Cancer

Cancer - an introduction

Cancer is a general term used to refer to a condition where the body’s cells begin to grow and reproduce in an uncontrollable way. These cells can then invade and destroy healthy tissue, including organs. Cancer sometimes begins in one part of the body before spreading to other parts.

Definition of Cancer

Definition: An abnormal growth of cells which tend to proliferate in an uncontrolled way and, in some cases, to metastasize (spread).

Cancer is not one disease. It is a group of more than 100 different and distinctive diseases.

Cancer can involve any tissue of the body and have many different forms in each body area. Most cancers are named for the type of cell or organ in which they start. If a cancer spreads (metastasizes), the new tumor bears the same name as the original (primary) tumor.

The frequency of a particular cancer may depend on gender. While skin cancer is the most common type of malignancy for both men and women, the second most common type in men is prostate cancer and in women,breast cancer.

Meaning

Cancer, also known as a malignant tumor or malignant neoplasm, is a group of diseases involving abnormal cell growth with the potential to invade or spread to other parts of the body. Not all tumors are cancerous; benign tumors do not spread to other parts of the body. Possible signs and symptoms include: a new lump, abnormal bleeding, a prolonged cough, unexplained weight loss, and a change in bowel movements among others.While these symptoms may indicate cancer, they may also occur due to other issues. There are over 100 different known cancers that affect humans.

History

Cancer has existed for all of human history.The earliest written record regarding cancer is from circa 1600 BC in the Egyptian Edwin Smith Papyrus and describes cancer of the breast. Hippocrates (ca. 460 BC – ca. 370 BC) described several kinds of cancer, referring to them with the Greek . This name comes from the appearance of the cut surface of a solid malignant tumor, with "the veins stretched on all sides as the animal the crab has its feet, whence it derives its name". Galen stated that "cancer of the breast is so called because of the fancied resemblance to a crab given by the lateral prolongations of the tumor and the adjacent distended veins".  Galen (2nd century AD) disagreed with the use of surgery and recommended purgatives instead.These recommendations largely stood for 1000 years.

Causes

The great majority of cancers, some 90–95% of cases, are due to environmental factors. The remaining 5–10% are due toinherited genetics. Environmental, as used by cancer researchers, means any cause that is not inherited genetically, such as lifestyle, economic and behavioral factors, and not merely pollution. Common environmental factors that contribute to cancer death include tobacco (25–30%), diet and obesity (30–35%), infections (15–20%), radiation (both ionizing and non-ionizing, up to 10%), stress, lack of physical activity, and environmental pollutants.

cancer types

This is a list of cancer types, ordered alphabetically.

Cancer is a group of diseases that involve abnormal increases in the number of cells, with the potential to invade or spread to other parts of the body. Not all tumors or lumps are cancerous; benign tumors are not classified as being cancer because they do not spread to other parts of the body. There are over 100 different known cancers that affect humans.

Cancers are often described by the body part that they originated in. However, some body parts contain multiple types of tissue, so for greater precision, cancers are additionally classified by the type of cell that the tumor cells originated from. These types include:

·         Carcinoma: Cancers derived from epithelial cells. This group includes many of the most common cancers, particularly in older adults. Nearly all cancers developing in the breast, prostate, lung, pancreas, and colon are carcinomas.

·         Sarcoma: Cancers arising from connective tissue, each of which develop from cells originating in mesenchymal cells outside the bone marrow.

·         Lymphoma and leukemia: These two classes of cancer arise from cells that make blood. Leukemia is the most common type of cancer in children accounting for about 30%. However, far more adults develop lymphoma and leukemia.

·         Germ cell tumor: Cancers derived from pluripotent cells, most often presenting in the testicle or the ovary (seminomaand dysgerminoma, respectively).

·         Blastoma: Cancers derived from immature "precursor" cells or embryonic tissue. Blastomas are more common in children than in older adults.

Conclusion

Once you are diagnosed with cancer your life has been changed forever. Now that you have gone through successful treatments and achieved a remission or cure, you still may live with fear of a recurrence, a new cancer, latent side effects, comorbid diseases or the possibility of functional disability, emotional changes, and even death.

Your attitude, your philosophy of life, and how you manage your health care needs can make a big difference in how you cope, recover and live.

Perhaps one of the most important factors in your favor is that cancer forces you to face your own mortality. Survivors of cancer graduate to a new life keenly aware of how fragile life is and are ready to fight to preserve it. The many realities and potential consequences related to your cancer and therapy can best be addressed with a team approach, including your medical team, family, friends, community resources, and, most importantly, yourself.

The Cancer Survivorship Program provides knowledge and education, health promotion and guidance to survivors, families and friends, with a special emphasis on programs for better health through nutrition, exercise, and supportive care to improve quality of life and prolong survival.