What You Need to Know About Cancer
Cancer can be a frightening diagnosis, but there are many ways to learn more about it and prepare for treatment. Arming yourself with the right cancer information can help you and your loved ones understand, prepare for, and cope with this disease.
Cancer is a disease that begins when cells start to grow out of control. The body’s normal controls over cell growth and division break down because of changes (mutations) in genes. Normal cells that become abnormal die, and new cells take their place. But cancer cells don’t die, and they continue to grow and divide without control or order. Cancer cells can also grow into other tissues and spread to other parts of the body.
There are many different types of cancer, and most have subtypes based on how they look under a microscope. The type of cancer and its subtype can affect how it is treated.
The main goal of cancer treatments is to cure the cancer, but different therapies can be used to control the disease as well. Some of these therapies include surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy. Other types of cancer therapy focus on blocking the blood supply to tumors, correcting the genetic defects that cause cancer, or helping the body’s natural defenses fight cancer cells. Scientists are always working to develop and test new cancer treatments.
Everyone’s risk for developing cancer is different. Some people get cancer at a younger age than others, and this may be because of things they do or don’t do. Others get cancer because of genes they inherit from their parents. But most cancers develop because of changes over time in the genes that control how cells work. These changes can be caused by lifestyle choices, such as smoking or drinking too much alcohol; exposure to chemicals, radiation, and certain infections; and normal aging.
When cancers are diagnosed early, they are often smaller and easier to treat. This is one of the reasons it’s important to have routine screening tests for some types of cancer.
Cancers are more likely to grow and spread when they aren’t treated or when they aren’t caught early enough. The type of cancer, its location in the body, and whether it has spread are factors that help doctors decide which treatment to use.
Some types of cancer are fueled by hormones, and these can be treated with surgery or medicines that block or change the body’s hormone levels. Other cancers are triggered by viruses or bacteria, and these can be treated with vaccines or medicines that kill the virus or bacterial cells. Another way to slow down the growth of cancer cells is hyperthermia, a type of heat therapy that uses hot water or a beam of high-intensity heat to damage and kill cancer cells without harming nearby healthy tissue. These types of treatments are called targeted therapies. In general, targeted therapies are more likely to be successful than traditional chemotherapy. This is because they target specific things that cancer cells need to survive, such as repairing damaged DNA or making energy from nutrients.
Cancer can be a frightening diagnosis, but there are many ways to learn more about it and prepare for treatment. Arming yourself with the right cancer information can help you and your loved ones understand, prepare for, and cope with this disease. Cancer is a disease that begins when cells start to grow out of control. The body’s normal controls over cell growth and division break down because of changes (mutations) in genes. Normal cells that become abnormal die, and new cells take their place. But cancer cells don’t die, and they continue to grow and divide without control or order. Cancer cells can also grow into other tissues and spread to other parts of the body. There are many different types of cancer, and most have subtypes based on how they look under a microscope. The type of cancer and its subtype can affect how it is treated. The main goal of cancer treatments is to cure the cancer, but different therapies can be used to control the disease as well. Some of these therapies include surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy. Other types of cancer therapy focus on blocking the blood supply to tumors, correcting the genetic defects that cause cancer, or helping the body’s natural defenses fight cancer cells. Scientists are always working to develop and test new cancer treatments. Everyone’s risk for developing cancer is different. Some people get cancer at a younger age than others, and this may be because of things they do or don’t do. Others get cancer because of genes they inherit from their parents. But most cancers develop because of changes over time in the genes that control how cells work. These changes can be caused by lifestyle choices, such as smoking or drinking too much alcohol; exposure to chemicals, radiation, and certain infections; and normal aging. When cancers are diagnosed early, they are often smaller and easier to treat. This is one of the reasons it’s important to have routine screening tests for some types of cancer. Cancers are more likely to grow and spread when they aren’t treated or when they aren’t caught early enough. The type of cancer, its location in the body, and whether it has spread are factors that help doctors decide which treatment to use. Some types of cancer are fueled by hormones, and these can be treated with surgery or medicines that block or change the body’s hormone levels. Other cancers are triggered by viruses or bacteria, and these can be treated with vaccines or medicines that kill the virus or bacterial cells. Another way to slow down the growth of cancer cells is hyperthermia, a type of heat therapy that uses hot water or a beam of high-intensity heat to damage and kill cancer cells without harming nearby healthy tissue. These types of treatments are called targeted therapies. In general, targeted therapies are more likely to be successful than traditional chemotherapy. This is because they target specific things that cancer cells need to survive, such as repairing damaged DNA or making energy from nutrients.