Cancer – Causes and Treatments
Cancer is a disease that happens when some of your body’s cells grow and multiply in an uncontrolled way. This leads to a group of abnormal cells that can form a lump (called a tumour) or spread into other parts of your body. Cancer can be caused by many things. It can start in any tissue or organ of the body. It may also start in blood-forming tissues such as bone marrow. Cancer that starts in these tissues is called leukemia. It can also start in nerve cells and spread to the brain, where it causes problems such as headaches and weakness on one side of the body.
Cancer can be treated with surgery, radiation, chemotherapy and other medicines. New treatments are being tested all the time. Some of them block the growth of cancer cells and help your immune system to fight them. Others kill or damage the cancer cells.
Normal cells grow and divide to make more cells as the body needs them. But sometimes these cells get damaged or become old and die. If too many of these cells build up, they may become a tumor or spread to other parts of the body. Cancer can start almost anywhere in the body, which is made up of trillions of cells. It can be any type of cell — skin cells, nerve cells, muscle cells, bone cells or blood cells.
The cause of most cancers isn’t known. But it is thought that changes in genes are partly to blame. Genes contain the instructions that control how your cells grow, divide and die. When these genes get faulty, they can lead to cancer. Cancer can also happen because of something you do or don’t do. For example, smoking increases the chance of getting some types of cancer.
Some cancers start in a normal tissue or cell, but the change in the gene makes it more likely to become cancer. Other cancers start in abnormal tissue that hasn’t changed much. For example, a mole that has changes in the way it looks may become a melanoma, a type of skin cancer.
In most cases, cancer isn’t contagious. It isn’t caused by germs, like the cold or the flu. But it can be passed on from parent to child through genes.
A person who has a family history of cancer may be more likely to have the disease. Other factors that increase a person’s risk of developing cancer are age, genetics and certain environmental exposures such as UV rays from the sun. Cancer isn’t preventable, but there are some ways to lower your risk. For example, you can avoid tobacco smoke and some sun exposure. You can also follow a healthy diet and exercise regularly. And you can get regular checkups to find early signs of cancer. Talk to your doctor about any symptoms you have that worry you. They can recommend tests to find the right treatment for you.
Cancer is a disease that happens when some of your body’s cells grow and multiply in an uncontrolled way. This leads to a group of abnormal cells that can form a lump (called a tumour) or spread into other parts of your body. Cancer can be caused by many things. It can start in any tissue or organ of the body. It may also start in blood-forming tissues such as bone marrow. Cancer that starts in these tissues is called leukemia. It can also start in nerve cells and spread to the brain, where it causes problems such as headaches and weakness on one side of the body. Cancer can be treated with surgery, radiation, chemotherapy and other medicines. New treatments are being tested all the time. Some of them block the growth of cancer cells and help your immune system to fight them. Others kill or damage the cancer cells. Normal cells grow and divide to make more cells as the body needs them. But sometimes these cells get damaged or become old and die. If too many of these cells build up, they may become a tumor or spread to other parts of the body. Cancer can start almost anywhere in the body, which is made up of trillions of cells. It can be any type of cell — skin cells, nerve cells, muscle cells, bone cells or blood cells. The cause of most cancers isn’t known. But it is thought that changes in genes are partly to blame. Genes contain the instructions that control how your cells grow, divide and die. When these genes get faulty, they can lead to cancer. Cancer can also happen because of something you do or don’t do. For example, smoking increases the chance of getting some types of cancer. Some cancers start in a normal tissue or cell, but the change in the gene makes it more likely to become cancer. Other cancers start in abnormal tissue that hasn’t changed much. For example, a mole that has changes in the way it looks may become a melanoma, a type of skin cancer. In most cases, cancer isn’t contagious. It isn’t caused by germs, like the cold or the flu. But it can be passed on from parent to child through genes. A person who has a family history of cancer may be more likely to have the disease. Other factors that increase a person’s risk of developing cancer are age, genetics and certain environmental exposures such as UV rays from the sun. Cancer isn’t preventable, but there are some ways to lower your risk. For example, you can avoid tobacco smoke and some sun exposure. You can also follow a healthy diet and exercise regularly. And you can get regular checkups to find early signs of cancer. Talk to your doctor about any symptoms you have that worry you. They can recommend tests to find the right treatment for you.