National Cancer Support Foundation

MAY IS SKIN CANCER & MELANOMA AWARENESS MONTH

Take a moment to protect your skin and your health:
✔️ Wear sunscreen daily (SPF 30 or higher)
✔️ Seek shade during peak sun hours
✔️ Wear protective clothing, hats, and sunglasses
✔️ Avoid tanning beds
✔️ Perform regular skin self-checks

Early detection saves lives. If you notice any changes in your skin, new moles, growths, or spots that look different—don’t wait. Schedule a check with a healthcare professional.

Thank you.

The National Cancer Support Foundation Team
www.nationalcsf.org
A 501(c)(3) Charitable Foundation

For informational purposes only. If you have any symptoms, please contact your health care provider for diagnosis and treatment.

MARCH is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month

Early Signs & Symptoms: Often asymptomatic in early stages, but symptoms include diarrhea/constipation, blood in stool, persistent abdominal cramping, unexplained weight loss, and fatigue.
Risk Factors: Age (especially over 50), family history, smoking, heavy alcohol use, and chronic bowel diseases like Crohn's or ulcerative colitis.

Prevention & Screening: Regular screenings (colonoscopy) can detect and remove precancerous polyps. Lifestyle adjustments, such as maintaining a healthy weight, regular exercise, and limiting red/processed meats, can reduce risk.

Stages: The cancer progresses through stages, with 5-year survival rates ranging from ~91% for early (Stage I/II) to 13% for advanced (Stage IV).

Treatment: Primary treatment is surgery, often combined with chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and targeted therapies.

When to See a Doctor:
Symptoms lasting longer than two weeks, particularly blood in the stool, unexplained weight loss, or persistent changes in bowel habits, warrant a medical consultation.

Thank you.

The National Cancer Support Foundation Team
www.nationalcsf.org
A 501(c)(3) Charitable Foundation

For informational purposes only. If you have any symptoms, please contact your health care provider for diagnosis and treatment.

February is National Gallbladder / Bile Duct Cancer Awareness Month!

Gallbladder cancer is a rare, aggressive malignancy of the bile-producing organ often diagnosed in late stages, resulting in a poor prognosis. Frequently, it causes no early symptoms, or mimics gallstones with upper-right abdominal pain, jaundice, nausea, and fever. It predominantly affects women and older adults (60+). Treatment typically involves surgery, often with chemotherapy or radiation, particularly if found early, although it frequently recurs.

Symptoms of Gallbladder Cancer:
Symptoms are often vague or absent in early stages, making early detection difficult. When symptoms do appear, they can include:
Abdominal Pain: Pain in the upper right side of the belly.
Jaundice: Yellowing of the skin, eyes, or gums.
Nausea/Vomiting: Feeling sick or throwing up.
Other: Fever, loss of appetite, unintended weight loss, and a lump in the abdomen.

Stages of Gallbladder Cancer:
Staging determines how far the cancer has spread from the inner layer of the gallbladder wall.
Stage 0-II: Early stages where cancer is confined to the gallbladder.
Stage III-IV: Advanced stages where cancer has spread to nearby organs (like the liver), lymph nodes, or distant parts of the body.
Prognosis for Gallbladder Cancer
The prognosis is often poor, with a 5-year survival rate of approximately 19% in the U.S.. The outlook depends on the stage, with early-stage cases (if found incidentally during surgery for other reasons) having a better prognosis than those diagnosed at advanced stages.

Risk Factors for Gallbladder Cancer:
Conditions that cause long-term inflammation of the gallbladder increase risk.
Gallstones: A primary risk factor, often causing chronic irritation.
Gallbladder Polyps: Tissue growths on the gallbladder wall.
Chronic Infections: Infections like Salmonella or Helicobacter pylori.
Age and Gender: More common in people over 60 and in women.
Other: Obesity, primary sclerosing cholangitis, and porcelain gallbladder.

How Gallbladder Cancer is Diagnosed:
Because it is rare and lacks early symptoms, it is often found during tests for other, benign issues like gallstones. Diagnostic tools include:

Imaging Tests: Ultrasound, CT scans, and MRI/MRCP to visualize the gallbladder and surroundings.
Blood Tests: To check for jaundice and liver function.
Biopsy: Taking a tissue sample, often done during surgery.

Treatment options include:
Surgery: A radical cholecystectomy, which involves removing the gallbladder and nearby lymph nodes, is the primary treatment for early-stage cases.

Chemotherapy and Radiation: Used for advanced, unresectable, or metastatic cases.

Bile duct cancer, or cholangiocarcinoma, is a rare cancer where malignant cells form in the bile ducts connecting the liver, gallbladder, and small intestine, often presenting with jaundice, abdominal pain, dark urine, and weight loss, and is diagnosed via imaging and history; treatment typically involves surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation, with risk factors including chronic liver disease, bile duct problems from birth, liver parasites, and smoking.

Symptoms:
Jaundice (yellow skin/eyes)
Itchy skin
Abdominal pain (often right upper side)
Dark urine
Pale, greasy, or floating stools
Fever
Nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite
Unexplained weight loss
Risk Factors & Causes
Chronic liver diseases: Like primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC).
Bile duct conditions: Cysts present from birth (choledochal cysts).
Parasites: Liver fluke infections common in Southeast Asia.
Lifestyle: Smoking, diabetes.
Genetics: Acquired gene mutations (e.g., TP53, KRAS).

Diagnosis & Treatment:
Diagnosis: Imaging (CT, MRI, ultrasound), blood tests, physical exam.
Treatment: Often a combination of surgery (to remove tumor), radiation, and chemotherapy. Stents are used to keep blocked ducts open.

Thank you.

The National Cancer Support Foundation Team
www.nationalcsf.org
A 501(c)(3) Charitable Foundation

For informational purposes only. If you have any symptoms, please contact your health care provider for diagnosis and treatment.