Cancer is a chronic disease in which body cells grow abnormally(proliferate) and spread out of control to other parts of body.

Cancer isalso referred to as a swelling (tumour) or new growth (neoplasm). It beginsin your cells, which are the building blocks of your body.
Most cancers are named for where they start. For example, lung cancer
starts in the lung, and breast cancer starts in the breast.

However, cancer can affect any part of the body and destroy both surrounding structures and spread to any part of the body.

1. Cancer is one of the leading causes of death in the world, with approximately 14million new cases every year and yet many of these deaths could be avoided.
2. More than 70% of deaths from cancer occur in low and middle-income countries like Uganda. The number of cases is expected to rise by 70% over the next 20 years.

• Behaviours/lifestyle. These could be tobacco smoking, excessive
  alcohol taking, poor/non-regulated feeding habits.
• Exposure to chemicals (carcinogens). This can be in work places
  where the workers are not protected against exposure to harmful
  industrial chemicals and their by-products and radiation.
• Exposure to germs (viruses and bacteria.) These can cause infectionwhich might develop into cancer. E.g.: malaria which may lead toBurkitt’s lymphoma and HPV which causes cancer of the cervix

• WOMEN	MEN
  1)   CANCER OF THE CERVIX	CANCER OF THE PROSTATE
  2)   BREAST CANCER	KAPOSI SARCOMA
  3)   KAPOSI SARCOMA in HIV/AIDs)	CANCER OF LUNGS
  4)   CANCER OF ESOPHAGUS(THROAT)	CANCER OF ESOPHAGUS(THROAT)
  5)   CANCER OF THE OVARY	CANCER OF COLON (LARGE INSTESTINE)

Different cancers present differently. It is advisable to consult a health
worker for all illnesses because even what appears to be a common illnessmay be cancer.

Commonly however, cancer can present as a swelling or amass in any part of the body, unusual loss of blood from the body, bodypains or aches, body weakness, unusual fevers and weight loss.

In mostcases, presentation depends on the system or organ affected by thecancer.
For example cancer of the gullet will present with swallowing problem,
cancer of the stomach will present with heart burn, cancer of the lung will present with cough and difficulty in breathing.

The commonest generalpresentations are recurrent fevers, weight loss and fatigue. In most casesthese symptoms are recurrent and not responsive to the usual treatmentyou are used to for these symptoms.
This usually causes delay in making diagnosis since most people first treatthemselves and after failing then they see a doctor

The first step in cancer prevention is identification of risk factors and
reduce exposure to these factors through behaviour change or instituting
preventive measures;

1. Eating foods rich in fruits and vegetables and low in fats and oils
2. Increasing your level of physical activity(exercise)
3. Not smoking either active or passive smoking
4. Not drinking alcohol
5. Go for vaccination against hepatitis B and HPV (cancer of the cervix for girls and women)
6. Go for routine check up for prostate cancer in men and breast cancer in women when u visit a doctor