Cancer

Cancer

Cancer is a condition that affects millions of people in the United States each year and it is the second-leading cause of death. There are many different types of cancers that affect different parts of the body in different ways. Cancerous cells can form at any age, but they are mostly diagnosed in older people. Because there are so many different types of cancer, there are many different ways of treatment. Many people have developed cancer and in many cases they have been fatal. Besides knowing how cancer is caused and what the symptoms are, it is also important to know how to prevent it.

Cancer is a disease that is generally caused by a cell that has no growth limit because of a corrupted protein. This is usually caused by a problems in the genetic code, meaning that cancer can be passed down from parent to offspring. The mutated cell can grow, divide, and multiply for a longer time than its normal lifespan. The cells begins to multiply rapidly and they group up to form a tumor. There are two kinds of tumors: benign and malignant. Benign tumors are not harmful because they are not invasive and they do not grow very fast. Once removed, benign tumors usually do not come back. Malignant tumors, however, can be cancerous because they spread out invade important parts of the body, such as organs and tissues. Even if the malignant tumor is removed, any remaining cancerous cells can cause it to reappear. Symptoms for each type of cancer may vary because of the area affected and many other factors.

There are many types of cancers which greatly vary in symptoms, but the American Cancer Society has made up a list of a few symptoms that may apply to most or all cancers. As listed by the Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine, the symptoms may include: a longing soreness, continuous cough, sore throat, an abnormal lump, unusual bleeding, and a few other symptoms. Because the tumor cells can invade tissues, organs, or nerves, severe pain or discomfort can occur. It is recommended to visit a doctor if any unusual symptoms occur because the earlier a cancer is spotted, the easier it is to treat. As there are many symptoms to cancer, there are many treatment options as well.

Treatment for cancer depends on many factors and most treatments are customized for the individual patient. Some treatments that can be used are surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy. Surgery is the most straightforward treatment by directly removing the visible tumor and it is the most commonly used and most effective. Radiation therapy involves killing the tumor cells usually by ingesting a pill, injection, or the placement of a sealed container in the bloodstream. Chemotherapy is the use of anti-cancer drugs to kill the cancer cells. The combinations of treatments together can be especially effective. Besides treatments, prevention is the first step to avoiding the burden of cancer.

There is no definite way of preventing cancer, but there