Cancer – A Disease That Starts When Cells Divide Without Control
Cancer is a disease that starts when cells divide without control. It can spread to other parts of the body and form growths called tumors. These growths can damage the tissues around them and cause a wide range of symptoms. Different kinds of cancer affect different organs in the body. The type of treatment you get will depend on the kind of cancer you have and how far it has spread. Improvements in treatments and detection are making it possible for more people with cancer to live longer.
Cancer occurs when genes that manage cellular growth and death change. A genetic mutation may be caused by certain viruses, pollution, radiation, medicines or something in the diet. The mutated gene may encourage cells to grow and divide more than they should or lead them to become cancerous (also referred to as oncogenic).
Cells are the basic units of the body. They make up most of the blood, tissues and organs. Each cell is shaped slightly differently and has a specific function. For example, muscle cells are different from nerve cells. These differences give each type of cell its own unique properties. Cells can also take in other cells from outside the body or from other parts of the same tissue to help them work better. These other cells are called stromal cells.
The normal way cells are organized in the body is that most of the cells differentiate into specialized cell types and then stop growing and dividing. Cells can also grow into new tissues and organs. This process is controlled by a series of signals from the body’s organ systems. Cells are programmed to die if they are damaged or no longer needed, but sometimes they fail to do this and continue to divide. Cancers are the result of a breakdown of this system.
Because cancers are a result of a breakdown of the normal cells that control the body, they are not regulated in the same way as other parts of the body. This means that they are free from the normal cues that limit cell proliferation in multicellular organisms by limiting access to resources, space, crowding and accumulation of hazards like toxins.
This independence from the normal control mechanisms does not mean that cancers are unlimited in their ability to grow and spread, however. Many types of cancer are limited in their ability to spread by a lack of nutrients, oxygen or other factors. Cancers can be treated by surgery, chemotherapy and radiation. These treatments can reduce or remove cancerous cells and relieve symptoms. Some cancers are also treated with drugs that can prevent the growth of new cancerous cells or keep existing cancerous cells from multiplying. In addition, some cancers can be prevented by eating a balanced diet that is low in fat and salt and by avoiding smoking. It is also important to get regular checkups and let your doctor know if you have any health problems that last more than two weeks.
Cancer is a disease that starts when cells divide without control. It can spread to other parts of the body and form growths called tumors. These growths can damage the tissues around them and cause a wide range of symptoms. Different kinds of cancer affect different organs in the body. The type of treatment you get will depend on the kind of cancer you have and how far it has spread. Improvements in treatments and detection are making it possible for more people with cancer to live longer. Cancer occurs when genes that manage cellular growth and death change. A genetic mutation may be caused by certain viruses, pollution, radiation, medicines or something in the diet. The mutated gene may encourage cells to grow and divide more than they should or lead them to become cancerous (also referred to as oncogenic). Cells are the basic units of the body. They make up most of the blood, tissues and organs. Each cell is shaped slightly differently and has a specific function. For example, muscle cells are different from nerve cells. These differences give each type of cell its own unique properties. Cells can also take in other cells from outside the body or from other parts of the same tissue to help them work better. These other cells are called stromal cells. The normal way cells are organized in the body is that most of the cells differentiate into specialized cell types and then stop growing and dividing. Cells can also grow into new tissues and organs. This process is controlled by a series of signals from the body’s organ systems. Cells are programmed to die if they are damaged or no longer needed, but sometimes they fail to do this and continue to divide. Cancers are the result of a breakdown of this system. Because cancers are a result of a breakdown of the normal cells that control the body, they are not regulated in the same way as other parts of the body. This means that they are free from the normal cues that limit cell proliferation in multicellular organisms by limiting access to resources, space, crowding and accumulation of hazards like toxins. This independence from the normal control mechanisms does not mean that cancers are unlimited in their ability to grow and spread, however. Many types of cancer are limited in their ability to spread by a lack of nutrients, oxygen or other factors. Cancers can be treated by surgery, chemotherapy and radiation. These treatments can reduce or remove cancerous cells and relieve symptoms. Some cancers are also treated with drugs that can prevent the growth of new cancerous cells or keep existing cancerous cells from multiplying. In addition, some cancers can be prevented by eating a balanced diet that is low in fat and salt and by avoiding smoking. It is also important to get regular checkups and let your doctor know if you have any health problems that last more than two weeks.