Private Cancer Screening at The London General Practice
Here at The London General Practice, we have spoken to world renowned consultants and reviewed screening guidelines around the world. Most National guidelines are geared towards screening populations rather than individuals.
In these circumstances, cost and test validity become more important. The London General Practice therefore does not believe that the UK National guidelines for screening are entirely suitable for individual screening. We have, however, used them as a basis to formulate our own guidelines, which are also based on the advice of world renowned experts and the American Cancer Society screening guidelines.
Some cancers can be found early, before they have had a chance to grow and spread.
The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in many elective procedures being put on hold and this has led to a substantial decline in cancer screening.
Here at The London General Practice, we want to turn this tide and pick up early cancer when it can be satisfactorily treated or even prevent its existence.
What Can You do to Prevent Cancer?
Stop Smoking
Tobacco
Tobacco smoke is made up of thousands of chemicals, including at least 70 known to cause cancer. Some also cause heart disease, lung disease or other serious health problems. Most of the substances come from the burning tobacco leaves themselves, not from additives included in cigarettes or other tobacco products.
E-cigarettes and Vaping
E-cigarettes come in many shapes and sizes and usually include a battery that turns the device on, a heating element that heats the E-liquid and turns it into an aerosol of tiny particles, a cartridge or tank that holds the liquid, and a mouthpiece or opening used to inhale the aerosol.
They do not contain tobacco but many do contain nicotine which comes from tobacco. Vaping refers to the use of E-cigarettes but in fact, E-cigarettes produce an aerosol which is different from vapour. This, however, is inhaled into lungs.
Nicotine levels are not the same in all types of E-cigarettes and sometimes product labels do not list the true nicotine content. Some claim to be nicotine free, but in fact have been found to contain nicotine.
The Vapour
This term sounds in itself harmless but the aerosol that comes out of an E-cigarette is not water vapour and indeed can be harmful. This aerosol contains nicotine and other substances which are addictive and cause lung disease, heart disease and cancer.
Nicotine is known to harm the brain development of teenagers and if used during pregnancy can cause premature birth and low birth weight babies. Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death. Passive smoking as derived from others is also dangerous and harms the health of your friends and family.
Here at The London General Practice we can offer you a tailored programme to help you stop. This can involve the use of nicotine patches, medications and alternative therapies such as acupuncture or hypnotherapy.
What Are the Long Term Effects of E-cigarettes?
E-cigarettes are still fairly new and as such research is needed over a longer period of time to know what the long term effects might be.
It is therefore important to take on board that the effects of E-cigarettes are still unknown but all tobacco products including E-cigarettes can still pose a health risk.
In 2019 there were reports of serious lung disease in people using E-cigarettes or other vaping devices. These included:
1. Cough, trouble breathing or chest pain.
2. Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhoea.
3. Fatigue, fever or weight loss.
Some of these patients required hospitalisation and some people died from their illness.
Many of the illnesses which occurred in these people were reported by those using modified devices that contained THC, the mind altering chemical in marijuana as well as vitamin E acetate.
Stopping E-cigarette inhalation is difficult because it also contains nicotine and changing from one tobacco product to another containing nicotine still involves the physical, mental and emotional parts for sensation which are covered by nicotine addiction.
Research is still required in developing the best way to stop E-cigarette use. Daily users will find this difficult but, in many ways, it involves the same pathways for cessation of actual cigarette smoking.
Wellness and Nutrition
For those who do not smoke, the most important cancer risk factor that can be changed are body weight, diet and physical activity.
In the United States 18% of all cancers diagnosed are related to excess body weight, physical inactivity and excess alcohol consumption plus or minus poor nutrition. These are clearly areas which can be influenced and prevented.
So what do we recommend?
1. Stay at a healthy weight.
2. Stay active.
3. Eat a healthy diet.
In doing so, you can greatly reduce your lifetime risk of developing or dying from cancer. This will also lower your risk of developing heart disease and diabetes.
What does this mean in practice?
- Achieve and maintain a healthy weight throughout life
- Keep your weight within the healthy range and avoid weight gain in adult life.
- Keep physically active
- Adults should try for 150-300 minutes of moderate intensity or 75-150 minutes of vigorous intensity activity each week or a combination of these. If you can exceed the upper limit of 300 minutes per week, this is ideal
- Children and teens should get at least one hour of moderate or vigorous intensity activity each day.
- Limit sedentary behaviour such as sitting, lying down, watching TV and other screen based entertainment.
- Adults should try for 150-300 minutes of moderate intensity or 75-150 minutes of vigorous intensity activity each week or a combination of these. If you can exceed the upper limit of 300 minutes per week, this is ideal
- Follow a healthy eating pattern at all ages. A healthy eating pattern includes:
- Foods that are high in nutrients in amounts that will help you to get to and stay at a healthy body weight.
- A variety of vegetables – dark green/red/orange/fibre rich legumes, beans, peas and others.
- Fruits especially whole fruits in a variety of colours.
- Whole grains
- A healthy eating pattern limits or does not include
- Red and processed meats.
- Sugar sweetened beverages.
- Highly processed foods and refined grain products.
It is best to avoid alcohol.
People who choose to drink alcohol should have no more than one alcoholic drink a day for women or two drinks for men.
Being overweight or obese is clearly linked with an increased risk of several types of cancer, and these include:
- Breast cancer (amongst those women who have gone through the menopause)
- Colon and rectal cancer
- Endometrial cancer of the uterus
- Oesophageal cancer
- Kidney cancer
- Liver cancer
- Ovarian cancer
- Pancreatic cancer
- Stomach cancer
- Thyroid cancer
- Multiple myeloma
- Meningioma of the brain
Being overweight or obese might also raise the risk of other cancers, such as:
- Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
- Male breast cancer.
- Cancers of the mouth, throat, voice box.
- Aggressive forms of prostate cancer.
Clearly being overweight or obese is largely the result of taking in too many calories and not burning enough calories, although a person’s genetics and changes in their metabolism as they age can also be factors.
Some studies have shown a link between weight loss and a lower risk of some types of cancer, such as breast cancer after the menopause and endometrial cancer. The risk of some other cancers may also be lowered by weight loss.
Whilst there is still much to be learned about this area, people who are overweight or obese must be encouraged to lose weight.