Workplace Health Strategies
Cancer
Cancer is a disease in which cells in the body grow out of control. Cancer is always named for the part of the body where it starts, even if it spreads to other body parts later. There are screening tests available that check for certain cancers. A screening test is used to look for cancer before a person has any signs or symptoms of the disease. Screening can find cancer early when it is most treatable and sometimes can even prevent cancer by finding a precancerous lesion, which can be removed.
Breast Cancer
Not counting some kinds of skin cancer, breast cancer in the United States is the most common cancer diagnosed in women, regardless of your race or ethnicity. There are different kinds of breast cancer. The kind of breast cancer depends on which cells in the breast turn into cancer. Breast cancer can begin in different parts of the breast, like the ducts or the lobes.
Different people have different warning signs for breast cancer such as a lump, swelling, redness, pain, or nipple discharge. Some people do not have any signs or symptoms at all. A person may find out they have breast cancer after diagnostic tests following an abnormal routine mammogram.
Breast cancer screening means checking a woman’s breasts for cancer before there are signs or symptoms of the disease. Three main tests are used to screen the breasts for cancer.
Mammogram
How often—Every 1–2 years
A mammogram is an X-ray of the breast. Mammograms are the best method to detect breast cancer early when it is easier to treat and before it is big enough to feel or cause symptoms. A screening mammogram should be done every two years between the ages of 50–74. Women age 40–49 years should talk to their doctor about when to have a mammogram.
Clinical Breast Exam
A clinical breast exam is an examination by a doctor or nurse, who uses his or her hands to feel for lumps or other changes.
Breast Self-Awareness
Being familiar with how your breasts look and feel can help you notice symptoms such as lumps, pain, or changes in size that may be of concern. These could include changes found during a breast self-exam. You should report any changes that you notice to your doctor or health care provider.
Having a clinical breast exam or doing a breast self-exam has not been found to lower the risk of dying from breast cancer. The best way to find breast cancer is with a mammogram.
Risk Factors for Breast Cancer
- Getting older
- Being younger when you first had your menstrual period
- Starting menopause at a later age
- Being older at the birth of first child
- Never giving birth
- Not breastfeeding
- Personal history of breast cancer or some non-cancerous breast diseases
- Family history of breast cancer (mother, sister, daughter)
- Treatment with radiation therapy to the breast/chest
- Being overweight (increases risk for breast cancer after menopause)
- Long-term use of hormone replacement therapy (estrogen and progesterone combined)
- Having changes in the breast cancer-related genes BRCA1 or BRCA2
- Drinking alcohol (more than one drink a day)
- Not getting regular exercise
Cervical Cancer
When cancer starts in the cervix, it is called cervical cancer. The cervix is the lower, narrow end of the uterus. The cervix connects the vagina (birth canal) to the upper part of the uterus. Cervical cancer is the easiest female cancer to prevent, with regular screening tests and follow-up.
The Pap test and the HPV test can help prevent cervical cancer or find it early
Pap test
The Pap test (or Pap smear) looks for precancers, cell changes on the cervix that might become cervical cancer if they are not treated appropriately.
HPV
The HPV test looks for the virus (human papillomavirus) that can cause these cell changes.
When to Get Screened
If you are 21–29 years old
You should start getting Pap tests at age 21. If your Pap test result is normal, your doctor may tell you that you can wait three years until your next Pap test.
If you are 30–65 years old
Talk to your doctor about which testing option is right for you—
- Pat test only
- HPV test only
- HPV and Pap test
If you are 30–60 years old
Your doctor may tell you that you don’t need to be screened anymore if—
- You have had normal screening test results for several years, or
- You have had your cervix removed as part of a total hysterectomy for non-cancerous conditions, like fibroids
Risk Factors for Cervical Cancer
- Having human papillomavirus (HPV)
- Smoking
- Having HIV or another condition that makes it hard for the body to fight off health problems
- Using birth control pills for five or more years
- Having given birth to three or more children
- If everybody aged 50 or older had regular screening tests, as many as 60% of deaths from colorectal cancer could be prevented
- Cervical cancer used to be the leading cause of cancer death for women in the United States. However, in the past 40 years, the number of cases of cervical cancer and the number of deaths from cervical cancer have decreased significantly. This decline largely is the result of many women getting regular Pap tests, which can find cervical precancer before it turns into cancer
- Breast cancers found during screening are more likely to be smaller and still confined to the breast
Strategies to Increase Cancer Screening
- Promote cancer screening during appropriate awareness month i.e. breast-October; colorectal-March; cervical-January
- Inform employees about insurance coverage for cancer screening
- Hang informational posters about cancer screening in your workplace
- Bring in a speaker to discuss cancer screening
- Change your policy for health care coverage of cancer screening tests
Colorectal Cancer
Colorectal cancer is cancer of the colon or rectum. Of cancers affecting both men and women, colorectal cancer is the second leading cancer killer in the United States. The great news is that colorectal cancer screening saves lives. Screening can find precancerous polyps—abnormal growths in the colon or rectum—so that they can be removed before turning into cancer. Screening also helps find colorectal cancer at an early stage, when treatment often leads to a cure. About nine out of every 10 people whose colorectal cancer is found early and treated are still alive five years later.
Colorectal cancer screening is recommended for men and women who are 45 years of age and older. Some people may be at higher risk because of family history of colorectal cancer, bowel disease, or genetic disorders. These individuals should talk to their doctor about screening.
There are several screening tests that are recommended by the US Preventive Services Task Force to find polyps or colorectal cancer:
High Sensitivity Stool Tests (Fecal Immunochemical Tests)
How often—Once a year
These tests detect blood in the stool. The doctor gives you a test kit. At home, a stick or brush is used to obtain a small amount of stool. The test is returned to the doctor or a lab. If blood is found, more testing such as colonoscopy should be done.
Flexible Sigmoidoscopy
How often —Every 5 years
The doctor puts a short, thin, flexible, lighted tube into your rectum. The doctor checks for polyps or cancer inside the rectum and the lower part of the colon.
Colonoscopy
How often—Every 10 years
Similar to sigmoidoscopy but the doctor uses a longer, thin, flexible, lighted tube to check for polyps or cancer inside the rectum and the entire colon. During the test the doctor can find and remove most polyps and some cancers.
- Inflammatory bowel disease
- A personal or family history of colorectal cancer or colorectal polyps
- A genetic syndrome such as familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) or hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer(Lynch syndrome)
- Lack of regular physical activity
- Low fruit and vegetable intake
- A low-fiber and high-fat diet
- Overweight and obesity
- Alcohol consumption
- Tobacco use
Ultraviolet Radiation (UV)
Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States. Adults spend more than one-third of their day at the workplace and workers who spend a majority of that workday outdoors are at increased risk for skin cancer, including melanomas of the skin. There are three types of skin cancer including basal and squamous cell carcinomas, and melanoma. Basal and squamous cell carcinomas are the most common and highly curable types. Melanoma is the most serious form of skin cancer. As many as 90% of melanomas are estimated to be caused by exposure to UVR – the primary cause of skin cancer. The risk for skin cancer can be greatly reduced when certain precautions are practiced.
- Stay in the shade, especially during midday hours
- Wear clothing that covers your arms and legs
- Wear sunglasses that block both UVA and UVB rays
- Use sunscreen with SPF 15 or higher and both UVA and UVB protection
- Avoid indoor tanning
Early detection and prevention are the best way to protect skin from the sun and prevent skin cancer.
Encourage or require employees who are in outdoor labor occurring on sunny days—especially between 10:00 a.m.to 4 p.m.to:
- Work in shaded areas, when practical
- Wear sun-protective clothing that includes:
- Four-inch or more full-brimmed hats that, when worn, create a shadow that completely covers the head, face, nose, ears, and neck
- Long-sleeved shirts and full-length pants made of lightweight tightly woven fabric
- Wear sunglasses that protect from 100-percent UVA & UVB (full spectrum)
- Carry and use sunscreen and lip balm with a minimum SPF of 15
Organizations will assess personal protective equipment, including hats, to determine if and how they might be modified to better protect outdoor workers from over-exposure to UV rays.
Organizations will provide employees with personal sun protective equipment that includes sunscreen with an SPF of least 15, SPF 15 lip balm, sunglasses, sun protective work clothing (long-sleeves and long pants), and sun protective hats.
- Provide annual sun safety training for all employees encouraging them to practice sun safety while on the job
- Provide annual sun safety training for supervisors to (encourage, require)role modeling and reinforce use of sun-protective equipment for employees
Provides a framework to encourage and support UV protection and is designed to assist
organizations in creating sun protection guidelines for their worksite setting
Establishes a process for worksites to support all employees who are eligible for breast,
cervical, lung and colorectal cancer screening
Strategies for Thriving & Surviving Cancer
Better Choices, Better Health® SD Workshops
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