Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Awareness

Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is a group of more than 200 virus-related sexually transmitted infections. It is spread through skin to skin contact and passed to another individual through sexual contact and can affect your genitals, mouth or throat. India has more than 10 million cases per year. There are many types of HPV and it can lead to different types of risk. The lower risk HPV types lead to warts around your genitals, mouth or anus while the high-risk HPVs can cause cancer.

There are about 14 types of high-risk HPV in which HPV16 and HPV18 cause HPV-related cancer. With the increasing risk of low and high, HPV infection is still quite common among people. Adults who are most sexually active get immediate HPV once they become sexually active, in the very initial stage. Our immune system has great control over HPV infections so it can’t always lead to cancer.

In this article, we will cover the cause, risk, prevention and types of HPV. Since there’s a larger stigma towards HPV and there’s less information for everyone to stay informed about, here’s our little guide to help you understand HPV a lot better.

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What are the cancers caused by HPV?

High-risk HPV infections that are long-lasting leads to the cause of cancer to our bodies in areas where HPV infects cells such as cervix, mouth, oropharynx, tongue, anus, vagina, vulva, penis and rectum. HPV attacks the squamous cells of the mentioned organs in the inner lining surface. Hence the HPV-cancer is mostly the squamous cell carcinoma cancer.

HPV-related cancers are the following:

Oropharyngeal Cancer: It is a type of cancer that forms in the tissue of oropharynx. The amount of oropharyngeal cancer is about 70% as it is one of the most common types of HPV-related cancers. It seems to be increasing every year. It affects the back of the throat (pharynx), back of the tongue, soft palate, part of the throat and tonsils. One of the major symptoms of oropharyngeal cancer can be seen as a growing lump in the neck and sore throat.

Cervical Cancer: It is a type of cancer that happens in the cervix cells - the lower part of the uterus that connects to the vagina. Mostly all cervical cancers are caused by HPV. It is either squamous cell carcinomas or adenocarcinomas. It is one of the most preventable types of cancer if it is detected early. Regular screening can help prevent it at a great extent

Anal Cancer: About 90% of anal cancers are caused by HPV-infection. There's an abnormal cell growth in the anal area or the anal canal. It's significant signs and symptoms include bleeding or a lump around the anus. Anal cancer can also be successfully treated if detected earlier.

Vagina Cancer: - About 75% of Vaginal cancer is caused by HPV infection. Though it is very rare and affects about 1% of women. Signs and symptoms of vaginal cancer are watery vaginal discharge, pelvic pain, and painful urination. If it is detected earlier then there's a higher rate of successful treatment.

Penile Cancer: It is a type of cancer that is located on the glands or the foreskin of the penis and can also be found on the shaft of the penis. The major signs and symptoms of penile cancer is a visible lump, mass or a growing ulcer on the penis. It is quite rare and affects men over the age of 50. It can be treated if it is detected in the early stage.

Vulvar Cancer: It is a type of cancer that affects the outer surface of the vagina and mostly affects the older age groups of females. It forms a lump or a sore on the vulva that leads to constant itchiness and bleeding. If it is detected earlier, there's a success rate that it will be treated.

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What are the symptoms of HPV-infection?

HPV-infection doesn't result in any major symptoms. The high-risk HPV often results in cancer and it doesn't cause symptoms. However, with time, the symptoms come over to the surface and can be easily felt or seen. These symptoms are mostly for lower-risk HPV infections: HPV-related infection includes:

1. Warts: Warts appear as a raised bump on the skin, a small, fleshy shaped bump over the skin and spread by skin-to-skin contact. HPV warts are mostly genital warts. It mostly affects the vulva and cervix in women and penis and scrotum in men.

Other types of HPV-related warts are Plantar warts, common warts and flat warts.

2. Cancer: High-risk HPV-infection often leads to cancer. The cancers are mostly cervix, vagina, penis, anus, vulva, oropharynx, tongue, tonsils and others. Some of these cancer types do exhibit individual cancer while others don't in the initial stage.

What is the cause of HPV-infection?

HPV is a virus that leads to thousands of types of infections and cancer due to skin-to-skin contact via sexual activity. Some of the HPV infections are mild and mere infections that can be easily treated such as warts that occur on the areas of hand, feet or genitals. While other HPV-infection can lead to the chances of cancer. It can affect those who are sexually active and it doesn't showcase any symptoms. HPV-infection can be transmitted to an infant during birth that can lead to genial or repository system infection. However, there's a significant difference between a wart causing HPV-infection and cancer-causing infection.

How does HPV infection cause Cancer?

Cancer-causing HPV infection infects the cells or the organ. It changes the way the cells exited in the organ and how they communicated with each other, causing abnormal growth. The infected cells are usually controlled by our immune system. If the infected cells continue to grow, it eventually leads to the formation of precancerous cells which later develop malignant if not treated in the earlier stage.

According to the researchers, it's been stated that it takes about two decades or even more, for HPV-infected cervical cells to develop into cancer. However, various risk factors can increase the chances of getting cancer pretty early. Those risk factors include giving birth to several children, consumption of oral contraceptives and smoking cigarettes.

HPV Treatment

HPV-infections are of many kinds and each one exhibits their symptoms. The HPV virus can lead to genital wart and cancer. However, there's no treatment available for the virus but the symptoms can be cured. Here are some of the most common treatment process of the popular symptoms known:

1. Warts

Genital warts caused by HPV infection often resolve on its own without any treatment. If there is no cure from Warts anytime soon, then there are various medications that are advised to apply on the skin. Over the counter (OTC) salicylic acid is one of the most commonly known treatment forms for common warts. Here are some of the medication and surgical procedures if needed in several conditions:

Medications

• Podofilox (Condylox)
• Trichloroacetic acid
• Imiquimod (Aldara, Zyclara)
• Podophyllin

Surgical Procedure

• Laser therapy
• Cryotherapy
• Electrocautery
• Interferon injection

The right type of treatment for warts depends on the condition and area on the body it has occurred. You must seek medical help before selecting any process to intake or done on your body.

Precancerous Cervical cell Changes: Women who suffer through the precancerous state of cervical cell changes are treated with a procedure called Loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP). The process involves the use of a heated wire loop by an electric current to remove the cells and tissue from the cervix. It is considered quite safe and effective for removing the precancerous cells from the cervix that can turn malignant with time.

Cancer - People with HPV-related cancer receive similar treatment for any type of cancer. The one that is treated differently from other cancers is HPV-positive oropharyngeal cancer for those whose Oropharyngeal cancer is not caused by HPV-infection.

Other Precancerous Changes: Precancerous vaginal, penile, vulvar, anal lesion, genital warts and benign respiratory tract changes are treated with topical medicines, surgical procedure, cryosurgery and LEEP.

HPV Vaccines

Vaccines for HPV infection are needed to protect or guard yourself against getting infected with the Human Papillomaviruses. Here are the most common vaccines available for HPV infection.

• Gardasil: Prevents infection with HPV type 6 and 11 that results in about 90% of genital warts.
• Gardasil 9: Prevents from HPV type 6,11, 16, and 18. In addition to other five additional cancers causing HPV types such as 31, 33, 45, 52, and 58 that result in about 10 to 20% of cervical cancers.
• Cervarix: Prevent from HPV types 16 and 19.

All of these three vaccines work towards the prevention of HPV type 16 and 18, two of the highest-risk HPVs resulting in about 70% of cervical cancers and other HPV-related cancers.

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Deep five in the Vital Guide: Head and Neck Cancer Awareness

• Approximately 3.3% of all the cancer is head and neck cancer worldwide.
• Consumption of both tobacco and alcohol brings a higher risk of developing this type of cancer than people who only consume one of these alone.
• Human Papillomavirus infection (HPV) is one of the major risk factors for the cause of squamous cancers in the oropharynx.

The month April is known for Head and Neck Awareness month. Cancer, in general, is something that we are entirely terrified of as it is deadly, due to the lack of awareness, the risk is growing wider. Hence through our simple guide, we will try to inform people with valuable details about heads and neck cancer to seek treatment at the right time.

Head and neck cancer renders a group of cancers that start in the squamous cells that are lining the mucosal surfaces in our mouth, throat, nose and sometimes the salivary glands.

Head and neck cancer involves cancers in pharynx, larynx, oral cavity, nasal cavity, sinuses and salivary glands. It is more common in men than in women. It is often diagnosed in people over the age of 50 or quite younger generation.

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What are the risk factors ?

Many significant risk factors contribute to the development of head and neck cancer. However, each of them can vary based on the location and the type of cancer. Here is more:

Use of Tobacco: Intake of cigarettes, pipes, cigars or even smokeless tobacco brings more comprehensive risk in developing neck and head cancer. The risk is so enormously high that these cancers are fortunately very low/rare among who do not take tobacco.

Lack of Nutrition: Healthy diet plays an exceptional role in body maintenance and also pushing off deadly disease. A diet that lacks Vitamins A and B causes a high risk of neck and head cancer.

Consumption of Alcohol: Excessive intake of alcohol also contributes towards developing head and neck cancer among people.

Poor Oral Hygiene: Since the area between head and neck also consists of oral parts, the risk of developing oral cancer also increases due to lack of cleanliness. Individuals with no proper sanitization of teeth and gums are a higher risk of head and neck cancer.

Unhealthy hours of sun exposure: Excessive exposure to the Sun UV rays puts a person at a higher risk for developing head and neck cancer.

Epstein-Barr Virus: It is also known as human herpesvirus 4 and is very common among human viruses. It spreads mostly through bodily fluids like Saliva. Hence it plays a part in the cause of some type of head and neck cancer.

Human papillomavirus (HPV): It is also one of the prevalent but significant risk factors in some type of head and neck cancer.

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What are the symptoms?

Symptoms, similar to the risk factors also depend on the type and at which location cancer develops. Here are some of the most common ones to help you figure it out:

• A sore throat that’s hard to fade away anytime soon
• Visible lump or swelling in the neck, nose or throat
• Difficulty or painful while gulping
• Change in the voice range
• Consistent earache

What are the vital prevention measures?

Majority cases of head and neck cancer are often preventable with a change in your lifestyle and habits. Other risk factors that involve natural processes like gender and age are not controllable. As we mentioned above, men are more likely to come under the influence of head and neck cancer than women. It is more common among people over the age of 40 than others.

Hence there is a mix of different factors that contribute towards its occurrence, most of them can be controlled and can lead to prevention successfully. Here are some of the crucial steps we should consider:

Control/Stop the consumption of Tobacco

Tobacco is a deadly substance that must be ceased from consumption. Quitting the use of tobacco can greatly reduce the chances of developing head and neck cancer. Tobacco and others like cigarettes, pipes, cigars, smokeless tobacco, etc are equally detrimental and injurious to your health and largest contributors of cancers.

Consumption of tobacco holds such significance that almost 85% of shoulders are because of it. Hence it’s recommended to completely quit its consumption to keep you safer from any type of cancer. Or you can start taking the step-through reducing your consumption to witness a positive impact on your health.

Try to avoid prolonged exposure of UV rays

UV rays are underrated injurious substances that must be dealt with precaution. Living under heavy exposure to the sun's UV rays can cause cancer. Skin cancer and cancer around the lip area are one of the most likely situations to happen if you come under UV exposure for a long time. Hence it's widely recommended from skincare enthusiasts to doctors to avoid the sun as much as possible. You can either reduce the sun exposure, look out for more shade or use sunscreen as much as possible while stepping out.

Quit the Intake of Alcohol

Alcohol that is consumed in an inadequate amount brings a greater risk of developing head and neck cancer. Hence it is universally acknowledged to reduce alcohol consumption overtime to get to the safer side of the health chart and exhibiting a lesser chance of developing cancers.

Performing safer sexual intercourse

As mentioned above, human papillomavirus or HPV is one of the prime risk factors for it. HPV is one of those sexually transmitted infections that leads to both cervical cancer and it.

Though there’s a vaccine that’s present to protect against cervical cancer caused by HPV, there is no vaccine proven against head and neck cancer. Hence it is widely recommended by experts in cancer treatment to practice safe sex, including oral sex.

Diagnosis & Treatment

Diagnosis: Early detection helps significantly

Researchers have claimed that most of the neck and head cancer is cured if the growth is detected at the early stage. There’s still no screening methods in place but it's advised for the people who consume alcohol and tobacco to visit for a general health screening annually. Regular health checkups and screening help medical experts to understand the condition of your body and monitor if there’s any abnormality detected in the head and neck area.

Since one of the most common symptoms of head and neck cancer involves the development of swelling or sore, so that helps them to detect early. If you experience such discomforts or unusual growth around the neck and head area, feel continuous and painful problems over the same region then consult your doctors immediately.

Treatment

Treatment for head and neck cancer is commonly through surgical operations. The surgery involves removal of the cancerous tumour and its surrounding areas that’s under its effect. Like various other cancers, it's often unlikely to remove the tumour completely. In cases like that, surgical operations are then done with radiation therapy or chemotherapy to completely remove the cancerous growth.

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Prevention against cancer and the ways to reduce its risk helps to bring a greater change in the body. It helps with early detection and successful treatment.

Here is our basic information about the term cancer and what you need to know about it.

Several types in one- Cancer might seem like a single type of ailment, it has broad meaning and variation. Cancer is not just one type of disease that happens to everyone, it is just a disease name and can vary from person to person based on its type.

Develops at any part of the body- It can originate at any part of the body. The basics of cancer development are when cells grow abnormally and take over standard cells. It disrupts the natural cycle of the body and leads to the formation of tumours which eventually spreads to the other parts of the body, making it all cancerous.

Time of occurrence - Cancer can also occur at any age and are efficiently treatable if detected early. While some cancers are highly contagious, others take some time to show their symptoms.

Mode of Treatment - Not all cancers are treatable through one common practice. Some cancer types are either treated with the surgical operation, others respond better with chemotherapy. There are two or more treatment processes required for the cancer treatment to garner the best results.

Witnessed Symptoms - Generally, cancer forms a lump that is known as a tumour, it is the accumulation of new malignant cells. There are also some cancers like leukaemia (cancer of the blood) that do not form any growth or tumour.

Stages in Cancer - Cancer is also identified with their different stages. Terms like Stage 1 and Stage 2 are often employed to describe the state of the cancer development that helps in the treatment. The Lower stage like Stage 1 and 2 signify that cancer has not spread while higher stages like stage 3 and 4 stage cancer have spread widely. The condition of the cancerous growth over the body determines the type of treatment.

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What causes Cancer?

cancer leads to the damage in the genes that either happens via chance or through abundant exposure to malignant chemicals present in the environment. The prime suspect that causes cancer is known as carcinogens. A carcinogen is a chemical that is present in some molecules of tobacco or smoke. However, cancer can happen with environmental agents, genetics or viral factors. The number of growing cancers in the world is not attributed to a single cause, they all vary from each other.

Hence to simply the main causes, we’ve divided them into groups.

• Biological Factors- Aspects such as age, inherited genetic abnormalities, gender, and skin type.
• Environmental Exposure- Natural emitted substance from nature like radon, UV radiation and fine particulate matter.
• Occupational Aspects - Coming in contacts with carcinogens like harmful chemicals, radioactive materials and asbestos.
• Lifestyle Factors - Unhealthy habits, for instance, heavy alcohol Intake, prolonged exposure of UV rays, tobacco consumption and chemicals like nitrites & polyaromatic hydrocarbons through barbecuing food.

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Cancer Prevention methods

About 30-40% of all cancer is easily preventable. It is true, with changes in your lifestyle and some careful precaution, cancer can be actively prevented. We know it sounds too good to be true, but it is possible. According to the reports from Harvard School of Public Health, it estimates that about 75% of cancer deaths can be prevented with helpful measures taken.

Here are some of the methods that you can use to prevent the development of cancer in your body:

Stop consuming Tobacco

Use of tobacco brings the most prominent risk for developing cancer. Consumption of tobacco kills approximately 6 million people each year. Most of you are unaware of how many damaging chemicals tobacco contains in itself. Tobacco smoke has about 7000 chemicals which have at least 250 that are harmful while the other 50 are known for causing cancer.

Tobacco leads to the causes of many types of cancers such as cancers of the lung, larynx, throat, mouth, kidney, oesophagus, bladder, pancreas, stomach and cervix. The other tobacco, i.e second-hand smoke causes lung cancer. Hence it should be avoided in all forms.

Physical inactivity and Obesity

Lack of exercise and weight gain also contribute to the cause of cancer. There is a link between being obese and overweight that leads to cancers of oesophagus, breast, colorectal, endometrium and kidney. The only solution to getting rid of fat is by doing daily exercise. Addition of a healthy diet and regular physical activity of the body can considerably reduce cancer risk. It’s been said that physical activity leads to a reduced risk of colon cancer. For women as well, regular exercise leads to a reduced risk of breast and reproductive cancers. Exercise itself is a healthy milestone even though you lose weight or not.

Decrease or cease Alcohol Consumption

Alcohol intake is one of the largest contributors of several types of cancer including oral cavity, larynx, pharynx, oesophagus, breast, liver and colorectum. The amount of alcohol you consume, the greater the risk of cancer increases with abundance. The risk turns more deadly when there's a consumption of alcohol and tobacco at the same time. Hence start slow, start by drinking one drink a day to an average.

Maintain a healthy diet

Healthy alternatives are not a major assurance of cancer prevention, it does help to reduce the risk hence it benefits indirectly. Here are some things to add in your habits for maintenance of a healthy diet:

• Eat fruits and Veggies on a larger scale - Your diet must involve vegetables, fruits, and other food that involves plant-based sources such as whole grains and beans.
• Avoid fat-based food - Food rich in oil can lead to obesity which contributes to the risk of many types of cancer in the body. Hence add lighter and less high-calorie food such as refined sugars and animal fat from your food.
• Restrict processed meat - According to the latest report from Cancer Research, it's been proven that eating processed meat in larger amounts can contribute to the risk of developing a certain type of cancer.

Exposure to Radiation

Radiation from either man-made or natural sources leads to an increase in developing leukaemia and other tumours in the body. The risk increases if you are under the exposure of the radiation at a young age or either when the exposure is in abundance. Exposure to radiation causes various types of skin cancer such as basal cell carcinoma (BCC), melanoma and squamous cell carcinoma.

Hence it's vital to seek active prevention from the sun by the use of sunscreen and protective clothing. Try to get medical imaging studies only when it's required. Look out for residential radon that leads to an increase in the risk of lung cancer.

Guard yourself against infections

Many cancers are also attributed via infecting agents such as helicobacter pylori, hepatitis B and C, human papillomavirus, and Epstein-Barr virus. Though there are vaccines available for hepatitis B virus and some types of HPV that can rescue you from the risk of developing liver and cervical types of cancer. Many of these infections are sexually transmitted or through contaminated needles.

Avoid Environmental Chemical Exposure

Contaminants from air, water and soil containing carcinogenic chemicals lead to the development of cancer in varying degrees. Pollution from outdoors is highly malignant to humans as it leads to almost 3.5 million premature deaths and others with lung cancer deaths. Indoor pollution involves households activities like cooking with solid fuels. Especially, cooking with the use of coal fires double the trigger of developing lung cancer mostly in women.

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Lowering The Risk of Cancer

As per WHO, Cancer is the world’s leading cause of death, but approximately 30% cases can be prevented with the onset of advanced diagnistric tools. It is true that there is no magic that can keep one away from cancer, but yes a few efforts can be done to improve the odds.

Lose the Body Weight

People who are overweight or obese have more chances of developing a few types of cancer, including in esophagus, pancreas, colon, kidneys ,thyroid gland and other organs. Losing weight help reduce the risk of cancer also might cut the number of new cases.

Cut on Consuming Red Meat

Red meat along with cured meats like bacon, hot dogs, and lunchmeat is considered to be linked to a higher risk of colon and stomach cancers.

Use Sunscreen everytime you go in Sun

Ultraviolet rays from the sun can be harmful more than a sunburn. UV radiations can cause skin cancer. The risk of developing Skin cancer is higher among people who spend much of their time in the sun. Most cases of skin cancer are curable if they are diagnosed early and ofcourse with the right treatment in real time. But unfortunately,Skin cancer can be life-threatening if it spreads to other parts of the body. Sunscreen with a 30 SPF (sun protection factor) or above is recommended everytime on going out in sun.

Consume More Vegetables

Vegetables and fruits can help prevent a range of cances in mouth, throat, windpipe and esophagus. Vegetables help your prevent damage that may lead to cancer later in life. It is recommended to consume 2.5 cups of fruits and vegetables a day.

Add other diets with Supplements

A diet rich in vegetables, fruits, and whole grains is a better than nutritional supplements to lower the risk of cancer. Supplements do not give the same benefits as whole foods do, and they can throw off the balance of other nutrients in the body. Supplements may help with certain conditions, but do not count on them to prevent cancer.

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Less intake of Sugar

Foods or drinks with a lot of sugar tend to have more calories. If one has them often, he/she is more likely to take in more calories than he/she burns in a day. That can increase the body weight -- and possibly increase the risk of cancer. It is not necessarily required to skip the sugar entirely, but keep an eye out for things with added sweeteners.

Get Vaccinated for HPV

HPV i.e, Human papilloma virus is often passed from person to person through sexual activity. It can stay in the body for years and one might not even notice. It is the cause of nearly all cervical cancers in women and also can cause cancer of the vagina, penis, anus, mouth, and throat. Vaccine is available for girls between the ages of 9 and 26, and boys from 9 to 21. In addition,using condoms can also lower the chances of getting HPV.

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Jump off the Couch and workout

Those who exercise have less chances to get cancer of the colon, breast, or uterus. After getting up and doing our routine activities, our body uses more energy, digests food faster, and prevents a buildup of some hormones that are linked to cancer. Being active also can help reduce the chances of developing other health problems like heart disease or diabetes.

Quit Smoking

Smoking causes various kinds of cancer, as well as heart and lung disease. Smoking tobacco is considered to be the major causeing factor for developing cancer. It is wise to quit smoking as early as possible.

Cut on alcohol consumption

Drinking too much alcohol can raise the risk of cancers of the digestive system including stomach, liver, and colon, among others -- as well as breast and throat cancer. It can hurt tissues in the body, damage liver, and mix with other chemicals to harm the cells in body. Men should not have more than two drinks a day, and women should limit it to one.

Get a Hepatitis B Vaccination

Patients with hepatitis B virus are more likely to get liver cancer which is one of the fastest growing cancer. And those with chronic liver problems, having multiple sex partners, or those who share needles to use drugs are at a high risk of getting hepatitis B. It can be prevented with the vaccination.

Right screening

As a famous saying,The sooner the better, works in prevention against cancer as well. If primary signs of cancer are spotted early, possibly recovery is better. There are certain tests available to check for different types of cancers such as breast, colon, prostate, or skin. It is advised to consult your doctor to know which screening tests one should go for and when to get .

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Bladder cancer is one of the sixth most prevalent cancers in the world. Cancer in the bladder develops when the urinary bladder cells start to increase and abnormally grow out of control. The cells that abnormally increase are the cancerous cells that later turn to form a tumour and with time, starts to spread and affects the rest of the body.

The bladder in our body is a hollow organ that is located in the lower pelvis. It contains a muscular and flexible cell wall that helps to stretch and squeeze the accumulated urine out of the body. As our bladder is responsible for storing urine which is then carried by the two known tubes called ureters. To pass the urine to the next body part, the bladder contracts to force out the urine through the tube called urethra.
it occurs mostly in men and others above the age of 65 years. Other additional risk factors can lead to the development of bladder cancer as we’ll discuss further in the article.

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What are the types?

There are different types of it however 90%of them are mostly urothelial carcinomas. Here are other types that also lead to it:

• Urothelial CarcinomaAs we mentioned above, Urothelial carcinoma also known as transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) is one of the most widespread types of it. Urothelial Carcinoma bladder cancer affects the urothelial cells that line the inside of the bladder. It affects the inner lining of the bladder that also lines the other part of the urinary tract.

  It leads to the development of tumour in the walls of the urinary tracts which requires checking of the whole tract. It is most common in older adults. Urothelial Carcinoma is often diagnosed quite early when it's possible to cure. However, it can reoccur hence you will have to consistently go for follow-up checkups.

• Adenocarcinoma:Adenocarcinoma is one of the rarest bladder cancers of all. It is a type of cancer that usually initiates in the mucus-producing glandular cells on the body. Mucus-producing cells secrete mucus and these are present in many parts of our body. Adenocarcinoma is known for being invasive hence immediate treatment is recommended.
• Small Cell Carcinoma:Small-cell carcinoma is a rare but highly malignant type of cancer that starts in the nerve-like cells called neuroendocrine cells. It usually develops within the lung but also affects other body parts such as the cervix, gastrointestinal tract and prostate.

  Small-cell Carcinoma spread quickly, creating large tumours and growing out in different parts of the body. These tumour treatments include surgery as well as chemotherapy.

• Squamous cell carcinoma:Squamous cell carcinoma is usually caused by the abnormal growth of squamous cells. These cells are characterised as thin, flat cells that look like fish scales when carefully observed under the microscope. It is also one of the invasive cancers hence immediate treatment must be sought.
• Sarcoma:Sarcoma begins in the muscle cells of the bladder though they are very rare types of occurring. If identified at an early stage, chemotherapy is needed along with different types of drugs.

Risk Factor and causes

Risk factors and causes are intended to know the same information that is what leads to the development of bladder cancer. Here are the most known causes and risk factors of it:

Causes ?

There’s still not enough research and information available on what exactly leads to the cause of most bladder cancer among people. However, there are enough risk factors that lead to an understanding of the formation of cancerous cells. There are certain changes in the DNA inside the normal bladder cells that lead to the growth of abnormal cells and turn cancerous.

The DNA is the chemical on our cells that make up our genes. Since we get the genes from our parents, we turn to look similar to them but genes control more than that.

There are two types of genes

• Oncogenes: These genes help the growth, division and living alive of the cells
• Tumor Suppressor genes: These genes help to regulate cell division, repair mistakes in DNA or lead the cell to die at the right time to allow new cells to grow.

Cancer is our body forms when there’s a change in our DNA (gene mutations) that turn on oncogenes or turn off tumour suppressor genes. Other several gene changes lead to the formation of cancerous cells.

Acquired gene mutation

Most causes of bladder cancer develop due to acquired gene mutation that usually happens due to the change in a person's lifestyle than from inheritance. These acquired gene mutations result from the exposure of triggering chemicals or radiation that causes cancer. For example, chemicals in tobacco.

Most chemicals that you are unaware of their harmed result in the bladder somehow. Researchers in the field of acquired gene mutation are aiming to develop tests that can detect it at the early stage by finding the DNA changes.

Inherited gene mutation

As the name suggests, some people develop it due to their inherited genes from their parents. However, it rarely runs in the families or through inherited gene mutation are its biggest cause.

Some of them inherit a reduced ability to break down cancer-causing chemicals hence are more prone and sensitive towards it. For them, tobacco smoke and other Industrial chemicals can cause immense risk.

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What are the risk factors of Bladder Cancer?

Risk factors are great to help from the prevention of it and act as an early warning. Here are the most common risk factors that you can change to decrease your chances of developing bladder cancer and others which you can’t:

Risk factors that can be changed to reduce the growth

• Smoking:Smoking results in almost the cause of half of the bladder cancer in both male and female as it is one of the most significant risk factors. Smokers are prone to three times more likely to develop it compared to nonsmokers.
• Environmental chemical exposure:Industrial chemicals are highly linked to the cause of bladder cancer. Chemicals such as Aromatic amines that are used in the dye industry are the largest contributors to bladder cancer. Even organic chemicals also possess a higher risk of bladder cancer. Industries that deal with rubber, textiles, paint products, leather, printing carry out the major risk of bladder cancer. Also, professions that include painter, printer, hairdresser, machinist who is exposed to hair dyes and truck drivers that are exposed to diesel fumes are under the major risk of developing bladder cancer.
• Medicines and Herbal Intakes:According to the latest research by the US Food and Drug Administration, diabetic medicines called pioglitazone contribute to bladder cancer. Also, Aristolochic acid in the deity supplements is the leading cause of urothelial cancers, including bladder cancer.
• Presence of Arsenic in Drinking water:Arsenic is a chemical, if present in drinking water can lead to a higher cause of bladder cancer.
• Inadequate Water Consumption:Water consumption is always said to be beneficial. Who knew it helps to reduce the risk of bladder cancer. Yes, it's true, people who drink a lot of water each day possess a lower risk of bladder cancer. It is because they can empty their bladders more often which would also get rid of chemicals remaining in the bladder.

Risk factor that cannot be changed to reduce the Impact

• Race and Ethnic group:The white ethnic group is most likely to develop bladder cancer compared to African American and Hispanic. American Indians and Asians also have lower rates of developing bladder cancer. It mostly affects white ethnicity.
• Gender:It’s been proven that bladder cancer is more common in men than women.
• Chronic Bladder Irritation and Infection:Infection such as urinary, kidney, bladder stones, and bladder catheters that aren’t treated early and have been existing for a long time can cause bladder cancer. Schistosomiasis is a well-known infection that’s caused when a parasitic worm can travel into the bladder and trigger bladder cancer.
• Age Group:Bladder cancer mostly affects the older age group, the elder you are then there’s a higher risk of bladder cancer.
• Pre Existing history with Bladder or Urothelial Cancer:If you have seen or experienced Urothelial or Bladder cancer previously then there’s also a higher risk of developing it again. Even if the first tumour is removed completely, there’s still a risk of developing another bladder cancer.
• Genetics and Family History:People with family members who have undergone bladder cancer have a higher chance of getting it themselves.

Consult the cancer specialist at Oncoplus Hospital, Delhi.