Cancer
At the beginning of the month, we mentioned that there are 33 groups proclaiming October to be their “awareness” month. Among them are breast and colon cancer. While most cancers are not work related, cancer touches almost all of us. While cancer is on the decline in the U.S. according to the CDC, it has remained one of the top 2 leading causes of death for at least 75 years. Most of us know someone who currently has the disease or has had cancer in the past.
While breast cancer can be found in both men and women, it is generally more often a woman’s disease. Breastcancer.org estimates that more than 310,000 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be or has been diagnosed in 2024. There are currently more than 4 million people in the U.S. that have or have had breast cancer. To see more info, click here: https://www.breastcancer.org/facts-statistics
The Cancer Society estimates that more than 106,000 people, almost equally split between men and women, will be or have been diagnosed with colon cancer in 2024. It is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths for both genders, and the third leading cause of cancer-related death for men. While colon cancer is decreasing slightly for older adults, it is increasing for younger adults. For more on colon cancer, click here: https://www.cancer.org/cancer/types/colon-rectal-cancer/about/key-statistics.html
Some people believe that cancer, particularly breast cancer, is hereditary. And in some cases, it is. However, 85% of people who get breast cancer have no family history of the disease. About 67% of people diagnosed with colon cancer have no family history of inheriting the disease.
Can you take steps to lower your risk of getting cancer? Yes! The American Cancer Association estimated that 45% of cancer deaths were avoidable. See this link: (https://www.cancer.org/research/cancer-facts-statistics/cancer-prevention-early-detection.html). Here are a few ways you can modify your lifestyle to lower your risk.
1. If you smoke tobacco in any form, even vaping, stop now. Tobacco is a known carcinogen. Follow this link from the Cancer Society for help to stop smoking: https://www.cancer.org/cancer/risk-prevention/tobacco/guide-quitting-smoking.html
2. Being overweight increases your risk factor for cancer, heart conditions, and several other health concerns. Consider a healthier diet and increasing exercise to reduce your risks.
3. People with type 2 diabetes have an increased risk of colon cancer. The symptoms for both diseases are similar. If you have type 2 diabetes, talk with your physician about cancer risks.
4. Like being overweight, drinking alcohol increases the risk of cancer. Reducing alcohol intake increases life expectancies. The recommended amount of alcohol for men is 2 drinks per day, 1 drink per day for women.
Weekly Safety Challenge:
Take time this week to talk with your coworkers about cancer. Share your stories of who in your family or at work has been affected by the disease. Talk about what you might be doing to reduce your risk of cancer. Find out if your company has a health plan that could help you improve your lifestyle.
