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December 2019
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Helping Cancer Patients Prevent Infections |
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Infections are a major concern for people with cancer who are treated with chemotherapy (chemo). After chemo treatments, cancer cells as well as infection-fighting white blood cells, are destroyed. This common and serious side effect of chemotherapy is called neutropenia, which means the body has a low number of white blood cells and that makes it harder for people with cancer to fight off infections. For cancer patients, an infection can be life-threatening so it’s important to take steps to stop infections and act quickly if there are signs and symptoms.
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Handwashing often is an effective way to help prevent infections and can be critical for staying healthy during treatment. Watch out for signs of an infection such as a fever and if you are concerned, call a doctor right away. Knowing the signs of an infection and how to prevent infections is important for cancer patients, family members, friends and caregivers.
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Learning About Your Family Health History and Cancer Risk |
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During the holiday season, many of us will have family gatherings, activities, and conversations that will leave lasting memories. As you spend this time with your family, talk to relatives and learn about your family health history. Families may share certain genes, habits, and environments that can affect the risk of getting cancer. Having a family history of colorectal, breast, ovarian, and uterine cancer may put you at a higher risk for these cancers. When collecting information, find out which relatives had cancer, what kind, and when they were diagnosed.
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Knowing your family’s history of cancer helps you understand your personal cancer risk and helps you and your doctor decide what screening tests you may need, when to start, and how often to be tested.
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Understanding Flu Risk and Cancer |
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Winter will arrive soon and although seasonal influenza (flu) usually starts in the fall, it peaks during the winter. Flu can lead to serious health problems for anyone, but people with cancer or a history of cancer are more likely to have serious complications if they get sick with the flu. The best way for cancer patients and survivors to protect against the flu is to get a flu shot. It’s also important for family members and caregivers of cancer patients and survivors to get a flu shot to prevent flu from spreading. People with flu can spread it to others up to about six feet away through coughing, sneezing, or talking. Everyone 6 months of age and older can help lower the risk of spreading the flu by getting a flu shot.
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Reducing Excessive Alcohol Use Reduces Your Cancer Risk |
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Good choices related to alcohol can help lower the risk of certain cancers. Drinking alcohol can increase your risk for cancers of the liver, female breast, colon, rectum, mouth, pharynx (throat), larynx (voice box), and esophagus. If you choose to drink, dietary guidelines recommend moderate alcohol useꟷup to one drink a day for women and up to two drinks a day for men. The more alcohol you drink, the higher your cancer risk. Excessive alcohol use includes binge drinking (four drinks or more for women and five drinks or more for men on a single occasion) and heavy drinking (eight drinks or more per week for women and 15 drinks or more per week for men). Any alcohol use by pregnant women or individuals under the minimum legal drinking age (21 years old) is also considered excessive alcohol use.
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Drinking less alcohol can help lower your risk of cancer. Learn more about the guidelines for alcohol use and strategies to help reduce excessive alcohol use.
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Healthy Tips to Lower Your Cancer Risk |
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Each month this year, CDC has shared many ways to reduce the risk of cancer and help people stay healthy after cancer. In closing out one year and preparing to start another, here are some tips to remind you of healthy choices that can help prevent cancer. Keeping a healthy weight can improve your overall health and help you lower your risk for up to 13 types of cancer. Regular physical activity and a balanced diet with fruits and vegetables can help you maintain or get to a healthy weight. Protecting your skin by wearing sunscreen throughout the year helps prevent skin cancer.
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Quitting smoking reduces your risk of cancer that can develop almost anywhere in the body. Reaching out for support to quit and starting with small goals can improve your chances of quitting for good. In addition to healthy lifestyle choices, getting recommended cancer screenings regularly so that if cancer is found, it is in an early stage and can lead to better treatment options and outcomes.
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Research Spotlight |
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CDC Colorectal Cancer Control Program Collection includes six articles describing the evaluation of CDC’s 2009-2015 Colorectal Cancer Control Program including timely colorectal cancer screening, outcomes from screening, state-level screening rates, and the cost of delivering the program.
Potentially Excess Deaths from the Five Leading Causes of Death in Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Counties – United States, 2010–2017 reports on preventable deaths from the five leading causes of death and shows that rural counties had higher percentages of preventable deaths from cancer and other leading causes of death than urban counties. Assessment of Cancer Screening: A Primer, a new free book explains in simple language and with straightforward examples, why and how the population-level cancer burden changes when screening is implemented, and how to assess whether that change is beneficial. The book provides an in-depth look at many aspects of cancer screening assessment, including performance measures, population-level outcomes, research designs, and other important and timely topics. (PDF is available for free download) |
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Did You Know?
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Division of Cancer Prevention and Control
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