Cancer – What is It and How Can It Be Treated?
Cancer is the name for many diseases that start when cells grow out of control and begin to divide without stopping. These abnormal cells can form tumors or spread to other parts of the body. They can also harm the immune system, which normally protects people from disease. Cancer is a complex disease, and it often takes years for it to develop. But scientists are making progress in diagnosing and treating it. The goal of treatment is to put the cancer into remission, meaning it’s not growing or causing symptoms anymore.
Most people with cancer are diagnosed when they go to the doctor because of signs or symptoms. Some are diagnosed after a screening test for another health problem finds the cancer, such as a colonoscopy or mammogram. Doctors diagnose cancer by doing tests on blood, X-rays and CT scans, and looking at tissue samples from the area where the cancer is located. They may also order a biopsy of the tissue to look for cancer cells and other signs of the disease.
During cell division, genes (which are encoded in DNA) that direct a cell’s functions can become damaged. This leads to mutations that change the way a cell functions. Over time, these mutations can build up until normal cells can no longer divide as they should or kill themselves. The cells then begin to grow out of control and form a mass of tissue that is called a tumor. Cancer can also spread to other parts of the body through the bloodstream or lymphatic system. If cancer cells reach other organs, they can form new tumors there or cause them to grow faster. The new tumors are called metastatic cancers.
Doctors categorize cancers based on where they start in the body and how fast they grow. They also categorize them based on how the cancer cells spread. They can be further divided into groups, such as types of solid tumors, or blood cancers (also called haematological cancers).
Scientists research new ways to treat and prevent cancer. They usually share their findings with other doctors and doctors-in-training by publishing them in medical journals. These studies can be done in a laboratory or with volunteers in a clinic. Some studies are published as a research paper; others are published in what is called a review article. A review article looks at all the research that has been published on a specific topic, such as cancer.
Cancer is the name for many diseases that start when cells grow out of control and begin to divide without stopping. These abnormal cells can form tumors or spread to other parts of the body. They can also harm the immune system, which normally protects people from disease. Cancer is a complex disease, and it often takes years for it to develop. But scientists are making progress in diagnosing and treating it. The goal of treatment is to put the cancer into remission, meaning it’s not growing or causing symptoms anymore. Most people with cancer are diagnosed when they go to the doctor because of signs or symptoms. Some are diagnosed after a screening test for another health problem finds the cancer, such as a colonoscopy or mammogram. Doctors diagnose cancer by doing tests on blood, X-rays and CT scans, and looking at tissue samples from the area where the cancer is located. They may also order a biopsy of the tissue to look for cancer cells and other signs of the disease. During cell division, genes (which are encoded in DNA) that direct a cell’s functions can become damaged. This leads to mutations that change the way a cell functions. Over time, these mutations can build up until normal cells can no longer divide as they should or kill themselves. The cells then begin to grow out of control and form a mass of tissue that is called a tumor. Cancer can also spread to other parts of the body through the bloodstream or lymphatic system. If cancer cells reach other organs, they can form new tumors there or cause them to grow faster. The new tumors are called metastatic cancers. Doctors categorize cancers based on where they start in the body and how fast they grow. They also categorize them based on how the cancer cells spread. They can be further divided into groups, such as types of solid tumors, or blood cancers (also called haematological cancers). Scientists research new ways to treat and prevent cancer. They usually share their findings with other doctors and doctors-in-training by publishing them in medical journals. These studies can be done in a laboratory or with volunteers in a clinic. Some studies are published as a research paper; others are published in what is called a review article. A review article looks at all the research that has been published on a specific topic, such as cancer.