AN ARTICLE ON CANCER

What is cancer?

Cancer is the general term used for diseases in which normal cells separate without any control thus involving other tissues. Cancer cells can also spread to various parts of the body through the blood and lymph system.

 

Wild cell growth turns into cancer when it is exposed to carcinogens (Cancer- causing substance) genetic defects, or viruses. A tumour is formed when cancer cells multiply large masses of tissue. In some cases tumours limit themselves to one spot in the body; some can be removed by surgery. These kinds of tumours may cause little harm and is termed benign. Hostile tumours are called malignant. The study of cancer is called oncology.

 

Causes of Cancer

People get lung cancer most of the time from smoking tobacco which is said to have carcinogenic substance mainly known as tobacco smoke. Some carcinogens include certain chemicals, the Sun’s ultraviolet light, and radiation. Cancer can be formed by several viruses by altering the DNA of a host cell and converting the cell’s normal genes into cancer – causing genes, or oncogenes. Genetic  factors – such as chromosomal abnormalities or the inheritance of faulty genes from a parent of fore parent. This could most likely cause these persons who inherit these genes can end up having cancer. People that are Down syndrome, a chromosomal abnormality are susceptible to leukaemia.

 

How is cancer formed?

When a normal cell transforms into a cancer cell the genetic material (deoxyribonucleic acid or DNA) of a cell is changed, or mutated. Tumours don’t form over night they formed over decades or a certain amount of years, because of this it is very susceptible to formed into a cancer cell as time goes along. Most cancer occurs after the age of fifty, yet some are detected earlier in life, it varies.

 

Different types of cancer

It has been accessed that there are over more than 200 different types of cancers. They are named after the tissue or the organ they begin to form. The term Leukemia refers to cancer of white blood cells (can be also called leukocytes). Melanomas are cancers that begin in melanocytes (skin pigmentation.

 

Names of Cancers

 

Lung Cancer

Bladder Cancer

Colon and Rectal Cancer

Breast Cancer

Endometrial Cancer

Kidney (Renal Cell) Cancer

Non- Hodgkin Lymphoma Pancreatic Cancer

Skin Cancer

Non-melanoma thyroid Cancer

Prostrate Cancer

Leukemia

Bladder Cancer

Bone Cancer

Bile Duct Cancer

Brain Tumour

Appendix Cancer

Adrenocortical Carcinoma

Cervical cancer

Childhood cancer

Eye Cancer

Gall bladder Cancer

Kidney Cancer

Lip and oral Cancer

Liver Cancer

Mouth Cancer

Rectal Cancer

Salivary Cancer

Urethral Cancer

Vaginal Cancer

Vulvar Cancer

            

      

 

 

Treatments for cancer

Oncologists have been using Chemotherapy, or drug therapy to help cancer patience around the world. When cancer spreads to different parts of the body chemotherapy is used to help treat the cancer, before it gets worst. The immune system is weak when cancer spreads through the body. Therefore a treatment name immune enhancing drugs or antibodies are also used to help build back up the immune system and to destroy abnormal cells. There has been an anticancer drug that kills cancer cells while leaving the good ones alive. This drug was introduced in the spring of 2001. The drug, Gleevec has proven to work very strongly against chronic myelogenous leukaemia, leukaemia is one of the four main types of blood cancer.

 

How can u prevent cancer?

Cancer can be prevented by doing the following:

¬For all smokers the only way that you can avoid yourself from getting lung cancer is to stop smoking.

¬Try not to be in the sun for lengthy periods, too much exposure to the sun can cause cancer

¬Lessen your high- fat diets

¬Avoid alcohol as much as possible

¬Unsafe sex

¬Other Carcinogens could prevent more than 80% of all cancer cases.

¬Do yearly testing; this would detect it in the early stage if you are tested positive, early treatment can be taken.

 

The following are various tests than can be taken to see if you have cancer.

 

Skin Cancer: Skin examination this is done by the naked eye of the doctor. If any area may look suspicious then biopsy is done and under the microscope cancer cells are examined

 

 Prostate Cancer:

·       Digital Rectal Examination: Prostrate is examined by a doctor using his/her finger from the lower part from the rectum. When you reach fifty years it must be done at least once a year. If there was any sign before that you may have prostrate then do a test once every year even though you may be under forty

Breast Cancer:

·       Breast Self Examination: when you reach twenty years of age, this examination must be taken once every month.

·       Clinical Breast Examination: the breasts and regions under the arms should be examined also, between the ages of 20 and 40 years. Once every three years this examination should be carried out, and once every year after the age of forty.

·       Mammogram: Imaging of the breasts with X rays. It must be done once every year after 40 years of age.

An illustration of how a mammogram is done

Lung Cancer:

     Chest X-ray: It is imaging of organs and bones in chest with X-ray. Especially if you are a smoker you should do chest x –rays at least twice a year.

 Colorectal Cancer:

·       Fecal Occult Blood Test: Blood in stool which can be seen only under microscope is examined. It must be done once every year after 50 years of age.

Why cancer has and is becoming more prevalent

  Over the last generation there has been vast difference between the way we use to live and how we are now living. I can almost say that we live in a different world. Technology has been increased by a large percentage. Smelter plants, environmental chemical, polluted air, microwaves, computers, utensils and a lot of foods are said to be cancerous to us. Meats that are harmonized (e.g. chicken), plants, vegetables, fruits etc. these are all things that should make us healthy, but instead it can be deadly to us. Because of the amount of hormones that are being injected into them, plants and trees are being sprayed with insecticide, fertilizers as though these liquids are water. Then they are being sold to groceries, farmers etc, for us to buy and eat. 

Is there any cure for cancer?

   Since cancer has been detected, no cure solution has ever been introduced. Various anti–cancer tablets and chemotherapy was put in place in order to control cancer cells. Cancer, AIDS and Sugar diabetes are the three major sicknesses that have no cure. Although there are things out there to help cancer. It is proven that more and more people are getting cancer. Women have become prone to Breast cancer for the past 3o years. United States had even poured out $30 billion to help find a solution to cure cancer.

 

 

 

Abigail J. Chandler
http://www.articlesbase.com/cancer-articles/an-article-on-cancer-756574.html

Tweet This Post

Lung Cancer is the most common and lethal of the cancers that one can be diagnosed with; however there are also effective treatments for patients suffering from lung cancer.

Most cases of lung cancer are smoking related, but not all smokers will develop this form of the cell degenerative disease. It is a good idea to quit smoking if you are, and even the occasional cigar could increase your chances of getting lung cancer. This is why it is also especially dangerous to smoke near children and babies, because among the other harmful effects, this can play a huge role in their development of cancer one day.

There are many different types of lung cancers. These are Epidermold carcinoma or Squamous cell carcinoma which is most common in men and attacks the bronchial tube lining. Then there is Adenocarcinoma lung cancer which forms in the mucus glands and occurs mainly in females and in non smokers. Bronchioalveolar carcinoma is a rare part of Adenocarcinoma cancer, forms near to the air sacs in the lung and is shown to be responding more effectively to the newer clinical trial treatments.

Other types of lung cancer are the Large cell undifferentiated carcinomas which occur on the outer edges of the lungs closer to the surface. This type spreads more quickly than the others and has usually done so by the time it is even diagnosed. Small cell lung cancer is caused more often than not by smoking and accounts for 20 percent of all cases of the disease. The cells start off small but quickly grow into large tumors.

Lung cancer can be easy to miss as the symptom produce in the form of normal flu like symptoms and normal illnesses like bronchitis and pneumonia. You could have an irritating cough and some chest, back and shoulder pain. If you notice any blood in the sputum or a change in its color then it will be wise to have it checked. Other symptoms could include a shortness of breath or very difficult breathing.

The symptoms of lung cancer do not have to be only respiratory related. You might have loss of or no appetite, fatigue, joint and head aches, swelling in the face or neck and also sudden weight loss. More severe symptoms of lung cancer can include strange lapses in memory and becoming unsteady on your feet. There are many therapies and treatments, including some clinical trials, so if you are diagnosed, speak to your practitioner about these options.

Fransis Rodrigues
http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/something-about-lung-cancer-100279.html

Tweet This Post

The treatment for lung cancer is dependent upon the type it is and what stage it is in. Different types and different stages are handled according to what is needed for each. It also depends on what condition the patient is in physically. The options include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation or a combination of these treatments. For some patients, a clinical trial may work.

Lung surgery is performed by thoracic surgeons along with a team that is specialized and highly skilled. If a patient has non-small cell lung cancer where it has not spread away from the chest, that patient can usually be treated by surgery successfully.

Using surgery for the treatment of lung cancer has several forms. These are:

* Mediastinoscopy which is a minimally invasive method of sampling the lymph nodes located on the main airway to check for the spread of a tumor.

* Thoracospy is also minimally invasive. It is done to access the chest to diagnose and treat the cancer. There are small incisions made to do this. Another name for it is VATS or video-assisted thoracic surgery.

* Wedge resection is the removal of a small part of one lung.

* Segmentectomy is the removal of part of a lobe from one lung.

* Lobectomy is the removal of a whole lobe from one lung. This is the most common type of surgical treatment of lung cancer.
 
* Sleeve resection involves removing a portion of the airway with or with adjoining the lung, and then reattaching the ends remaining to maintain tissue of the lung.

* Pneumonectomy is the removal of a lung.

When radiation treatments are used to treat lung cancer, external beam radiation is used first. A patient who is given this type of radiation does not become radioactive. This therapy will be prescribed and monitored by a radiation oncologist. The radiation oncologist will work with the patient to design the best plan of radiation for that particular patient.

Another in line for treatment of lung cancer is chemotherapy. This can include many different drugs. They can be administered by mouth, or intravenously depending on which drugs are used. A medical oncologist prescribes the chemotherapy, which may help the radiation be more effective. The doctor and patient works together to decide the best course of treatment that will be most effective and most easily tolerated by the patient.
 
Whatever course of action for treatment that is used will need to be decided upon by the oncologist. The best way for success is if the patient and doctor are working together in a co-operative way.

[ad][ad]

Tweet This Post

Technorati Tags: lung cancer, treament of cancer, treatment for cancer

Are you aware that Mesothelioma and Lung Cancer can both be caused by Asbestos exposure? Different types of treatment are available for these cancers, including traditional ones such as Chemotherapy and surgery, as well as experimental treatments and clinical trials. If you have been diagnosed with Mesothelioma or Lung Cancer because of exposure to Asbestos in the Modesto area, we can help.

Duration : 1 min 10 sec

Read the rest of this entry

Tweet This Post

Technorati Tags: video

Lung Cancer is the most common and lethal of the cancers that one can be diagnosed with; however there are also effective treatments for patients suffering from lung cancer.

Most cases of lung cancer are smoking related, but not all smokers will develop this form of the cell degenerative disease. It is a good idea to quit smoking if you are, and even the occasional cigar could increase your chances of getting related cancer. This is why it is also especially dangerous to smoke near children and babies, because among the other harmful effects, this can play a huge role in their development of cancer one day.

There are many different types of lung cancers. These are Epidermold carcinoma or Squamous cell carcinoma which is most common in men and attacks the bronchial tube lining. Then there is Adenocarcinoma cancer related to lungs which forms in the mucus glands and occurs mainly in females and in non smokers. Bronchioalveolar carcinoma is a rare part of Adenocarcinoma cancer, forms near to the air sacs in the lung and is shown to be responding more effectively to the newer clinical trial treatments.

Other types of lung cancer are the Large cell undifferentiated carcinomas which occur on the outer edges of the lungs closer to the surface. This type spreads more quickly than the others and has usually done so by the time it is even diagnosed. Small cell related cancer is caused more often than not by smoking and accounts for 20 percent of all cases of the disease. The cells start off small but quickly grow into large tumors.

Lung cancer can be easy to miss as the symptom produce in the form of normal flu like symptoms and normal illnesses like bronchitis and pneumonia. You could have an irritating cough and some chest, back and shoulder pain. If you notice any blood in the sputum or a change in its color then it will be wise to have it checked. Other symptoms could include a shortness of breath or very difficult breathing.

The symptoms of such type of cancer do not have to be only respiratory related. You might have loss of or no appetite, fatigue, joint and head aches, swelling in the face or neck and also sudden weight loss. More severe symptoms of lung cancer can include strange lapses in memory and becoming unsteady on your feet. There are many therapies and treatments, including some clinical trials, so if you are diagnosed, speak to your practitioner about these options.

Darren Dunner
http://www.articlesbase.com/non-fiction-articles/something-on-lung-cancer-104513.html

Tweet This Post