Cancer – A Complex Illness
Cancer is a disease that starts when cells grow out of control and don’t die when they should. Over time, these abnormal cells can form a mass of tissue called a tumor. Cancer can also spread to other parts of the body through blood or lymph (the fluid that moves through the bloodstream).
Some types of cancer can be prevented by having regular screening tests. These tests find cancer early when it is easier to treat.
Many types of cancer can be treated with surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation. New treatments are being developed all the time. Some are able to target specific genes or the proteins they make, which can help prevent cancer from growing. Other types of treatments are able to kill cancer cells without harming normal cells.
The chances of getting cancer increase with age. But cancer can happen to anyone. It affects 1 in 3 people in the United States. And it is the leading cause of death in the US for both men and women.
Cells in the body are made up of trillions of different types. Normally, they grow and multiply in a controlled way. But sometimes they start to go wrong. They keep making new cells that grow out of control and don’t die as they should. These extra cells can crowd out healthy cells and cause problems throughout the body. Cancer is a complex illness, and it can be hard to understand. But you can learn what to expect and what to ask your doctor.
A tumor is a collection of cancer cells that may or may not be malignant (cancerous). It can grow into nearby tissues and press on organs, which causes symptoms. Sometimes, cancer cells can break free from a tumor and travel through the blood or lymph to other parts of the body. This is known as metastasis.
Doctors can usually tell whether a mass is cancerous by looking at it or taking a small sample of it and testing it for cancer cells. The test is called a biopsy.
If cancer is found, doctors will want to know how far it has spread. This is called the stage of the cancer. The lower the number, the less the cancer has spread. The higher the number, the more the cancer has spread.
Some cancers can grow faster than normal cells because they have a change in their DNA. These changes are called mutations. They may happen inside the genes, where they can affect how cells grow and divide. But they can also happen outside the genes, where sections of DNA act like “on” or “off” switches for nearby genes.
Radiation therapy kills cancer cells by using x-rays or other types of radiation to damage their DNA. It can be given by mouth or through a vein (IV). It can also be used with chemotherapy to shrink a tumor before surgery or to kill any remaining cancer cells after surgery.
Cancer is a disease that starts when cells grow out of control and don’t die when they should. Over time, these abnormal cells can form a mass of tissue called a tumor. Cancer can also spread to other parts of the body through blood or lymph (the fluid that moves through the bloodstream). Some types of cancer can be prevented by having regular screening tests. These tests find cancer early when it is easier to treat. Many types of cancer can be treated with surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation. New treatments are being developed all the time. Some are able to target specific genes or the proteins they make, which can help prevent cancer from growing. Other types of treatments are able to kill cancer cells without harming normal cells. The chances of getting cancer increase with age. But cancer can happen to anyone. It affects 1 in 3 people in the United States. And it is the leading cause of death in the US for both men and women. Cells in the body are made up of trillions of different types. Normally, they grow and multiply in a controlled way. But sometimes they start to go wrong. They keep making new cells that grow out of control and don’t die as they should. These extra cells can crowd out healthy cells and cause problems throughout the body. Cancer is a complex illness, and it can be hard to understand. But you can learn what to expect and what to ask your doctor. A tumor is a collection of cancer cells that may or may not be malignant (cancerous). It can grow into nearby tissues and press on organs, which causes symptoms. Sometimes, cancer cells can break free from a tumor and travel through the blood or lymph to other parts of the body. This is known as metastasis. Doctors can usually tell whether a mass is cancerous by looking at it or taking a small sample of it and testing it for cancer cells. The test is called a biopsy. If cancer is found, doctors will want to know how far it has spread. This is called the stage of the cancer. The lower the number, the less the cancer has spread. The higher the number, the more the cancer has spread. Some cancers can grow faster than normal cells because they have a change in their DNA. These changes are called mutations. They may happen inside the genes, where they can affect how cells grow and divide. But they can also happen outside the genes, where sections of DNA act like “on” or “off” switches for nearby genes. Radiation therapy kills cancer cells by using x-rays or other types of radiation to damage their DNA. It can be given by mouth or through a vein (IV). It can also be used with chemotherapy to shrink a tumor before surgery or to kill any remaining cancer cells after surgery.