10 ways to lower the risks of lifestyle disease called Cancer

By Dr. Vikas Goswami 

Cancer is indeed a lifestyle disease. Many studies has been conducted in the past and they all proves that environment and lifestyle factors such as toxic chemicals and radiation are the main causes of cancer disease. Cancer is defined as a disease that causes cells in the body to change and multiply out of control, disrupting the normal function of a particular organ or organs. 

Your lifestyle habits especially your diet as in what you eat plays a multitude of roles in the development of cancer. The first is exposure to ingested substances that initiate cancer (carcinogens). The second is exposure to substances in the diet that can either enhance or inhibit the growth of the cancerous cells. These include compounds that influence our immune system as well as those that have a direct effect on cancer cells. 

Let’s discuss few ways to combat cancer by changing our diet and exercise rules: 

1. First of all target Plant based diets. Eat generous amounts of vegetables and moderate amounts of fruit try including vegetables, fruits, salads, beans and cereals in your diet. They have cancer fighting agents in the form of antioxidants, phytochemicals and micronutrients. Have a combination of each and every fruits or vegetables like Tomatoes, watermelon, oranges, papaya, spinach, cabbage, berries, grapes, mangoes etc. Also consider juicing to easily ingest several servings without feeling too full. For example if you want to eat an apple; eat without its skin on as these days apple is coated with wax to make it more shinning. Some studies have proven that consumption of fruits and veggies of 5 portions in a day can combat 14 types of cancer. 

2. Consume omega-3 fatty acids either through foods or supplements. The foods that are rich in this healthy type of fat are walnuts and flax seed, and cold-water fish like salmon and sardines. These have anticancer properties that can fight very well with cancer. 

3. Eat more and more yogurt. The yogurt contains the good bacteria that produces metabolites which is known to prevent cancer in their gut and were also better able to metabolize fats, which could help lower the risk of cancer 

4. Reduce meat consumption as meat lacks fiber and other nutrients that have been shown to have cancer-protective properties. Meat has fat in abundance, which is often of very high levels of saturated fat. High-fat diets have been linked to higher rates of cancer and saturated fat is particularly dangerous. Finally, depending on how it is prepared, meat can develop carcinogenic compounds. Even if you want to eat then choose leaner meats like chicken or fish. 

5. Try cancer fighting foods like ginger, garlic, onion, turmeric, coriander they all have cancer fighting properties. 

6. Stay hydrated; no matter what

All you need to know about Throat cancer

By Dr. Vikas Goswami 

Cancer as we all know is a set of diseases in which abnormal cells grows, multiplies and divide uncontrollably in the body. These abnormal cells form malignant growths which are called tumors. Throat cancer refers to the cancer of the voice box, the vocal cords, and other parts of the throat, such as the tonsils and the oropharynx. 

Throat cancer is cancer that forms in tissues of the pharynx i.e the hollow tube inside the neck that starts behind the nose and ends at the top of the windpipe and larynx which is also called voice box. Larynx and pharynx cancers are the third most common cancers diagnosed in Indian males after lung and oral cavity cancer. More than 60,000 cases of throat cancer are diagnosed every year. 

You can certainly decrease the risk of throat cancer by not chewing tobacco, by quit smoking or limits the consumption of alcohol. 

What are the symptoms of developing throat cancer?         

• A cough 
• Pain or difficulty in swallowing 
• Ear pain 
• Changes in your voice, such as hoarseness 
• A sore throat 
• Sudden weight loss 
• A lump in the neck are the common symptoms of throat cancer. 

Do check with the cancer specialist doctor if you notice any of the above symptoms. 

What are the risk factors? 

• Throat Cancer is usually caused by excessive use of tobacco or consumption of alcohol. Men are more prone to throat cancer as compared to women. Tobacco is by far the most common cause of throat cancer. Both smoking and ‘smokeless’ tobacco (tobacco chewing) increases the risk of throat cancer. Heavy alcohol use and diet low in fruits or vegetables are the other factors associated with the development of throat cancer. 

• Throat cancer has also been linked to other types of cancers. In fact, some people diagnosed with throat cancer are diagnosed with esophageal, lung, or bladder cancer at the same time. This is typically because cancers often have the same risk factors, or because cancer that begins in one part of the body can spread throughout the body in time. 

Diagnosis of Throat cancer 

Your cancer specialist doctor will start by recording your medical history, asking about any symptoms you may be experiencing and conducting a thorough physical examination. If you’ve been experiencing symptoms such as a sore throat, hoarseness, and persistent cough

Are you at the risk of Lung cancer?

By Dr. Vikas Goswami   

Lung cancer is one of the most common form of cancer worldwide. Symptoms of developing lung cancer can be chronic cough, blood in sputum, change in voice , weight loss or distant symptoms like bone pain or seizure etc.  The most common cause of lung cancer is smoking.   

In India apart from cigarette smoking other forms of smoking like bidi , hukka, chewing tobacco in various forms  is part of culture.  

Cigarette smoking is increasing in younger age . Risk of lung cancer is up to 30 times higher in long term smokers compared with lifetime non smoker.   

Smoking cessation decreases risk of lung cancer. Lung cancer chances decrease by 25 to 90% by abstinence of more than 15 years.  The risk nevertheless is more than a non smoker. Adults who quit smoking on a long term basis can gain 5-10 years of life.   

If cessation is not possible even a reduction of smoking also helps in reducing the number of cigarettes to half decrease the chance of lung cancer by 25%. Surprisingly up to 20% of lung cancer can happen in non/never smokers.    

The primary reasons are:    

1) Passive Smoking : Relatives and close associates of a smoker who inhale smoke exhaled by the smoker or room smoke are at increased of lung cancer esp. people who have inhaled passive smoke on long term basis like children, this form of exposure is called as second hand smoke.   

2) Environmental pollution: WHO (World Health Organization) has labeled pollution especially the vehicular exhaust and industrial emission as carcinogen. That means people living in polluted cities are constantly exposed to cancerous agents- there is no escape.   

3) Asbestos : Asbestos means a highly heat-resistant fibrous silicate mineral that can be woven into fabrics, and is used in brake linings and in fire-resistant and insulating materials.  It’s exposure leads to lung cancer. It is used in industry (textile shipping, insulation, construction). The workers of such industry are at increased risk of developing lung cancer.  This product is banned in various countries but asbestos industry continues to thrive in India.   

4) Radon exposure:  This colorless and invisible gas is naturally occurring in nature. It has a tendency to accumulate in the basements of buildings.  Those working for long hours

Living with Myeloma

By Dr. Vikas Goswami 

Do you often feel tired, feel fatigue or exhausted thirsty or pale all the time or have chronic backache ? It could be a form of cancer called Multiple Myeloma. Unlike other forms of cancer there are not much ready figures are available that how many people in India are suffering from such cancer. This usually affects people over 40 years of age. 

Multiple myeloma is a rare form of blood cancer which is also known as Kahler’s disease. Myeloma is a cancer of a special type of white blood cells known as plasma cells. These plasma cells are part of the immune system formed in the bone marrow which fights infections. When the plasma cells become cancerous, they populate the bone marrow thereby crippling the immune system, causing infections and other symptoms. 

Signs and symptoms of Myeloma are: 

• fatigue,  
• sudden weight loss,  
• Bone pain, especially in your spine or chest 
• Nausea 
• Constipation 
• loss of appetite 
• Mental fogginess or confusion 
• Frequent infections 
• Weakness or numbness in your legs 
• Excessive thirst 

Factors that may increase your risk of multiple myeloma which includes: 

• Increasing age: Your risk of multiple myeloma increases as you age, with most people diagnosed in their mid-60s. 
• Men are more likely to develop the disease than are women. 

As you can see the symptoms of myeloma are very vague nondescript, this leads to delays in diagnosis and misdiagnosis. 

The causes of multiple myeloma and thereby

Expert Views about Holi in popular dailies

Dr. Vikas Goswami’s quotes have appeared in popular English and Hindi dailies on Holi special. Dr. Vikas gave his advice on playing holi with toxic colors and its ill effects. Read them here..

Amar Ujala

Sunburn can cause skin cancer

By Dr. Vikas Goswami 

Many people love to be in sun whether in winters or on a beach holiday unaware about its causes. Too much exposure in sun causes wrinkles and ageing spots on the face. Tanned skin is very much IN these days which are obtained from exposure to sun but many of us don’t know that it increases the risk of skin cancer. 

Over exposure to the UV which is ultraviolet rays from the sun is the main cause of skin cancer. A UV ray also is responsible for sunburns. Sunburn is a clear sign that the DNA in your skin cells has been damaged by too much of UV radiation. Getting painful sunburn, just once every 2 years, can triple your risk of melanoma skin cancer. You cannot feel the heat of UV rays as the heat from the sun comes from infrared rays, which can’t burn you. This is why people cannot distinguish between the burn and the warmth of sun. The UV radiation from the sun is the number one cause of skin cancer, but UV light from tanning beds is just as harmful. Exposure to sun during the winter months puts you at the same risk as exposure during the summertime. 

When you get a sunburn your skin turns red and might and even sore . this sore can be downright painful. In fact, it can hurt a lot when you move. Exposure to ultraviolet light also can cause your skin to bruise and tear more