Understanding the Incidence of Certain Cancers, and Who Is Most at Risk
Cancer prevalence can be measured in different ways. For instance, the most common cancers among men may not be the most common cancers among women, and vice versa. Also, the types of cancer most often seen in America are not necessarily the cancers that most often affect the populations of other countries. In turn, determining which types of cancer are the biggest dangers for you will depend on a variety of variables, like where you live, your gender, your age and your individual habits.
Understanding the most common cancers in general, and those that relate more closely to your personal situation, can help to clarify the risks that you, your family and the wider community are facing. Here are the ten top offenders, according to recent statistics.
Breast Cancer
Breast cancer gets a lot of press, and for good reason: one in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer during their lifetime, making it one of the two most prevalent cancers for women (statistics suggest that breast cancer and lung cancer may switch spots in any given year). Breast cancer can either develop in the milk ducts or the breast lobules, and both types are more common after middle age. Lumps — whether painful or not — are the most common and clear sign of trouble, but since breast cancer can hide deep in the tissue, doctors recommend annual (or periodic) mammograms for women over 40.
Resources
World Cancer Research Fund International (Worldwide Data)National Cancer Institute (Common Cancer Types)Takepart (The 10 Most Common Types of Cancer in the United States)
Chronic lymphocytic leukemia is a type of cancer in which the bone marrow makes too many white blood cells, which do not function properly.
