The Top Five Cancer Types

Though it’s never a good time to learn that you or a loved one has been diagnosed with cancer, it’s a relief to know that many cancer types are now highly treatable, with remission rates higher than ever before.

Here, we’ll explore the top five cancer types as of 2007 according to the American Cancer Society:

Prostate Cancer

About 218,000 men each year are diagnosed with prostate cancer, one of the most common cancer types. Because its signs and symptoms are usually subtle (such as frequent urination, pain while urinating, or other genital-related discomfort), many men do not immediately as their doctors to check for this cancer type. However, with early detection, prostate cancer has an excellent recovery and treatment rate.

Breast Cancer

Breast cancer affects approximately 178,000 women annually and its symbol, the pink ribbon, is well-known throughout the States thanks to the social rallying of hundreds of thousands of victims and their families. The symptoms of breast cancer usually include breast tenderness, lumps in the breast, or hardening of the breast tissues. Consequently, prevention of these cancer types includes monthly breast self-exams (BSEs) to ward off any problems.

Lung and Bronchus Cancer

Over 200,000 males and females will get lung-related cancer, usually caused by first- or second-hand smoking. Obviously, the key to preventing cancer types that fall into this category is smoking cessation. For those who have already received a lung & bronchus cancer diagnosis, the treatment options vary depending upon the cancer staging; in severe cases, surgery or removal of part or all of a lung may be necessary.

Colon and Rectal Cancer

Colon and rectal cancer attack around 150,000 men and women; unfortunately, this is one of the cancer types that is often not caught in its earliest stages. Many sufferers of colon and rectal cancer “misread” the warning signs (such as blood in the stool, discomfort when having bowel movements, and similar pain in the colon area); additionally, they sometimes avoid telling doctors about their problems for fear of a colonoscopy (an excellent tool for discovering these cancer types early.)

Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma

The diagnosis rate of non-Hodgkin lymphoma is around 60,000 new cases each year. Fortunately, this type of cancer has a superior survival rate, hovering above 80% of all cases. Symptoms include swollen lymph nodes, night sweats, and unexplainable weight loss; once indicated, non-Hodgkin lymphoma is typically treated with chemotherapy.

No one likes learning they have cancer. Some forms of cancer are far more serious than others and are caused by situations that could be the fault of others. One such cancer is mesothelioma, which is caused by asbestos exposure. There's been an increase in mesothelioma law suits over the years from people that believe they wrongly developed mesothelioma due to improper asbestos removal. If you are living with cancer because of asbestos perhaps you should seek the advice of a specialized mesothelioma lawyer and see what your legal options are.