Catching cancer early and taking prevention steps can help patients mitigate their risk for the disease and improve their treatment outcomes.
Ko Ko Maung, M.D., an oncologist at the Riverside Middle Peninsula Cancer Center at Riverside Walter Reed Hospital, Gloucester, said some choices in life can change or alter cancer development. Simple steps like maintaining a healthy diet, exercising regularly and not smoking are great ways to help mitigate an individual’s cancer risk.
Smoking can cause a range of cancers including lung, kidney and bladder. “Almost everybody has a smoking history,” said Maung about those who develop bladder cancer.
Some cancers cannot be prevented as some individuals have genetic predispositions for certain cancers. Consistently visiting your primary care provider can help catch cancer early.
“Evidence of cancer can show up in the routine labs,” said Maung.
Cancer signs can show up in very minuscule ways, such as weight loss, fatigue and headaches.
“Sometimes the...