Cancer - known medically as Malignant Neoplasm, is a broad group of various diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncrotrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the body through lymphatic system or bloodstream. Not all tumors are cancerous. Benign tumors do not grow uncontrollably, do not invade neighbouring tissues, and do not spread throughout the body. Their are over 200 different known cancers that afflict humans.
Many things are known to increase the risk of cancer, including tobacco use, certain infections, radiation, lack of physical activity, obesity and environmental pollution. These can directly damage genes or combine with existing genetic faults within cells to cause the disease. Approximately 5 to 10 percent of cancers are entirely hereditary.
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS
Since prevention is the most important cancer fighting tools, it is important that cancer be detected as soon as possible before it spreads.
The following are the symptoms that may occur in specific type of cancers:
Bladder cancer - blood in the urine, pain or burning upon urination, frequent urine or cloudy urine.
Bone cancer - pain in the bone or swelling around the infected site; fractures in bones; weakness fatigue; weight loss; repeated infections; nausea; vomiting; constipation; problems with urination; weakness or numbness in the legs.
Brain cancer- dizziness; drowsiness; abnormal eye movements or change in visions; weakness; loss of feeling in arms or legs or difficulty in walking; fits or convulsions; changes in memory or speech; headaches that tend to be worse in the morning and tend to ease in during the day; may be followed by nausea or vomiting.
Cororectal cancer - rectal bleeding; abdominal cramps; constipation alternating with diarrhea; weight loss; loss of appetite; weakness; pallid complexion.
Kidney cancer- blood in urine; dull ache or pain in the back or side; lump in kidney area; sometimes accompanied by high blood pressure or abnormality in reb blood count.
Leukemia- weakness; paleness; flu like symptoms; bruising and prolonged bleeding; enlarged lymph nodes, liver, spleen; pain in bones and joints; frequent infections; weight loss; night sweat.
Oral cancer- a lump in the mouth; ulceration of the lip or tongue that does not heal for over a week; dentures that no longer fit well; oral pain; bleeding; foul breath; loose teeth and change in speech.
TREATMENT OF CANCER
Once the stage of prevention is lost, treatment is the last hope for cancer patients. Advancement in medical sciences has lighted the hope for treatment of cancer. There are four standard method of treatment for cancer; surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, immunotherapy and biologic therapy.
Methods of treatment for cancer
SURGERY- Surgery can be used to prevent, treat, stage (determine how advanced the cancer is) and diagnose cancer. In relation to cancer treatment, surgery is done to remove tumors or as much of the cancerous tissue as possible. It is often performed in conjuction with chemotherapy or radiation therapy.
Chemotherapy - chemotherapy is a type of cancer treatment that makes use of drugs to eliminate cancer cells. Unlike surgery, chemotherapy affects the entire body, not just a specific part. It works by targeting rapidly multiplying cancer cells. Unfortunately, other types of cells in our body also multiply at high rates.
Radiation therapy - radiation therapy uses certain type of energy to shrink tumors or eliminate cancer cells. It works by damaging a cancer cell DNA, making it unable to multiply. Cancer cells are highly sensitive to radiation and typically die when treated.
Radiation therapy can be given alone, along with chemotherapy, and/or with surgery.
Biologic or targeted therapy - biologic therapy is a term for drugs that target characteristics of cancerous tumors. Some types of targeted therapies work by blocking the biological processes of tumors that allow tumors to thrive and grow. Other types of therapies cut off the blood supply to the tumor, causing it to basically starve and die because of lack of blood.