Risk Factors, Signs or Symptoms, and Testing for Cancers
Below are some of the more common cancers that can affect a young adult either early in life (with being diagnosed with one of these) or later in life through lifestyle choices made when one was younger. So looking at these risk factors, signs/symptoms, as well as performing tests when appropriate can help a person reduce their risk or discover the cancer early.
Breast Cancer
Visit this webpage: https://www.nationalbreastcancer.org/what-is-breast-cancer/
Scroll down on the page for a link to risk factors.
Use the menu to the left, under Early Detection, to find signs/symptoms and a separate link for Breast Self Exams
Testicular Cancer
Visit this webpage: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/testicular-cancer-care/symptoms-causes/syc-20352986
Notice the Risk Factor section... especially a risk factor that most men in WELL 175 can fall under
And visit this webpage to learn about Testicular Self Exams: https://www.testicularcancerawarenessfoundation.org/self-exam
Skin Cancer
Information on the types of skin cancers (including the most serious type) can be found on this website: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/skin-cancer/symptoms-causes/syc-20377605
And information on the signs or characteristics of a specific skin cancer can be found on this webpage: https://www.skincancer.org/skin-cancer-information/melanoma/melanoma-warning-signs-and-images/
To help prevent this cancer, sunscreen use is key for most people. But what type of sunscreen works best. Watch this video for a good demonstration:
Colon and Rectal Cancer
For these two cancers (which are quite related to each other, visit this website: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/colon-cancer/symptoms-causes/syc-20353669
Notice several of the risk factors that a young individual (such as a college-aged student) can choose to engage in that could lead to this type of cancer.
And some of you may know a young actor who died from Colon Cancer. Many CHRONIC diseases do not wait for old age: https://www.cnn.com/2020/08/29/health/colon-cancer-cases-growing-younger-people/index.html
Cervical Cancer
For this cancer, visit this webpage and take note of the risk factors: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/cervical-cancer/symptoms-causes/syc-20352501
Then please understand how a person can reduce their risk of cervical cancer.