Cancer Causes and Treatments
Cancer is a group of diseases that start when cells begin to grow and divide abnormally instead of repairing themselves or dying when they should. These uncontrolled growths are called tumors and can form in any tissue of the body. They often get their own blood supply and can crowd out normal cells and organs, causing them to function poorly or stop working altogether.
Cancer causes different symptoms in each person, depending on the type of cancer and where it starts. Some types of cancer can be cured by surgery or other treatments, while others are not. But research in recent years has transformed how cancer is and will be treated. New medicines block the blood supply that tumors need to grow, correct genetic defects that lead to cancer and help the immune system fight cancer. These are just a few of the many new options for treating cancer that doctors have now, and more are on the way.
Some cancers can cause few or no symptoms, and are only diagnosed when a doctor checks for them during a medical exam or screening test, such as a colonoscopy or Pap smear. These tests are done when a person is healthy, and can find some cancers early, when they are easier to treat.
Most cancers are not preventable, but there are ways to reduce your risk by taking good care of your health and getting regular screenings. This is the best way to find cancer early, when it is easiest to treat.
Genetic changes can cause cancer, and these can happen at any age. These changes may be hereditary (passed on by parents) or they can happen spontaneously, for example due to an infection or exposure to chemicals or radiation.
There are some things you can do to lower your chances of getting cancer, such as not smoking and eating well. You should also be aware of how your body feels and see your doctor right away if you have any unusual symptoms, such as unexplained weight loss or a persistent cough that does not go away.
Cancer that has spread to other parts of the body is called metastatic cancer. It travels through the bloodstream or lymph system to other places in the body and settles there, forming new tumors. The new tumors are named for the part of the body where they first started, for example, breast cancer that has spread to the lungs is called metastatic breast cancer.
Some cancers can be very difficult to treat, but doctors are always looking for new ways to improve treatment and increase the number of people who can be cured. For example, some cancers spread quickly, and new medicines can mark these cells so that the immune system can find them more easily. Other new treatments can keep cancer cells from getting the oxygen and nutrients they need to grow, or block the signals that tell them to multiply. And surgical procedures can be used to remove all or part of a tumor, as well as tissues that surround it.
Cancer is a group of diseases that start when cells begin to grow and divide abnormally instead of repairing themselves or dying when they should. These uncontrolled growths are called tumors and can form in any tissue of the body. They often get their own blood supply and can crowd out normal cells and organs, causing them to function poorly or stop working altogether. Cancer causes different symptoms in each person, depending on the type of cancer and where it starts. Some types of cancer can be cured by surgery or other treatments, while others are not. But research in recent years has transformed how cancer is and will be treated. New medicines block the blood supply that tumors need to grow, correct genetic defects that lead to cancer and help the immune system fight cancer. These are just a few of the many new options for treating cancer that doctors have now, and more are on the way. Some cancers can cause few or no symptoms, and are only diagnosed when a doctor checks for them during a medical exam or screening test, such as a colonoscopy or Pap smear. These tests are done when a person is healthy, and can find some cancers early, when they are easier to treat. Most cancers are not preventable, but there are ways to reduce your risk by taking good care of your health and getting regular screenings. This is the best way to find cancer early, when it is easiest to treat. Genetic changes can cause cancer, and these can happen at any age. These changes may be hereditary (passed on by parents) or they can happen spontaneously, for example due to an infection or exposure to chemicals or radiation. There are some things you can do to lower your chances of getting cancer, such as not smoking and eating well. You should also be aware of how your body feels and see your doctor right away if you have any unusual symptoms, such as unexplained weight loss or a persistent cough that does not go away. Cancer that has spread to other parts of the body is called metastatic cancer. It travels through the bloodstream or lymph system to other places in the body and settles there, forming new tumors. The new tumors are named for the part of the body where they first started, for example, breast cancer that has spread to the lungs is called metastatic breast cancer. Some cancers can be very difficult to treat, but doctors are always looking for new ways to improve treatment and increase the number of people who can be cured. For example, some cancers spread quickly, and new medicines can mark these cells so that the immune system can find them more easily. Other new treatments can keep cancer cells from getting the oxygen and nutrients they need to grow, or block the signals that tell them to multiply. And surgical procedures can be used to remove all or part of a tumor, as well as tissues that surround it.