NOVEMBER IS FOR LUNG CANCER AWARENESS

Lung Cancer Awareness

Lung cancer may not cause any symptoms, especially in the early stages of disease.

Therefore, it may first be detected on X-rays, CT scans, or other kinds of tests being done to check on another condition.

The following signs and symptoms of lung cancer may also be caused by many other conditions and are not specific to lung cancer.

Talk to your doctor if you have any of the following:

Coughing symptoms

  • A cough that gets worse or does not go away
  • Coughing up blood

Chest symptoms

  • Breathing trouble, such as shortness of breath
  • New wheezing when you breathe
  • Ache or pain in your chest, upper back, or shoulder that doesn’t go away and may get worse with deep breathing
  • A hoarse voice
  • Frequent respiratory tract infections, such as pneumonia or bronchitis

General physical symptoms

  • Feeling unusually tired all the time
  • Weight loss with no known cause and loss of appetite
  • Trouble swallowing
  • Swelling in the face and/or veins in the neck

Lung cancer that spreads may cause other symptoms, like pain in the back or other bones or weakness in the arms or legs. If it spreads to the brain, it may cause headaches, seizures, or vision changes.

Did you know?

  • Over 2.2 million people worldwide will get lung cancer annually
  • Lung cancer kills more people each year than any other cancer
  • Lung cancer screening saves lives
  • More research = more treatments = better outcomes

Cutting-Edge research helps us attack lung cancer head on

NFCR-funded scientists are working around-the-clock on projects that can help us attack lung cancer. For example, in July, the FDA approved the drug Iressa® as front-line treatment for patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The approval is extended to only those patients whose tumors contain specific mutations, which were originally identified by NFCR scientist Dr. Daniel Haber.

Also, thanks to NFCR-funded research by Dr. Alice Shaw, a new and better way to treat resistant cancers is emerging. By successfully identifying drug combinations that halted the growth of resistant cells in tumor models, her research will hopefully lead to the development of effective therapeutic strategies for patients with ALK-positive NSCLC (mutations in the ALK gene), which could be clinically tested within one to two years.

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Your Health and Safety Matters!

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What Are the Symptoms of Breast Cancer?

Anyone who experiences symptoms of breast cancer should visit their primary care physician right away. Behind skin cancer, breast cancer is the second most common form of cancer in women. It’s estimated that one in eight women in the U.S. will develop breast cancer at some point in their lives. Fortunately, survival rates are climbing. The most important factor in surviving breast cancer is catching it early, which is why October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

The Symptoms of Breast Cancer

Understanding the symptoms associated with breast cancer is vital to catch it in time. By doing self-checks and getting regular screenings, you may be able to identify breast cancer in its initial stages, making it easier to treat and survive. With that in mind, the following are some of the common symptoms of breast cancer:

  • A lump that has formed near the breast or the underarm.
  • A lump that can be as small as a pea on the breast.
  • The skin around the breast or nipple turns a reddish color.
  • The skin on the breast or nipple becomes inflamed, scaly, puckered, or dimpled.
  • An area under the skin of the breast becomes hardened.
  • An area of the breast becomes different in color, texture, or feel than the rest of the breast.
  • There’s a discharge from the nipple that’s either clear or blood-stained.

Facts About Breast Cancer

The following are a few breast cancer facts you should know:

  • When breast cancer is diagnosed in the localized stage (beginning stage), there is a 5-year survival rate of 99%.
  • 63% of all breast cancer cases in the U.S. are identified during the localized stage.
  • There are more than 3.8 million U.S. breast cancer survivors.
  • A woman is diagnosed with breast cancer an average of every two minutes in the U.S.

Schedule a Breast Cancer Screening Today

If you notice any potential symptoms of breast cancer, then make sure to schedule an appointment with your doctor in California as soon as possible. For more information about breast cancer awareness or about cancer in general, be sure to visit us at The Benefits Store today.

Talking With Your Child About Cybersecurity

As our dependence on the Internet has grown, so have the cybersecurity risks that come along with such dependence. California businesses, government institutions, schools, and, of course, people, all depend on the Internet as a resource for information and an avenue of communication. It’s so omnipresent in our everyday lives at this point that children have grown accustomed to using it at a very early age.

To help raise awareness on how to avoid online security risks, October was designated as National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, making this a good time to talk to your children about safe online practices.

General Cybersecurity Tips

The following are a few tips on how to avoid becoming a victim of a cyber attack (which can lead to the theft of personal data and more):

  • Download software updates as soon as they are available. These updates often provide security patches that address security vulnerabilities found in the software.
  • Do not open emails or attachments that are unsolicited from addresses you do not recognize.
  • If you receive an unsolicited email or text asking for any personal information, be very wary. There’s a good chance it’s a scam.
  • If you’re buying something online, make sure the website is legitimate. It should have an “HTTPS” address instead of an “HTTP” address.
  • Don’t use the same password for everything and be sure to update your passwords routinely. Use a two-factor authentication process when possible.

Teaching Your Children How to Safely Use the Internet

Children use the Internet for everything from schoolwork to gaming to communicating with their friends. As such, it’s important that you sit down with your children and speak to them about online safety. The following are a few tips for doing so:

  • Make sure that your kids use strong passwords.
  • Make sure they understand how important it is to download updates.
  • Set limits and boundaries concerning the sites that they go to.
  • Warn them about opening anything that they don’t recognize.
  • Teach them that nothing they post online is anonymous.
  • Ask them to let you know if they are cyberbullied at any time.

Use these tips to talk to your kids about cybersecurity. For more safety awareness tips, visit us at The Benefits Store today.

Home Eye Safety Awareness

Because more eye injuries occur in and around the home, Prevent Blindness America has declared October as Home Eye Safety Awareness Month to help educate the public on steps that can be taken to avoid painful and costly injuries. Find information for your patients on the organization’s dedicated Web page: PreventBlindness.org/eye-safety-home.

Each year in the United States, more than 2.5 million eye injuries occur, and 50,000 people permanently lose part or all of their vision, according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology. A recent report from Prevent Blindness America shows that the annual costs related to eye injuries are more than $1.3 billion.

Eye injuries can occur from a variety of common sources, such as flying debris from lawn mowers or trimmers or splashes from household cleaners, paints, or solvents. Prevent Blindness America urges everyone to wear protective eyewear approved by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) when performing household activities. The eyewear should have the “Z-87” logo stamped on the frames.

Knowing what to do for an eye emergency can save valuable time and possibly prevent vision loss. Prevent Blindness America offers a free First Aid for Eye Emergencies sticker in both English and Spanish that can be placed on the inside of a medicine cabinet.

Basic eye injury first aid instructions

Chemical burns

  • Immediately flush the eye with water or any other drinkable liquid. Hold the eye under a faucet or shower, or pour water into the eye using a clean container. Keep the eye open and as wide as possible while flushing. Continue flushing for at least 15 minutes.
  • DO NOT use an eyecup. DO NOT bandage the eye.
  • If a contact lens is in the eye, begin flushing over the lens immediately. This may wash away the lens.
  • Seek immediate medical treatment after flushing.

Specks in the eye

  • DO NOT rub the eye.
  • Allow tears wash the speck out or use an eyewash.
  • Try lifting the upper eyelid outward and down over the lower lid.
  • If the speck does not wash out, keep the eye closed, bandage it lightly, and see a doctor.

Blows to the eye

  • Apply a cold compress without putting pressure on the eye. Crushed ice in a plastic bag can be taped to the forehead to rest gently on the injured eye.
  • In cases of pain, reduced vision, or discoloration (black eye), seek emergency medical care. Any of these symptoms could mean internal eye damage.

Cuts and punctures

  • DO NOT wash out the eye with water or any other liquid.
  • DO NOT try to remove an object that is stuck in the eye.
  • Cover the eye with a rigid shield without applying pressure. The bottom half of a paper cup can be used.
  • See a doctor at once.
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Your Health and Safety Matters!

Contact The Benefits Store today for you and your families insurance needs today!

What Is Good Oral Health?

good oral health

Good oral health is critical to preventing all sorts of health issues in the future that can be both expensive and painful. It’s why the ADHA (American Dental Hygienists Association) designated the month of October as National Dental Hygiene Month. The following is a brief overview of the importance of oral preventative maintenance and a few tips on how to maintain your health.

The Importance of Oral Health

Studies show that people in California – and the United States as a whole – don’t take good enough care of their teeth. An estimated 25% of adults in the United States have cavities that need to be treated, while almost 50% of United States adults 30 and over have signs of gum disease. 

When issues like these are left untreated, they can result in tooth loss, infection, and chronic disease. It’s important to mention that your oral health can also be linked to things like diabetes and heart disease. These oral issues can be avoided with preventative maintenance.

Oral Health Maintenance Tips

An estimated 40% of children experience tooth decay by the time they turn five. It’s crucial that you teach children good oral habits that they should practice every day. The following are a few tips to share with your children and which you should follow yourself:

  • Brush your teeth more – As simple as this is, many people don’t brush enough. You should brush your teeth two times a day for at least two minutes each time.
  • Brush your teeth properly – You should use your brush at a 45-degree angle for maximum coverage. Be gentle when moving the toothbrush and cover every surface of your teeth. Don’t forget to brush your tongue as well.
  • Floss every day – Flossing helps ensure that you remove food particles stuck between your teeth. Doing so daily can help remove plaque, thereby preventing gum disease and cavities.
  • Rinse with mouthwash – Mouthwash helps kill bad bacteria in areas that your brush couldn’t reach or cover.

Maintain Your Oral Health

You can prevent cavities, disease, and other issues via preventative oral maintenance. For more health advice, be sure to visit us at The Benefits Store in California.