Naturally, I like quick services. On my part, I offer quick services and like to design my programmes ahead of time. This is not because of panic but I like to execute my procedures optimally and on time. In my previous articles, I have highlighted the importance of lifestyle adjustment and knowing cancer risk factors as important steps in fight against cancer. I have always had questions from people asking about the reasons why cancer is so rampant now days than it used to be in the past. But lifestyle and risk factor exposure is the immediate answer to all those questions. On another note, it is very well known that the use of chemotherapy and radiation in the treatment of cancer stems from the conventional perspective of cancer treatment that usually leads to unwanted complications or side effects. This factor is enough to alert you or develop defensive health life style skills that will help you manage your life and minimize risks to develop cancer inlife. The aggressive modalities of cancer treatment are enough to make you learn to know or consider how or why a malignancy develops. There is always need to create a mindset of how to prevent or possibly get rid of the malignancy at all costs in order to have life that is cancer free. Growing communities of health-conscious people recognize that this kind of mindset leads to tangible health results. This is the reason why I believe health conscious communities will usually contribute to the development of good health care system. The tool of awareness and sensitization is very crucial. Even cancer victims should strive to identify the factors that might have caused them to develop cancer so as to develop a peace of mind on possible steps to avoid recurrence after treatment. Back to my topic of interest; every body part is affected differently by cancer cells and this is why cancer studies are often broad-based. Many cancer screening tests are available in Rwanda. Majority of tests have been shown to find cancer at its early growth and helps patients get timely early treatment. Some screening procedures can be used to prevent growth of pre-cancerous lesions. For example tests like colonoscopy, sigmoidoscopy, and other high-sensitivity fecal occult blood tests are very crucial. They have all been shown to reduce deaths from colorectal cancer. Colonoscopy and sigmoidoscopy also help prevent colorectal cancer because they can detect abnormal colon growths (polyps) that can be removed before they develop into cancer. Though expert group studies recommend people to screen for colon cancer at the average age of 50-75 years, strong family history of colon polyps and other clinically related risk factors should also be a good guide for screening. I have seen quite a good number of young people in the western world with colon and rectum cancers. Pap test and human papillomavirus (HPV) test are used to reduce the incidence of cervical cancer because they allow abnormal cells to be identified and treated before they become cancer. These tests offer good screening for cervix cancer. These tests are generally recommended to begin at the age of 21 and to end at age 65 years as long as previous and recent results have been normal. The Alpha-fetoprotein blood test along with ultrasound of the liver helps for early detection of people at high risk to develop liver cancer. There are many other routine screening tests that help for early detection but with no preventive role. For example the trans-vaginal ultrasound can create pictures of a woman’s ovaries and the uterus. This test is sometimes used in women who are at increased risk of ovarian cancer or endometrial cancer. The CA-125 test often done together with a trans-vaginal ultrasound can be used to detect ovarian cancer early in life especially in women with an increased risk of the disease. Although this test can help in diagnosing ovarian cancer in women who have symptoms and can be used to evaluate the recurrence of cancer in women previously diagnosed with the disease, it has not been shown to be an effective ovarian cancer screening test.
