Things You Need to Know About Cancer. if simplified is an uncontrolled cell growth. Cells of the human body divide and grow without any signals for cell division from the regulated system of your body. These cells form tumors and may or may not invade nearby parts of the body.
Things You Need to Know About Cancer
WHAT IS CANCER?
Cancer if simplified is an uncontrolled cell growth. Cells of the human body divide and grow without any signals for cell division from the regulated system of your body. These cells form tumors and may or may not invade nearby parts of the body.
CANCER SPREADS
Cancer doesn’t remain confined to that part of the body where it is formed. It spreads to other parts of body through lymphatic system and blood vessels. This is called as metastasis.
ARE ALL TUMORS CANCER?
One thing that needs real clarity is that not all the tumors are dangerous and cancerous. Some tumors are just benign tumors which do not grow uncontrollably and which do not spread to other parts of body or invade other parts of body. This can be made clear through certain tests like CT scan MRI and biopsy etc.
TYPE OF CANCER
Cancer has many types and kinds which vary with conditions and causes for appearance of the disease.
- Skin Cancer
- Blood Cancer
- Testicular Cancer
- Uterine Cancer
- Breast Cancer
- Lung Cancer
SYMPTOMS OF CANCER
The symptoms for skin cancer depend on type and location of cancer. Some cancers do not show any symptoms at all.
Most common symptoms include
- Chills
- Fatigue
- Fever
- loss of appetite
- Malaise
- Night sweats
- weight loss
HOW WOULD YOU KNOW IF THE CANCER HAS SPREAD?
If lymph nodes are swollen or hard, or there is hepatomegaly (enlarged liver), Splenomegaly (enlarged spleen), or any kind of pain or fracture of the effected bone or you are having neurological symptoms then there are chances the cancer has spread.
TESTS FOR CANCER
- Blood test
- urinalysis
- tumor markers
- neuron specific enolase (NSE) are common laboratory tests.
WHAT CAUSES CANCER?
- Smoking
- Obesity
- alcohol
- insufficient diet
- genetic
- radiations
- air pollution
- physical inactivity
and many others are the causes of cancer.
TREATMENT
Cancer can be treated using one of these ways or a combination treatment would be required to get it cured. It is also to be noted that cancer at initial stages has better chances to be cured than at later stages. It gets difficult to get back to normal health as the cancer gets worse with each progression in stage.
Available treatment options are
- Chemotherapy
- Radiation therapy
- Laser therapy
- Surgery
- Biological therapy
Palliative care is also required with the treatment which aims to reduce sufferings of the people.
After a person is cured he is at the risk of secondary cancer. So an eye should be kept for any signs or developments. Regular checkups, follow up and self-awareness is really required to keep guard of yourself against the cancer.
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