Cancer – What Causes It and How Can It Be Treated?
Cancer is an illness that starts when a cell’s genes change and start to grow and divide without control. Normally, cells grow and divide only as long as the body needs them. Once a cell gets old or damaged, it dies and a new cell takes its place. When a cancer grows, it can spread to other parts of the body and form more tumors. Most cancers aren’t curable, but treatment can slow the growth of a tumor and ease symptoms. The type of treatment you get depends on the kind of cancer you have and where it started in your body.
Historically, scientists have been uncertain about the cause of cancer. They’ve speculated that it may have been caused by viruses, bacteria, chemicals, radiation, or other environmental agents. They also have wondered if genes might play a role, since the same genes are present in all cells, and they can change or “mutate” over time.
Now, with advances in genetics and other research techniques, scientists have a clearer picture of how cancer develops in the human body. Currently, we know that cancer is a disease that occurs when abnormal cells divide uncontrollably and form tumors, spreading to other parts of the body and crowding out healthy cells. Cancers can also disrupt normal organ functions, causing pain and other symptoms in different parts of the body.
In the 18th and 19th centuries, when medical researchers were first beginning to understand how cells function, they focused on cancer’s ability to spread, or metastasize. They also noticed that some cancers seemed to grow and spread more quickly than others. Ultimately, they aligned their view of cancer with an idea of uncontrolled growth that had been around for millennia.
Today, we know that cancer is a complex disease with many causes. Inherited genetic mutations can lead to about 10% of all cancers. But more often, cancer develops as a result of gene changes that occur over the course of a person’s lifetime. This is because many things can damage our genes over time, such as lifestyle habits, certain drugs and other substances, and the natural aging process.
Then, over time, these gene changes can enable precancerous cells to develop into full-blown cancers. To form, a cancer requires long runs of abnormal cell division and a permissive environment that allows the accumulation of mutations that allow cancer cells to survive and reproduce.
If a cancer is caught early, before it has spread to other parts of the body, most people experience few or no signs and symptoms. If a cancer has already spread, treatments like surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation can help shrink the tumors, reduce how fast they grow, and ease symptoms, such as fatigue or pain. When these therapies stop cancer from growing or spreading, healthcare providers call this remission. However, most cancers will recur. For this reason, it’s important to continue getting regular checkups and following your healthcare team’s advice about treatment.
Cancer is an illness that starts when a cell’s genes change and start to grow and divide without control. Normally, cells grow and divide only as long as the body needs them. Once a cell gets old or damaged, it dies and a new cell takes its place. When a cancer grows, it can spread to other parts of the body and form more tumors. Most cancers aren’t curable, but treatment can slow the growth of a tumor and ease symptoms. The type of treatment you get depends on the kind of cancer you have and where it started in your body. Historically, scientists have been uncertain about the cause of cancer. They’ve speculated that it may have been caused by viruses, bacteria, chemicals, radiation, or other environmental agents. They also have wondered if genes might play a role, since the same genes are present in all cells, and they can change or “mutate” over time. Now, with advances in genetics and other research techniques, scientists have a clearer picture of how cancer develops in the human body. Currently, we know that cancer is a disease that occurs when abnormal cells divide uncontrollably and form tumors, spreading to other parts of the body and crowding out healthy cells. Cancers can also disrupt normal organ functions, causing pain and other symptoms in different parts of the body. In the 18th and 19th centuries, when medical researchers were first beginning to understand how cells function, they focused on cancer’s ability to spread, or metastasize. They also noticed that some cancers seemed to grow and spread more quickly than others. Ultimately, they aligned their view of cancer with an idea of uncontrolled growth that had been around for millennia. Today, we know that cancer is a complex disease with many causes. Inherited genetic mutations can lead to about 10% of all cancers. But more often, cancer develops as a result of gene changes that occur over the course of a person’s lifetime. This is because many things can damage our genes over time, such as lifestyle habits, certain drugs and other substances, and the natural aging process. Then, over time, these gene changes can enable precancerous cells to develop into full-blown cancers. To form, a cancer requires long runs of abnormal cell division and a permissive environment that allows the accumulation of mutations that allow cancer cells to survive and reproduce. If a cancer is caught early, before it has spread to other parts of the body, most people experience few or no signs and symptoms. If a cancer has already spread, treatments like surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation can help shrink the tumors, reduce how fast they grow, and ease symptoms, such as fatigue or pain. When these therapies stop cancer from growing or spreading, healthcare providers call this remission. However, most cancers will recur. For this reason, it’s important to continue getting regular checkups and following your healthcare team’s advice about treatment.