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An Overview of Cancer for the Allied Health Care Professional:

A Global Public Health Perspective

Maria L. WeyHM215-01AU

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FACT:

Cancer is Considered a Major Global Health Problem.

(Holtz, 2008).

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Since Cancer is a Major Global Health Problem this Increases the Demand for

Allied Health Care Workers.e.g.

• Cardiovascular Tech • Chemotherapy Technician • Cytotechnologist• Dialysis Technician • EKG Technician • Emergency Medical Tech (EMT) • Medical Assistant• Medical Lab Tech (MLT) • Pharmacy Tech • Phlebotomist • Radiation Therapist• Radiology Tech / X-Ray Tech • Surgical Tech • Ultrasound Technician (Sonographer)

(www.healthcareers.about.com, 2009, para 7).

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The Definition of Cancer

The World Health Organization (WHO) website (2009), states: Cancer is a term for a large group of diseases that can affect

any part of the body. Other terms used are malignant tumors and neoplasms. One defining feature of cancer is the rapid creation of abnormal cells that grow beyond their usual boundaries, and which can then invade adjoining parts of the body and spread to other organs. This process is referred to as metastasis. Metastases are the major cause of death from cancer

(¶ 1).

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The Global Burden of Cancer

• Leading Cause of Death Worldwide. • Caused 7.4 million deaths (around 13% of all deaths) in 2004. • Lung, stomach, colorectal, liver, and breast cancer cause the

most cancer deaths each year.

More than 70% of all cancer deaths occurred in low- and middle-income countries. Deaths from cancer worldwide are projected to continue rising, with an estimated 12 million deaths in 2030 (www.who.int, 2009, para 1).

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Risks of Developing Cancer

• The risk of developing cancer in one’s lifetime is more than one in three; as a result, each of us is likely to experience cancer or know someone who has survived cancer.

• More than 10 million people in the United States are living with a history of cancer, with this number representing a tripling of the number of survivors since 1971.

• Cancer survivors constitute 3.5% of the US population, and 65% of cancer survivors are expected to live at least 5 years after diagnosis (Holtz, 2008).

The Main Types of Cancer Leading to Global Cancer Mortality Each Year:

• Lung (1.3 million deaths/year) • Stomach (803,000 deaths) • Colorectal (639,000 deaths) • Liver (610,000,deaths) • Breast (519,000 deaths)

(www.who.int, 2009, para 3).

- 1,000,000.00 2,000,000.00 3,000,000.00 4,000,000.00 5,000,000.00

Series 1

Series 1

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Key Risk Factors for Cancer: • Tobacco Use - Responsible for 1.8 million cancer deaths per

year (60% of these deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries).

• Being Overweight, Obese or Physically Inactive - Responsible for 274,000 cancer deaths per year.

• Harmful Alcohol Use - Responsible for 351,000 cancer deaths per year.

• Sexually Transmitted Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) infection - Responsible for 235,000 cancer deaths per year.

• Occupational Carcinogens - Responsible for at least 152,000 cancer deaths per year (Holtz, 2008).

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Key Risk Factors for Cancer: - Con.

• Viruses - hepatitis B and liver cancer, Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) and cervical cancer, and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and Kaposi sarcoma.

• Bacteria - Helicobacter pylori and stomach cancer. • Parasites - schistosomiasis and bladder cancer. • Aging - fundamental factor for the development of

cancer. The incidence of cancer rises dramatically with age, most likely due to a buildup of risks for specific cancers that increase with age (Holtz, 2008).

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Economic and Social Costs of Cancer:

• An estimated overall annual cost of cancer in 2006 was said to be $206.3 billion.

All of These Costs are Likely to Increase From:

• The anticipated growth and aging of the United States population.

• Lack of health insurance and other cost barriers prevent many Americans each year from receiving optimal health care.

• Almost 1 million U.S. citizens (6% of the population) are unable to obtain needed medical care due to cost (Holtz, 2008).

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Demand for Prevention Implementation: With global cancer and health insurance rates both rising, this

means more outreach programs for cancer prevention measures:

. Reducing Tobacco Use and Exposure to Secondhand Smoke.. Maintaining Optimal Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Body

Weight.

. Minimizing Exposure to Infectious Disease Agents.

. Minimizing Exposure to Infectious Toxic Environmental. Agents.

. Early Detection, Screening, and Education (Holtz, 2008).

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In Conclusion: Since Cancer is a Major Global Health Problem

this Increases the Demand for Allied Health Care Workers.

The Allied Health Care Professional is an Important Part of the Solution to this Serious Problem Because they:

• Work in both inpatient and outpatient settings. • Spend many hours each day in service to cancer patients.• Have an invaluable and in-depth knowledge of the everyday problems and needs of cancer patients and their families.

Some of the main areas of cancer health care include:

1) Palliative Care, 2) End-of-Life Care and 3) Survivorship

(Holtz, C. 2008).

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Prevention Implementation + Allied Health Care Worker

= Hope for a Healthier World Tomorrow!

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References

• Cancer: definition. (2009). Retrieved August 8, 2009 from http://www.who.int/topics/career/en/

• Cancer: global burden of cancer. (2009). Retrieved August 8, 2009 from http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs297/en/index.html

• Cancer: What causes cancer. (2009). Retrieved August 8, 2009 from http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs297/en/index.html

• Holtz, C. (2008). Global health in developed societies. Boston, MA: Jones and Bartlett Publishers

• Santiago, A. (2009). Allied health professions career profile: What to expect in allied health. Retrieved August 10, 2009 from http://healthcareers.about.com/od/healthcareerprofiles/p/ AlliedHealth.htm