What is cancer?
Cancer is a disease in which some of the body's cells grow uncontrollably and spread to other parts of the body. Cancer can start almost anywhere in the human body, which is made up of trillions of cells. Typically, cancer begins in the cells that divide rapidly to form new tissue, such as skin cells and blood cells, which grow and divide quickly. Sometimes cancers begin when cells that normally grow and divide at a steady pace, such as in bone marrow or the lining of certain organs, begin to grow out of control.
Types of cancer
More than one hundred different types of cancer exist. Cancers are named for where they start. As an example, lung cancer originates in lung cells, and breast cancer begins in breast tissue. Cancer is a disease with many different types that affect people The biggest risk factors for cancer include age, genetics and environment. Some people get certain cancers because of their genes or because they were exposed to certain substances that can cause cancer. Other lifestyle habits, such as cigarette smoking, can raise your risk as well.
Causes of cancer
Early research has led to a better understanding of what causes cancer. Although there isn't a single cause for cancer, doctors and scientists think that at least 25% of cancers can be linked to environmental or lifestyle factors. For example, being overweight or obese is a risk factor for many types of cancer. There are also genetic factors that may increase your risk of getting certain cancers such as breast and ovarian cancer. Having certain genes (BRCA1/2) can increase your risk for developing some types of cancer such as breast and ovarian cancer.
Symptoms of cancer
The most common symptoms of cancer are weight loss, lack of energy, pain or tenderness in a specific area of your body, frequent unusual bleeding or discharge from a specific area and changes in bowel or bladder habits. People also often mistake less serious medical conditions as cancer. Many people with cancer have no symptoms at all; if they do have symptoms they may not be sure that they are caused by cancer. For example, some people may mistake mild fatigue and vague abdominal discomfort for a virus when it’s actually early stomach cancer. If you think you might have cancer or notice any unusual signs or symptoms that last two weeks or longer, see your doctor right away. He or she can help determine whether to pursue diagnostic tests like blood tests and imaging studies to check for signs of cancer.
Treatment of cancer
The treatments for cancer vary from one patient to another. The treatment may include surgery, radiation, and/or chemotherapy. The most common type of cancer that can be treated through surgery is breast cancer in women. Methods of treating prostate cancer are surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy. In some cases of cancer, doctors are able to remove all or part of a tumor through surgery if it can be done safely without damaging any major organs nearby. For example, in early stages (I-II) Hodgkin lymphoma may be surgically removed because there are no effective forms of therapy available at that time to treat it effectively.
