Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, April 17 -- Do you get cancer by drinking alcohol, staying up late, and eating barbecues? Can cancer be inherited? Is the tumor marker elevated because of cancer... From April 15 to 21, during the 28th National Cancer Prevention and Control Publicity Week, the "Core Science Knowledge of Cancer Prevention and Treatment in China (2022)" released by the Science Popularization Committee of the Chinese Anti-Cancer Association can help us understand the knowledge related to cancer prevention and treatment, and listen to what the experts say.
"China's Core Science Knowledge of Cancer Prevention and Treatment (2022)" pointed out that maintaining a healthy lifestyle, including maintaining a healthy weight, active exercise and healthy diet, regular work and rest, etc., it is expected that more than 40% of cancer can be prevented.
Zhao Jun, deputy director of the Chest Cancer Center of Peking University Cancer Hospital, said that a healthy lifestyle cannot avoid the occurrence of all cancers, but there have been a large number of studies to confirm that any change to a healthy lifestyle will reduce cancer risk to a certain extent.
Zhao Jun introduced that cancer is related to heredity, but cancer is not directly inherited. People with a family history of cancer don't necessarily get cancer, and susceptible people and members of families with high cancer are not susceptible to any cancer, but they are more likely to get cancer than others.
Liang Jun, vice president of Peking University International Hospital and director of the Cancer Center, said that cancer itself is not contagious, but some carcinogenic microorganisms are contagious.
"China's Core Science Knowledge of Cancer Prevention and Treatment (2022)" pointed out that infectious pathogens play an important role in the formation of tumors, and 16.1% of tumors in the world are related to pathogenic pathogens. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has identified 11 infectious pathogens that can cause cancer in humans, including Helicobacter pylori, 7 viruses such as human papillomavirus and hepatitis B virus, and 3 parasites such as Schistosomiasis Egypt. Every source of infection causes at least one or even several cancers.
Liang Jun introduced that the occurrence and development of many cancers are related to diet. A healthy diet helps with cancer prevention, but a single food does not have a cancer prevention effect.
"China's Core Science Knowledge of Cancer Prevention and Treatment (2022)" pointed out that although garlic, pepper, sweet potatoes, etc. contain anti-cancer ingredients, within the range of normal food intake, it is far from achieving anti-cancer effect, and we cannot expect to eat only one kind of food to play a role in preventing cancer. Current research evidence suggests that adequate daily intake of whole grains, fiber, vegetables and fruits helps prevent cancer and helps maintain weight and prevent overweight and obesity. Whole grains, foods containing dietary fiber have a certain effect on preventing colorectal cancer, and eating non-starchy vegetables and fruits can help prevent cancers of the digestive system.
Tian Yantao, chairman of the Science Popularization Professional Committee of the Chinese Anti-Cancer Association and director of the Pancreatic and Gastric Surgery Ward of the Cancer Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, introduced that psychological factors are closely related to the occurrence of cancer, and studies have shown that 34%-44% of cancer patients have obvious psychological stress responses or psychological disorders, and about 18% of cancer patients can diagnose severe depression at the same time.
Tian Yantao suggested that in daily life, pay attention to psychological regulation, learn to control bad emotions, improve the ability to cope with negative events, live and work positively and optimistically, and reduce the incidence of cancer caused by psychological factors.
Tian Yantao said that for ordinary people, when they see a single tumor marker elevated in the physical examination report, do not panic excessively, and should go to the cancer hospital for re-examination. If no abnormalities are found after a comprehensive examination, then only regular review is needed, and if the follow-up finding indicators continue to rise, a professional doctor should be consulted as soon as possible. In addition, for patients with clearly diagnosed malignant tumors, if tumor markers rise after surgery, it is necessary to be vigilant against tumor recurrence and metastasis, and seek medical treatment in time.
Chen Xiaobing, deputy secretary-general of the Science Popularization Professional Committee of the Chinese Anti-Cancer Association and deputy director of the Department of Internal Medicine of Henan Cancer Hospital, introduced that in theory, in addition to malignant tumors of the blood system, most solid tumors can be treated surgically, and surgical treatment is still one of the most effective and common methods for treating tumors. Chemotherapy clinically kills tumor cells through chemical drugs and controls the condition of tumor patients. Radiation therapy for tumors is a topical treatment of tumors using radiation. About 70% of cancer patients need radiation therapy in the process of treating cancer, and about 40% of cancer can be cured with radiation therapy. The role and status of radiation therapy in tumor treatment are becoming increasingly prominent, and it has become one of the main means of treating malignant tumors.
According to experts, some diseases can be treated in a separate way, and some diseases require comprehensive treatment, which should be comprehensively analyzed according to specific diseases and patients.
Chen Xiaobing introduced that PET-CT has important value in locating the primary tumor foci, tumor staging, differentiation of recurrence and metastasis, tumor prognosis evaluation and treatment plan guidance. However, the proportion of malignant tumors screened for in healthy people by PET-CT is very low, and the radiation is strong and the cost is higher, so it is not recommended as a routine physical examination.
Xu Quan, deputy secretary-general of the Science Popularization Professional Committee of the Chinese Anti-Cancer Association and deputy chief physician of the Pancreatic and Gastric Surgery Department of the Cancer Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, said that although most cancers cannot be completely cured, through active treatment, more and more patients can achieve long-term survival. The World Health Organization has defined tumors as a chronic disease, that is, cancer can be like chronic diseases such as hypertension and diabetes, through treatment and long-term "peaceful coexistence" with the body, cancer began to enter the era of chronic disease management.
"China's Core Science Knowledge of Cancer Prevention and Treatment (2022)" points out that improving the quality of life of cancer patients, allowing patients to return to society, and living and working like healthy people as much as possible is the ultimate goal of cancer patient rehabilitation.
Reporters: Li Bin, Wang Junlu, Xia Ke, Lin Miaomiao
Drawing: Zhang Yiqiao (Intern)
Video: Xu Zhanyan (Internship)
Academic support: Science Popularization Committee of China Anti-Cancer Association, Cancer Humanities Collaboration Group of China Cancer Foundation