Food habits to reduce Cancer

The most important cause for the development of carcinoma oesophagus is consumption of alcohol and smoking for long time. This will irritate the oesophageal mucosa and initiate the development of food pipe cancer. Other important nutritional causes are deficient Vitamin A, C, E, Selenium, Carotinoids and fibres also leads to the development of food pipe cancer.

Consumption of hot beverages for long time also promotes the development of cancer of food pipe. Individuals with iron deficiency anaemia are also at risk of developing cancer.

Individual with occupation in printing, exposure to metal dust and asbestos are also at risk of food pipe cancer. Obesity and persistent gastro oesophageal reflux are also at high risk of food pipe cancer.

Individual with cancer of the food pipe will have sticking of food in the food pipe followed by difficulty in taking solid foods then liquids gradually.

Cancer of stomach is again one of the common cancers of south India. The important cause will be high salt consumption, low Vitamin A, C, D, E, Smoked food, lack of refrigeration, poor quality of drinking water, excessive cigarette smoking, rubber workers, coal workers and also Epstein Barr virus infection. Prior gastric surgery, pernicious anaemia and family history of stomach cancer also will have impact on the development of cancer of stomach.

Adenomatous polyps of the stomach are also important cause for gastric cancer.

Persistent cigarette smoking is also precursor for liver cancer. Exposure to thoro trast and aflatoxins from mushrooms are also at risk of developing cancer of the liver. There are lot of metabolic diseases like Haemochromatosis are also at risk of developing cirrhosis liver and liver cancer. The common presentations are abdominal pain, loss of appetite and indigestion. Sometime with jaundice, Vomiting and ascites. The usual screening tract is ultrasound abdomen and CT scan is more useful for the confirmation of the cancer, any patient with cirrhosis should have regular follow up with ultrasound abdominal also with serum Alfa fetoprotein.

The gall bladder and bile duct will get affected by cancer in case of presence of large stones for longer duration, presence of polyp of more than 10 mm, multiple polyps with stones and also persistence chronic infection like typhoid.

Presence of cancer in the bile duct manifest as jaundice, itching and lay coloured stools. The investigations are ultrasound scan and Magnetic Renosance Cholangio Pancreatography (MRCP).