Cancer

When did you first hear about cancer? We have seen movies, heard stories and read about cancer almost everywhere. Even our favorite actors and actresses have portrayed the role of a cancer victim in a movie. We may have even learned about a colleague, a friend, or a close relative being diagnosed with the disease, and always, our initial reaction is that of shock and pity. But when did it really occur to you how serious this disease is, and those who have them suffer a great deal, both physically and emotionally. We have been made aware about this fatal disease and that it can pick anyone, no matter what race, color, age or stature you have in society. Let’s know more about this feared disease and how it affects us physically.

What is cancer?
Cancer is a class of diseases or disorders characterized by uncontrolled division of cells and the ability of these cells to invade other tissues, either by growth to adjacent tissue through invasion or by implantation into distant sites by metastasis (spread of cancer from its primary sites to other places). Metastasis is defined as the stage in which cancer cells are transported through the bloodstream or lymphatic system.

The risk of this disease increases with age, although it may affect people at all ages. There are many types of cancer, but the severity of symptoms may vary and depend on the site and character of the malignancy and if whether or not there is metastasis. To diagnose the disease usually requires the histologic examination of tissue by a pathologist. The tissue is obtained by biopsy or surgery. Depending on the specific type, location and stage of a cancer, most can usually be treated.

Damage to DNA causes the unregulated growth that characterizes cancer, resulting in mutations to genes that encode for proteins controlling cell division. Many mutation occurrences entail the transformation of a normal cell into a malignant cell. These mutations can be caused by chemicals or physical agents called carcinogens, by close exposure to radioactive materials, or by certain viruses that can insert their DNA into human genome. Germ line mutations are passed down to generations.

Once a person is diagnosed of the disease, treatments would usually be a combination of surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy. With modern research and developments, treatments of the disease are becoming more specific for the type of cancer pathology. There are now a lot of drugs that target specific cancers. If this disease is untreated, it may eventually cause illness and death, though it is not always the case.

Many forms of cancer are linked with a person’s exposure to environmental factors such as tobacco smoke, radiation, alcohol and certain viruses. Although some of these can be avoided, there is no known method or way to avoid the disease. Public health and vaccination programs also play an important role on a global scale.