Cancer
Detect Cancer As Early As Possible!
Cancer is one of the world's most fatal diseases. It has
a high fatality rate in which few victims can live a normal
life again. Most of the victims die within months or years
of
contracting cancer.
Cancer occurs happens when bad cells produced by genetic
mutation grow rapidly in the human body. These cells usually
attack the nearby tissues, or migrate to other healthy parts
of the body. In either way, the effect is just fatal. They
ruin healthy cells and vital organs, and produce tumors which
can be life-threatening.
There are more than hundreds types of cancers which afflict
human beings. These are named after the cells which cause
cancer. The cancer which originates in epithelial
cells like the digestive tract or glands is known as carcinoma;
the cancer that is caused by rogue cells in blood or bone
marrow is known as leukemia or lymphoma where as the cancer
which arises in connective tissues, bone or muscle is known
as sarcoma.
One of the most general causes of cancer is smoking. It is
responsible for almost 30 per cent of cancer deaths in the
US and another 30 percent of cancer deaths in North America
occur due to unbalanced or improper diet, especially from
eating saturated fats contained in the red meat.
Ultraviolet radiation is another cause of cancer and it is
usually resulted from excessive exposure to sun's rays and
accounts for approximately 2 per cent of cancer deaths in
the US. Cancer can also be caused by some viruses that can
trigger mutations.
The key to cancer treatment is early detection. Doctors claim
that patients who suffer from unusual lumps or swelling, hemorrhage
or ulceration must get screened for cancer. The other symptoms
include enlarged lymph nodes, bone pain, weight loss, falling
appetite, excessive sweating at night and etc.
Sadly, most of these symptoms can also be caused by other
physiological problems and this is the reason why cancer is
detected late in most of the cases. There are definitely lucky
few who are diagnosed early and hope to be fully cured.
Biopsy is the only method to determine a patient is suffering
from cancer. It involves removing rogue cells, and surrendering
them to pathological inspection. Some of
the biopsies such as for skin cancer, can be performed without
much pain, however, there are some biopsies like that for
bone or liver cancer have to be carried out under anesthesia.
Generally, the common ways to treat cancer include surgery,
radiation, immunotherapy and chemotherapy. Surgery is usually
carried out when the tumor is localized. The object is to
remove all the rogue cells so that they do not spread any
further. Even one rogue cell left in the body can lead to
a recurrence of cancer. Surgery is usually meant for breast
or prostate cancer, especially if they are detected reasonably
early.
Chemotherapy has been used to destroy cancerous cells by
giving anti-cancer drugs. These drugs can stop bad cells from
growing, but they also prevent normal cells from regenerating.
Immunotherapy is used when doctors feel that they can stimulate
the patient's immune system again to check the spread of cancer.
Radiotherapy is another way to wipe out cancer cells. However,
the radiation which destroys cancer cells also destroys healthy
cells around the tumor and this is why it has to be given
in small doses, and by trained staff.
The researchers are yet to come up with a drug which can
completely treat cancer. Cancer will remain one of the most
deadly diseases known to mankind until a cure is invented.
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