Pier G. Natali MD, PhD

HOW TO PROMOTE PUBLIC AWARNESS ON CANCER PREVENTION, SCREENING AND EARLY DIAGNOSIS

On Behalf of the MTCC Executive Council (Stefano Iacobelli MD, Massimo Crespi MD)

Recent advances in Cancer Epidemiology,Screening and Treatment of Early Lesions

POST-GRADUATE COURSE Istanbul April 2010

Mediterranean Task Force for Cancer Control (MTCC)

Algeria Croatia Egypt France Greece

Italy Jordan Lebanon Lybia Morocco

Portugal Syria Slovenia Spain Tunisia TurkeyPalestine

Albania Cyprus

Macedonia Malta

Article X “Cancer knows no race or socio-economic boundaries and individual countries cannot address the challenges of cancer in isolation, thus cooperative efforts in research advocacy, prevention and treatment must be established”

“Charter of Paris” , February 4th, 2000

MTCC mission is to increase people awareness in order to eliminate suffering and reduce cancer mortality through decreasing incidence of advanced disease

in fact:still a too high number of individuals does not:

a) Fully appreciates the relevance of their personal responsibility

b) Knows how much can be done

c) Knows what to do and where to do

On the medium-long run, the reduction of these bottlenecks is likely to increase peoples’ compliance to cancer control programs as well as their demand for improved access to cancer dedicated centers of their countries.

MTCC

With the aim of reducing these standing limitations in delivering cancer related information, we have generated a brochure in which conventional primary and secondary prevention messages are embodied in a novel conceptual/visual frame calling for:

a) personal responsibility

b) concern for beloved

c) advocacy

in a handy format

a) which can be adopted in different languages of MTCC belonging countries

b) containing the information of the nearest clinical reference center/s

1st lastFOLDER (10X21 cm) OUTSIDE LAYOUT

First inside Layout

INNER LAYOUT (40X21 cm)

Folder Front page

But CANCER is also PREVENTABLE

In addition to these few instructions

•Avoid smoking and discourage your children and relatives: smoking is responsible for lung cancers and other diseases

•Avoid excessive unprotected childhood sun exposure

•Avoid excessive alcohol drinking

•Eat a healthy diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables and less red meat and fat

•Get regular physical exercise and control overweight: obesity increases the risk of many cancers

•Get vaccination against Hepatitis B Virus

•Beware of environmental hazard in your working environment

First inside layout

Take note of few warly warnings …

•An ulcer or wound on the skin or mouth not healing promptly

•Presence of blood in urine or stools or from other parts of the body

•A lump in your breast or bloody nipple discharge and any lump elsewhere in the body

• Difficulty in swallowing food and drinks

• Persistent cough and/or blood present in sputum

• A sore or unhealing red or white patch in your mouth, tongue and/or lips

First inside layout

BREAST

•Learn to know your breast: inspect and palpate it with your flat open hand at least once a month to feel any new lump

•Starting at age 30, get a breast clinical examination by your doctor, health worker or nurse

•In case of any suspicious lump get mammography, a simple and painless radiological examination. In any case try to get mammography every 2 years after the age of 40

•Be particularly aware if you have cases of breast cancer in your relatives

MOUTH

•If you are a smoker and alcohol drinker ask your doctor, dentist or health worker for a visual inspection of your mounth.

SKIN

•In case of increase in size or intermittent bleeding from a skin mole or wart (pigmented lesions), seek doctor advice

PROSTATE

•(PSA)

•Get regular (yearly) testing by prostate specific antigen (PSA) after the age of 50, a simple and cheap laboratory test

•Ask your doctor for a rectal digital examination when you go for a medical consultation

•Beware of prostate cancer in your family

INTESTINE (COLON AND RECTUM)

•Beware of recent and worsening changes in bowel habits

• Get regular (every one or two years) testing for occult blood in stools, a simple and cheap laboratory test

•Be particularly aware if you have cases of intestinal cancer in your relatives

•Try to get an endoscopic examination of your intestine (colonoscopy) after the age of 50 or earlier in case of this cancer in your relatives

UTERUS

•Get regular smears (Pap test) from your doctor or health worker or nurse starting at age 20

•Try to get vaccination against Papilloma virus, a common infection predisposing to cervical cancer

•Report to your doctor of any unexpected bleeding or spotting from vagina, especially after menopause

•Ask for regular vaginal visual inspection by your doctor, nurse or health worker even if you don’t have any symptom

Address, telephone

of one or more clinical reference center in your area

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Acknowledgments

MTCC Members:

Brahim El Gueddari MD (Morocco)Sami Katib MD (Jordan)

For the help of Arab-Frech translation and Arab language editing

Italian League Against CancerUICC Members OrganizationCINBO

For providing valuable educational and information material