GO-JAMAICA.COM
Jamaica Cancer Society
October 29, 2002 Transcript

Question
What are the symptoms of cervical cancer?
Answer
Post-Coital bleeding is the main symptom of cervical cancer. Most time it does not have any symptoms.

Question
Is every lump in the breast, breast cancer?
Answer
Not every lump in the breast is cancerous. Over 90% of breast lumps are non cancerous. However, you will never know unless you have it check out.

Question
Do you have anything such as Penis Cancer?
Answer
Yes. It appears like a sore on the penis.

Question
Is it true that females who have never had children are highly likely to develop breast cancer and if so what are the numbers?
Answer
One of the risk factor for breast cancer is never having a child. However, it is not related to all cancers.

Question
What is the sign of Breast Cancer in Men?
Answer
Usually a lump in the breast.

Question
What does the Cancer Society do really?
Answer
We educate the public about cancer, we provide screen for breast, cervical and prostate and we do counselling for persons who have been affected by cancer. We also do educational display and educational talks whenever we are invited to on any of the cancers mentioned.

Question
If you had to point to one symptom or Indicator for Cancer, if there's one, what would that be? Something that when it occurs, one should say I am going to check for the presence of Cancer...
Answer
What type of cancer are you referring to?

Question
Is it correct to say that one of the end results of multiple sexual partners is cervical cancer?
Answer
Yes, there is a high risk of cervical cancer in one having multiple of partners.

Question
What is the recommended age to do a mammogram
Answer
International guidelines recommends that you do the first mammogram between age 35-39 which is call the base line and yearly after age 40.

Question
Do you have figures on the rate of breast cancer diagnosis in Jamaica and the number of people who die from breast cancer yearly?
Answer
Latest statistics out of the Jamaica Cancer Society Registry covering the period 1993-1997 approximately 43.2 per hundred thousand of the female population have been diagnose of having breast cancer. That mean 43 out of every 100,000 women will get breast cancer in her lifetime.

Question
My father died of cancer of the bone marrow...what are the possibilities I will be affected?
Answer
The possibility is very low. It is not a heredity cancer.

Question
Why is it that you only encourage women over 30 to do the mammogram?
Answer
The incidence of breast cancer is very low in women less than 50. Also women under 30 breasts are very dense and it is not easily to be penetrated by the x-ray. In younger women an ultra sound would be recommended.

Question
Can black people get cancer of the Skin? Or is this just a white man's disease?
Answer
Yes black people can get cancer of the skin, but it is not as common as the white people.

Question
Why is breast cancer so common among black people?
Answer
It is not. The incident of breast cancer is lower in black women in the African population. The death rate is high in some country because of the late diagnosis and delay treatment.

Question
I have not done a pap smear in over three years. I'm not yet 40 and I'm not sexually active do I need to?
Answer
As long as you have been sexually active you need to do a pap smear.

Question
Can people get cancer of the throat?
Answer
Yes. You can develop cancer in any part of your body.

Question
Why is it that black men are targets for prostate cancer?
Answer
No one is quite sure. The incident is quite high in black men.

Question
Does the Jamaica Cancer Society offer free testing?
Answer
Where there is legitimate reason to do so.

Question
Is there any other way of treating cancer patients without using radiation
Answer
Yes. Other methods of treating cancer patients are chemotherapy and surgery.

Question
Is penis cancer curable?
Answer
Yes. Once it is caught early.

Question
How expensive is to get test done?
Answer
At the Jamaican Cancer Society it is $2000 for a mammogram and $440 with your major health cards.

Question
What is the youngest age person recorded as having any form of cancer?
Answer
A 16 year old girl had breast cancer and had done biopsy by age 17 years old.

Question
Do you believe other than cancer being hereditary that the sun plays a big part reacting on parts of the brain to produce certain hormones?
Answer
No the sun may be important cause of skin cancer, but the sun does not affect the brain.

Question
Why is it that women who don't have children are more likely to develop Breast cancer?
Answer
It is thought that due to long un-interrupted exposure to estrogen, which is the hormone, produce by the ovaries in women. Some breast cancer is link to estrogen feed.

Question
What are the symptoms of prostate cancer?
Answer
There are no specific symptoms for prostate cancer. Prostate cancer results in the enlargement of the prostate gland, which may make the passage of urine difficult.

Question
My cousin is a heavy smoker who is also on the pill. She is constantly being warned about the dangers. After so many years are there any precautions she can take
Answer
Smoking is not good for the health and it has been associated to many cancers such as lungs, breast and colon.

Question
Is it true that antiperspirant largely contribute to breast cancer because of the process of restricting you from sweating?
Answer
No, that is not true.

Question
Does this have anything to do with the different kind of sperm being ejaculated into the vagina?
Answer
It has the increase risk of STDs and human Papilloma Virus.

Question
Are there certain types of cancer caused by genes from mixed relationships in the offspring or is that yet unknown?
Answer
Racial mix does not cause cancer, but there are some cancer in which hereditary plays a role.

Question
Is breast cancer hereditary?
Answer
To a certain extent. Although 80% have no hereditary linkage or association, if a person has a first-degree family member such as mother, father, child, aunt etc., the risk increase of one getting breast cancer.

Question
What if three family members died of cancer within 6 years?
Answer
There may be a link and it depend on the type of cancer and the organ and also the age at which it was developed.

Question
is it true that a cure was discovered?
Answer
No, we are not aware of one being developed.

Question
I am curious about cervical cancer. Could you explain causes, prevention and symptoms?
Answer
Causes - Multiple sex partners, infection with Human Papilloma Virus or nothing at all. Regular annual pap smear should be done once you become sexual active and so that abnormal changes can be detected before it becomes cancerous.

Question
is it true that Jamaican men have the most reported cases of prostate cancer in the world?
Answer
The incident is the highest in the world and a study is being conducted to determine if we actually have the highest rate in prostate cancer in the world.

Question
What other than cancer can cause lumps in your breasts?
Answer
Cyst or being non-cancerous conditions.

Question
So can we assume the number of cancer victims has not risen due to perforation of the ozone layer?
Answer
The perforation of the ozone layer can relate to higher relation of skin cancer.

Question
I just watched a video today on Ovarian Cancer. They described it as the cancer that "whispers" they say it is very hard to diagnose - I found that very disturbing.
Answer
You have a right to be disturbed because it is true. So annual physical examination is very important for regular health maintenance.

Question
I have a small lump in my testicles, could that be testicle cancer or related to testicle cancer?
Answer
Testicle cancer is rare, but a doctor should examine all abnormal lumps.

Question
Do you think people with obesity have a higher risk of having cancer develop?
Answer
Yes, research has shown that many cancers particularly such as breast and colon are very high in people who are obese. Obesity is seen as 20% over your high deal weight then you have the chance of getting cancer.

Question
Well it would seem that most type of cancers is hard to detect in the early stages??

Answer
Yes, this is largely so. That is why annual examination is required. Breast cancer is the exception. A mammogram can pick up the lump 2 years before it can be felt and also the size of pinhead. Cervical cancer can be PREVENTED with annual pap smears.

Question
Why when you do chemotherapy do you loose your hair? Is there another way to get your treatment and not loose your hair?
Answer
Hair lost is very common with chemotherapy. Fortunately the hair normally grows back.

Question
What exactly is fibrocystic disease of the breast?
Answer
It is a poorly understood disease that occur in 50% of women where the breast undergo cyclical changes due the hormone produce by the ovaries. This can result in cyst, lumps, reoccurring pains and vague areas of the breast.

Question
Can smoking weed cause cancer?
Answer
This has not been clearly established.

Question
Does being a homosexual increase ones chances of getting prostate cancer?
Answer
No, but it is associated with other source of health risk such as HIV, STD, Hepatitis B and Anal cancer.

Question
How much does the food we eat especially meat have on the likelihood of getting Cancer?
Answer
Many cancers are associated with high fat intake and it is thought that the high cancer incidences in developed country are caused by the use of red meat.

Question
Is the Jamaica Cancer Society conducting a test to see if the men who have contracted prostate cancer in Jamaica where in it might be caused by ackee in the diet
Answer
There is no evidence of this or no research being carried out.

Question
Does a woman with ovarian cysts become pregnant? How much difficulty is it for her to be pregnant and carry the baby to term?
Answer
There is no risk, unless it is a very large ovarian cyst.

Question
Is there any confirmation for the following statement: It is said that men may reduce the risk of prostate cancer by having intercourse before eating. As eating just before intercourse may cause the development of adverse hormones.
Answer
No information available on this.

Question
If you have cancer and pregnant can you take your treatment?
Answer
Surgery can be done, but chemotherapy and radiation has to been postponed until after the baby is born.

Question
Just April my Mom was diagnosed with Cancer of the Cervix. She did a Hysterectomy they got everything or so they claimed but I am so worried
Answer
If her doctor stated that the operation was successful she should rely on her doctor's advice.

Question
I got the impression from the video that even vigilance on the part of the female cannot necessarily safeguard against minimizing Ovarian Cancer. They reported that the test offered now is only 50% effective.
Answer
It is true that there a few signs of ovarian cancer that is why annual examination. Ovarian cancer is not preventable disease.

Question
Has modernization created new and riskier agents for the formation of several different cancers, not seen in less modern societies?
Answer
It is well known that the incidences in the developed country are higher than those in well developed. The reasons are not well define. Some might be dietary or life style related also environmental.

Question
My Dad died in 1989 from Lung Cancer. Both my parents had it
Answer
Lung cancer is not hereditary but it is associated with life style factors.

Question
Apart from obesity is there any other cause of cancer?
Answer
Obesity is not a cause it is risk factor. Smoking is a cause and exposure to some hazardous chemical can cause cancer. Example Asbestos

Question
She asked you why you lose your hair not whether it is common or not.
Answer
You lose your hair because of the drugs being used. The drugs affect all cells that are rapidly divided example your folic and the cancer cells.

Question
What is the health and cancer risk involved in the use of cell phones, won't the electro magnetic fields have long-term effects on the user?
Answer
The health risk of cellular phones usage is being investigated at this time, but there is no fact of its association to cancer.

Question
Can you have an MRI of the breast rather than a MAMMOGRAM?
Answer
Yes, but the MRI of the breast is not being used for screening. The mammogram is the best screening. The MRI can be used in diagnosing breast cancer in certain cases where the mammogram is indecisive.

Question
Generally what foods and activities would you suggest, to prevent the advent of cancer?
Answer
Regular exercise, low fat diet large amount of vegetable and fruits.

Thanks You
Thank you for joining us and for showing much interest. If there are any questions that we were not able to Answer, please free to call us at 927-4265 or visit our web site www.jamaicacancersociety.org.