Today marks the 25th World Cancer Day – the awareness day originally established by the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) to bring one of the most common causes of death in our time to public attention. Many organizations and countries observe World Cancer Day, and today information events are being held in many places on the fight against and prevention of this terrible disease.
Hardly any disease is so well known or causes so much fear. As the German Cancer Aid organization writes on its website, 500,000 people in Germany are newly diagnosed with cancer every year, and four million live with the disease, while 40 percent of cancer cases could be prevented through a healthier lifestyle. And this is one of the most important messages of World Cancer Day: We are not completely helpless in the face of this disease!
There are many different types of cancer, and the disease can progress differently in each patient. The UICC's motto for World Cancer Day over the next three years is: “United by Unique”. This emphasizes that all cancer patients ultimately face the same problem, even if their stories differ.
The goal must be to help all patients with early detection through ever-improving diagnostic and medical measuring devices, and to prevent the risk factors for cancer through medical education and guidance on healthier living.
Risk factors for cancer and prevention options
According to the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), at least 37 percent of all cancer cases are attributable to avoidable risk factors. Smoking is particularly harmful, accounting for more than 19 percent of cancer cases. This is followed directly by unhealthy eating habits, overweight, and lack of exercise, each accounting for approximately six to eight percent. Environmental influences such as fine particulate matter or exhaust fumes, on the other hand, play a comparatively minor role.
On this 25th World Cancer Day, we should therefore remember that each of us can do the most to reduce our own risk of disease. Changing lifestyle habits need not be as difficult as it may initially seem. There are plenty of aids for healthier eating or more exercise, and our range also includes many products that can help.
Prevent cancer through better nutrition and buy vitamin complexes
Too many people eat an unhealthy diet, thereby increasing their risk of cancer. Many adults have had serious deficiencies in their intake of important vitamins for years. Anyone who finds it difficult to eat a vitamin-rich and healthy diet can simply buy vitamins if in doubt.
Medicalcorner24's range includes a large selection of dietary supplements that can help you compensate for deficiencies in vitamins, minerals, or anti-inflammatory fatty acids such as omega-3.
The vitamin complexes you can buy from Medicalcorner24 are available without a prescription. Nevertheless, we recommend speaking with your family doctor before taking dietary supplements regularly, to clarify which vitamins you should buy and check for possible interactions with medications you may be taking.
It is also important to rule out an excessive intake of certain minerals or vitamins. Please note that the focus is always on meeting individual vitamin and nutrient requirements, and that a proper diet is only one factor in cancer prevention, which should be complemented by an active and mobile lifestyle.
Prevent cancer through an active lifestyle, sports, and exercise
An active lifestyle involving sports and exercise has been proven to help prevent cancer and other diseases. In addition, sports and exercise therapy have also proven effective in follow-up care after cancer treatment. That is why, on the occasion of World Cancer Day, we would like to emphasize once again that you can start keeping physically fit at any age and in any situation in life.
Exercise strengthens the heart and circulatory system, helps regulate blood sugar levels, strengthens the immune system, and benefits mental health. All these factors help prevent or overcome cancer. Regular training can begin with daily walks and/or light exercises at home.
In the range of therapy products, Medicalcorner24 offers an extensive selection of sports equipment of the highest quality to make it easier to start living a healthier life. Fitness and resistance bands offer a unique way to build muscle while protecting joints and tendons – ideal if you are essentially starting from scratch. Of course, you will also find classic dumbbells and weights in the MC24 shop.
Gym balls and gym rings make flexibility and coordination training enjoyable, while cushioned exercise mats provide a gentle surface for floor exercises. The therapy supplies range also includes specialized exercise equipment such as hand trainers for improved grip strength and balance trainers for better balance.
Early cancer detection: Which examinations should you have regularly?
While doctors in the 20th century were often only able to detect many cancers at a late stage, today's most advanced diagnostic tools and medical measuring devices enable the early detection of almost all types of cancer. Ideally, so-called precancerous stages are detected in order to prevent the disease from developing.
Family doctors can perform initial checkups to assess the likelihood of or suspicion of cancer and recommend further tests. Additional early detection examinations should be performed by the relevant medical specialists – these examinations are particularly useful if you have already had cases of cancer in your family.
The following cancer screening examinations are recommended most frequently:
Detecting skin cancer: Regular skin screenings can be performed in dermatology practices, during which the entire surface of the skin is examined and every mole is checked for possible malignancy. Modern dermoscopic methods make it possible to detect melanomas and other types of skin cancer before they become acute.
Detecting breast cancer: Breast cancer, which is very common among women, can be tested for in a gynecology practice. When detected early enough, the chances of recovery are often very good. Gynecologists can also perform early detection examinations for cervical cancer, ovarian cancer, and other types of cancer that affect only women.
Detecting colorectal cancer: The gastrointestinal tract is the domain of gastroenterologists. For example, these specialists detect the early stages of colorectal cancer through colonoscopies in order to initiate timely measures against this very common form of cancer. Gastroenterology specialists can also diagnose other common types of cancer, such as stomach cancer or pancreatic cancer, through early examinations.
Detecting bladder or kidney cancer: Urologists offer early examinations to identify feared cancers of the bladder or kidneys at an early stage. These specialists also detect prostate cancer, which affects only men.
Detecting lung cancer: Not only heavy smokers, but also people exposed to hazards at their workplaces may have an increased risk of developing lung cancer. Appropriate early tests can be performed in a pulmonology practice.
Detecting cancer in the head and neck area: The larynx, esophagus, windpipe, or throat – everything related to the ears, nose, and throat is covered by ENT doctors. You should consult these specialists if you want to prevent cancers in the head and neck area.
The Medicalcorner24 online shop is well stocked with modern diagnostic tools for use in medical practices and hospitals. Diagnostic devices such as ECG machines and accessories, blood glucose meters, pulse meters, blood pressure monitors, scales, and stethoscopes enable the monitoring of all important bodily functions.
Highly magnifying and illuminated dermatoscopes can also be used to examine even the tiniest moles for skin cancer. Culture media are available for a wide range of laboratory tests. MC24 also carries essential consumables such as ultrasound gel, electrode gel, contact sprays, and lubricants, which are required for various examinations.
The importance of anatomical models, posters, and other teaching aids should not be underestimated either, as they provide an illustrative way to explain to patients where cancer can develop in the body and how possible treatments or cancer prevention measures affect the organism.
We wish you an informative World Cancer Day and the best of health – take care of your health, diet, and exercise, attend preventive checkups, and hopefully remain free from this terrible disease forever!
