The Truth About Cancer: What You Need to Know
7 min read
Today, the number of people dying from cancer is increasing rapidly all over the world. We all know that cancer is a dangerous disease. It may also prove fatal. But what is the reason for cancer growing so rapidly? What is cancer and what are its types, how does it affect the body, how it is treated, and what should be done to prevent it?
To get rid of any problem, first of all, one has to understand the problem. Just like to prevent a disease, it is important to understand that disease, so that you can know all the important things about cancer, through which you can protect your health and that of your loved ones. So the thing is that cancer is a serious disease, in which the cells start dividing very fast and in an abnormal manner. When a normal cell turns into a cancerous cell and multiplies and spreads rapidly, it is called cancer. Normal cells follow the chain’s instructions about when to grow and when to stop. That is, the division and multiplication of normal cells are under control, whereas cancerous cells multiply rapidly without control, and in comparison to normal cells, these cells grow very fast. Breast cancer, lung cancer, prostate cancer, colorectal cancer, and blood cancer have become the most common cancers, which affect most people. Cancer is a genetic disorder. Whenever a gene or several genes in the body mutate, that is, gene mutation occurs, then cancerous cells are formed.
These cells together form cancer clusters or tumors and these tumors can also spread to other parts of the body. For example, a breast tumor can spread to the lungs, making breathing difficult. Most cancers have four stages. In the first stage, cancer is located in a small area and has not spread to lymph nodes or other tissues. In the second stage, cancer grows but does not spread. By the third stage, cancer growth increases, and there are high chances of it spreading to lymph nodes and other tissues by the fourth stage, cancer spreads to other organs and areas of the body. So stage four of cancer is the most common. But there is also stage zero cancer which is considered in the list of cancers and it is easy to treat.
But what are the reasons for cancer? The main reason is gene mutation. That is, there is a change in the DNA present in the cells, due to which normal cells change into cancerous cells. Apart from this, radiation, smoking, alcohol consumption, pollution, viruses, bacteria, lack of physical activity, high body mass index, and low consumption of fruits and vegetables can also cause cancer.
After knowing the causes of cancer, now we should also know the types of cancer. There are many types of cancer, that is, there are many types of it. But these are the most common types. Carcinoma is at number one. This is the most common form of cancer and it affects illegal cells. These cells form the lining of internal organs or skin. Lung cancer, skin cancer, pancreatic cancer, and ovarian cancer are such cancers. There are many types of carcinoma like carcinoma, and carcinoma. This form of cancer affects the mucus or fluid-forming helium cells. Breast cancer, colon cancer, and prostate cancer are similar cancers.
The second one is Schem’s Carcinoma which is a carcinoma occurring in cells. Scabies cells form the middle and outer layers of the skin and this cancer affects body parts like the skin, mouth, tongue, throat, face, lips, and yes. The third is diesel cell carcinoma. In this, the diesel cells present in the deep layer of the epidermis are affected.
Let us tell you that the epidermis is the outermost layer of the skin and this type of skin cancer often develops in those areas of the skin which come in contact with the skin more. Such as transitional cell carcinoma on the face and number four. In this, the cells of transitional helium present in the lining of some parts of the bladder, ureter, and kidney are affected. Bladder cancer is a similar type of cancer.
Now let us know about the second type of cancer which is Sarcoma of cancer. This type develops in bones and soft tissues, including fat tissues, cartilage, blood vessels, and lymph. This cancer can occur in any part of the body, like legs, ankles, stomach, or shoulders.
The third type of cancer in the shed is leukemia. It is also called blood cancer. It affects the tissues of the bone marrow and it is the bone marrow that produces blood. This cancer occurs due to uncontrolled production of white blood cells because abnormal white blood cells damage the bone marrow tissues. Due to this, normal blood cells get damaged.
Lymphoma is at number four. Lymph nodes are a part of the immune system and when cancer affects these lymph nodes it is called lymphoma. Number five is melanoma. This is a form of skin cancer that targets melanin, the pigment responsible for skin color. Abnormal formation of melanin starts taking place in this. This skin cancer can also spread to other areas of the body And its main source is ultraviolet light coming from the sun. Myeloma is at number six. It is also called multiple myeloma. This cancer affects plasma cells and is a rare blood cancer. In this, healthy plasma cells become abnormal cells and start multiplying and producing abnormal antibodies. At number seven are Central Nervous System Cancers i.e. CNS Cancers, which originate from the brain and spinal cord. Manning tumors and primary CNS lymphomas are similar types of CNS cancers. Manning Why primary brain tumors occur and in primary CNS lymphoma, cancer cells form in the lymph tissue of the brain or spinal cord.
Now after knowing the seven most common types of cancer, we should also find out the symptoms of cancer. So, weight loss without any reason, chronic fatigue, persistent pain, fever that often occurs at night, changes in the skin, especially changes in shape and size of moles, and the appearance of new moles are the initial signs of cancer. And there are common symptoms. If these are not treated then serious symptoms start appearing. Like bleeding easily, and formation of lumps under the skin that do not go away. Difficulty in breathing and swallowing. Cancer is diagnosed based on these symptoms only.
Do you know about IS? The doctor does a physical examination of the patient and after knowing the symptoms, gets to know about the family’s medical history and does blood tests, imaging tests, and biopsy as per the need. There can be many types of blood tests for cancer diagnosis such as complete blood count, tumor markers, and blood protein test. Complete blood count. Measures and counts blood cells. Tumor markers test detects substances that cancer cells release or substances that normal cells release in response to cancer cells. Immunoglobulins are measured through a blood protein test. This immunoglobulin protein is released by the immune system to react to the cancer. Similarly, there are many types of imaging tests like CT scan, X-ray, PET scan, ultrasound, and MRI, CT scan detects the location of cancers and tumors and their impact on organs and bones. Creates images of bones and soft tissues through X-ray radiation. The scan produces images of organs and tissues and is used to detect the early size of cancer. The structures inside the body are seen through ultrasound and tumors in the body are also detected through MRI.
Learn more about third methods of cancer diagnosis. Regarding biopsy, A biopsy is a procedure in which a sample of cells or tissue is taken from the body and tested in the laboratory. This can also be of many types, like needle biopsy through which breast cancer, thyroid cancer, and lymph node cancer are diagnosed. Skin Biopsy: To diagnose skin cancer, a small sample of the skin is taken in this biopsy and endoscopic biopsy in which the inside of the body is seen through an endoscope. For this, a small cut is made in the skin and the instrument is inserted the endoscopic is a thin flexible tube that has a camera attached along with a cutting tool that takes the sample.
After diagnosis comes the turn of treatment. There are many types of treatments to treat different types and stages of cancer, among which the common cancer treatments are: Chemotherapy is the most common cancer treatment and in this, cancer cells are destroyed with powdered drugs. Radiation Therapy: When cancer cells are killed by a high dose of radiation, it is called radiation therapy. Sometimes there is a need to combine radiation therapy and chemotherapy. Surgery Cancerous tumors that have not spread can be removed by surgery.
Hormone therapy: This involves hormone therapy to block cancer-causing hormones and bone marrow transplant, also known as stem cell transplantation. In this treatment, damaged stem cells are replaced with healthy stem cells. Through these cancer treatments, cancer cells are destroyed and the team of doctors makes efforts to keep their side effects to a minimum. But still, there can be problems of anemia, fatigue, pain, and vomiting as side effects of cancer treatment.
And now it becomes important to understand how one can protect oneself from such a deadly disease. That is, some things can be kept in mind to reduce the risk of cancer. Like not using tobacco, eating a healthy diet, maintaining a healthy body weight, doing regular physical activities, and avoiding alcohol consumption. Avoid exposure to ultraviolet radiation and protect yourself from air pollution. These are some easy methods that can be adopted to reduce the risk of cancer. With cancer cases increasing rapidly, it has become very important that we all follow a healthy lifestyle. Take care of your physical and mental health. Eat well, be happy, and consider it important to protect your skin from the harmful rays of the sun.
