More than one million people in the United Sates get cancer each year. It is very common to know someone close to you who has been affected by cancer in some way. Cancer is a term used for diseases in which abnormal cells divide without control and invade other tissues. Cancer is not just one disease but many and there are more than 100 types of cancer. Cancer cells can spread to other parts of the body through the blood and lymph systems.
Cancer is a disease that can affect anyone, but there are risk factors to be aware of. Due to the nature of this disease, screening and education are so important for all people, no matter what. In terms of race, African-American men have the highest incidence of cancer and white women have the highest risk. The most common types of cancer in all men are prostate, lung and colorectal. In females, the most common types are breast, lung and colorectal. While it is hard to determine who, when and where- there are risk factors that you can control. These include your use of alcohol, tobacco, exposure to sunlight and radiation, what you are putting in your body in terms of diet and your weight. While you cannot control your genes and the fact that your body will age, you can make sure that you treat your body in a way that lowers your risk factors for this disease. An average of 535 invasive cancer cases and 238 deaths occur among Allen County residents each year.
St. Rita’s Regional Cancer Center
803 W. Market St.
Lima, OH 45805
419-996-5063
Lima Memorial Health System
1001 Bellefontaine Ave.
Lima, OH 45801
419-228-3335
Women’s Preventive Healthcare Project
300 S. Elizabeth St.
Lima, OH 45801
419-224-4500
Cancer Care of West Central Ohio
2740 W. Market St.
Lima, OH 45801
419-221-2273
The Gerad Center for Cancer Treatment
803 W. Market St. Suite 200
Lima, OH 45805
419-222-3737
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – www.cdc.gov/cancer
American Cancer Society – www.cancer.org
National Cancer Institute – www.cancer.gov
Cancer Treatment Centers of America – www.cancercenter.com