"Welcome to the March issue of Preventicum Enews"

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1 Contact us This month... Quit smoking Ovarian cancer Prostate cancer Did you know? Tip of the month Watch our movie Did you know? No other consumer product is as dangerous, or kills as many people as tobacco. When put into context, tobacco kills more people than AIDS, legal drugs, illegal drugs, road accidents, murder and suicide combined. Tip of the Month Smoking even one cigarette a day regularly gives you much of the risk from smoking and increases the risk of lung cancer and heart disease by around 25%. Cigarette smoke contains over 4,700 chemical compounds including 60 known carcinogens and it can take 3 days to clear these from the body. It is important not to be falsely "Welcome to the March issue of Preventicum Enews" Spring is definitely in the air as the clocks go forward at the end of this month and British Summer Time begins. If you made resolutions back in cold, dark January, did you stick to them? Perhaps spring is a better time to start afresh with a new exercise regime as the days grow longer, or improving your diet as summer holidays beckon! One major lifestyle change is to stop smoking, even if you only smoke occasionally or in social situations. Since 1984 The No Smoking Day Charity has helped 1.5 million smokers quit for good and their recent merger with the British Heart Foundation last year means their campaign is getting bigger. The health benefits are endless and we discuss this in our first article. Our next two articles discuss two gender-specific cancers; ovarian and prostate cancer. Worryingly, in a study conducted by Ovarian Cancer Action last year, 80% of women didn't know that ovarian cancer had symptoms. The UK has poor survival rates (7th in Europe) for high ovarian cancer incidence and mortality rates - mainly due to delay in diagnoses because of low symptom awareness. Similarly, only 1 in 10 adults knows what the prostate gland does, yet prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the UK. We need to equip ourselves with this knowledge and so I urge you to please forward this Enews to friends, family and colleagues because as with most diseases and illnesses, early detection is key. Dr Garry Savin, Medical Director

2 reassured by cutting down or switching to low tar brands - the goal should be to quit completely. Watch our Movie Testimonials "I was impressed with the friendly way in which the check-up was conducted. The firm recommendation of further action and prompt referral to a specialist by Dr Savin following the discovery of an abnormality in my prostate went far beyond advice received elsewhere and its implementation has proved to be lifesaving " Dr Roberts, Preventicum client Click here to read more of our testimonials Quit for good In an attempt to give up for life, many people will not smoke on National No Smoking Day which falls on Wednesday 14th March this year. No Smoking Day first became a registered charity in 1991 based on evidence that 3 in every 4 smokers wanted to give up and ever since has been successful in encouraging smokers to give up the bad habit. This year a new campaign called 'Take the Leap' (representing the leap year) speaks strongly to smokers to help them aspire to a smoke-free life. Giving up can be extremely tough - this is hardly surprising as nicotine is one of the most addictive substances in the world. In total, one million smokers attempt to give up smoking at least once a year and a significant percentage are initially successful. National Non-Smoking Day alone is directly responsible for 250,000 people that attempt to quit each year. Longer term success however is less common so it's important to use all the support there is available from GPs, friends and family. Our Medical Director, Dr Garry Savin, believes "quitting smoking is one of the most important things you can ever do to stay healthy" and he feels Wednesday 14th March is a great opportunity to join many others nationwide in the battle to try and give up. The bad habit increases a smoker's chances of developing cardiovascular diseases such as atherosclerosis, thrombosis and high blood pressure, as well as lung cancer and emphysema, and a range of other life-threatening cancers. The greatest thing about giving up is the health benefits are noticed almost straight away. Below are a few examples of how your body repairs itself - even if you have smoked for the majority of your life! 20 minutes: Blood pressure and pulse rate return to normal 8 hours: Oxygen levels return to normal and nicotine/carbon monoxide levels fall in the body 24 hours: The body is now carbon monoxide free and lungs start to clean themselves 48 hours: The body is rid of nicotine therefore taste and smell are noticeably improved. 72 hours: As the bronchials relax breathing becomes easier and, as a result, energy levels improve 2-12 weeks: Blood circulation around the body improves 3-9 months: Problems associated with coughing, wheezing and breathing start to improve as lung function increases by 10% 5 years: Risk of heart attack falls by 50% compared to that of someone who is still smoking 10 years: The risk of lung cancer is now halved and the risk of a

3 heart attack is now the same as a person who has never smoked! As previously mentioned, giving up can be very tough therefore below are some suggestions on how to stay positive: Make a plan and set yourself targets Inform close friends and family so they can help and support you If you are finding it tough, remind yourself of what you have achieved and all the hard work you have invested If you do lapse, don't despair, view it as a minor setback and persevere. For more information regarding No Smoking Day, please click here. Here at Preventicum, Dr Garry Savin is very passionate about encouraging his clients to give up smoking. If you are concerned about the state of your health click here for details on our range of Check-Ups or us. Spotlight on Ovarian Cancer March is Ovarian Cancer awareness month and as always, early detection is key; if found in the early stages up to 90% of women will survive for more than five years. Around 18 women a day are diagnosed with ovarian cancer in the UK and it is the 5th most common cancer in females in the UK. There is currently no proven screening tool for ovarian cancer which is why it is so important to know the symptoms and visit your GP if you experience them persistently, frequently or they are new to you. It is unlikely that they are caused by a serious problem but important for your GP to rule out ovarian cancer. Persistent pelvic and stomach pain Increased abdominal size/persistent bloating - not bloating that comes and goes. Difficulty eating and feeling full quickly Occasionally other symptoms such as urinary symptoms, changes in bowel habit, extreme fatigue or back pain may also be experienced on their own or at the same time as those listed above. For more information on ovarian cancer visit Ovarian Cancer Action. At Preventicum, our doctors will take a gynaecological history and check for symptoms of ovarian cancer followed by an ultrasound scan of the pelvic organs including the ovaries. 'Our passion is

4 prevention'. For more information about our Check-Ups, please call us on or alternatively us. Spotlight on Prostate Cancer March is also Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men with 1 man dying every from it every hour. The prostate glands main job is to make some of the fluid that carries sperm. The three most common problems are an enlarged prostate, inflammation or infection in the prostate, called prostatitis and prostate cancer. Symptoms to look out for which could be due to prostate disease include: Needing to urinate more often, especially at night - for example if you often need to go again after two hours Difficulty starting to pass urine Straining or taking a long time to finish urinating A weak flow of urine A feeling that your bladder has not emptied properly Needing to rush to the toilet - you may occasionally leak urine before you get there Dribbling urine Less common symptoms of a prostate problem include: Pain when passing urine Pain when ejaculating Blood in the urine or semen Please note that problems with passing urine could also be caused by another health problem such as diabetes. Problems with passing urine are common in older men and there are treatments for urinary symptoms and prostate problems. If you have any of the symptoms above, visit your GP. Please visit The Prostate Cancer Charity for more information.

5 At Preventicum specifically check for the signs and symptoms of prostate disease and include a urine test to check for infection, a blood test to check that your kidneys are working properly, a blood test in men over 50 called the PSA test, a digital rectal examination and ultrasound scans of your bladder and prostate. For details on our range of Check-Ups please click here or us. Preventicum Shepherds West Rockley Road London W14 0DA T: +44 (0) F: +44 (0) E: enews@preventicum.co.uk W: Send to a friend Click here to unsubscribe from this