Cancer
One of the deadliest diseases of the human body is cancer. Cancer is any type
of disease that is caused by out of control cell growth. The abnormal cells divide
and multiply and make tumors. These cells can spread throughout the body slowly
destroying the person's good cells and tissues, which causes the person to become
sick with the disease.
There are several diseases which are called cancer, and some are treatable and
curable, though others are much more dangerous and can result in death.
Approximately 40% of all humans will be diagnosed with some type of cancer
during their lifetimes.
When cancer starts, it begins when the genes in a cell that controls cell growth
are somehow changed or dangerously mutated. Many of these mutations must
occur in the cells of a person's body before it becomes cancerous. Often the cell
can regulate itself and get rid of the mutation, killing off the bad cell. However, if it
cannot rid itself of the mutation, the cells will grow uncontrollably.
There are more than 200 types of cancer. Most often, a cancer is named after
the location in the body where the cancer first began. For example, if it began in
the lungs it would be called lung cancer, which is mostly caused by smoking. Within
each location are different names of cancers as well. For the lungs, the scientific
names for two types include well differentiated squamous cell carcinoma of the
lung and small cell carcinoma of the lung.
Other common forms of cancer include breast cancer which is more common in
women than in men. This forms in the tubes and glands that carry and make milk.
Colon cancer is a cancer in the large intestine where the colon is
located. Leukemia is a type of cancer that is related to the blood, and begins in
the bone marrow where blood is produced. Lymphoma is a cancer of the white
blood cells which affects the immune system. Melanoma is cancer of the skin
often caused by exposure too much exposure to the Sun. Two other common
cancers are pancreatic and prostate cancer. The first forms in the pancreas and the
other occurs only in men when they are much older.
Each type of cancer has its own symptoms, but common ones include a sore
that does not heal, difficulty in swallowing or having upset stomachs often, unusual
bleeding, thick lumps or growths and others. Cancer can be treated and cured
through surgery; chemotherapy, which is the use of chemicals to kill the
cancerous cells, but some good cells can be killed as well during the treatment;
or radiation, which uses high-energy waves to kill the cancer cells. A combination
of the treatments must also be used by an oncologist, a doctor who specializes in
treating cancer.
Several things can help lower the risk of getting cancer including not smoking or
using tobacco, eating healthy, exercising and maintaining a healthy weight,
avoiding getting a sunburn, being immunized avoiding risky behaviors, and seeing
a doctor for regular check-ups, which can help if a cancer is detected in its early
stages.
