimated 90% anal cancer, ~60% penile cancer, and 50% or higher of mouth and throat cancers.
- Although sexual transmission is a well-known route to get infected by HPV, the route of HPV transmission is beyond penetrative sex, can occur through skin-to-mucosa or skin-to-skin contact.
- Routine screening test may not detect all types of HPV viruses. HPV can also survive well outside its host, thereby potentially being transmitted through non-sexual modes. For instance, the high-risk type HPV16 is highly resistant to disinfection.
Therefore, HPV vaccination is crucial; it’s safe and effective, with proven efficacy in preventing cervical cancer. Youths and young adults should follow the recommended guidelines to get vaccinated, and parents should support and protect the children.
Last but not the least, believe the power and facts/evidence of science, go to your trusted doctors for advice. Disregard those spreading vaccine disinformation that continue the reckless indifference to both science and human lives.
At the end –
Each new day is a gift and/or opportunity, and each new year opens a new chapter.
We can do more and add more, don’t let your desire for life and for your health wane!