Types of Cancer and Treatments
Cancer develops when cells multiply uncontrollably and form a mass of tissue (called a tumor). A cancer can also spread to other parts of the body. This is called metastasis.
There are more than 100 types of cancer, and they all start in the same way. Each type of cancer has its own characteristics, and the type of cancer you have can help your doctor choose a treatment.
Some types of cancers grow and spread quickly, while others grow and spread slowly. Choosing the right type of treatment for you depends on many factors, including your overall health and how well your immune system is working.
Treatment for cancer focuses on killing as many of the cancerous cells as possible without harming healthy cells. This goal is accomplished with drugs, radiation therapy and surgery.
Chemotherapy targets cancer cells by destroying them with drugs, which may be taken orally or injected into a blood vessel. The drugs kill the cancer by stopping the growth and division of cancer cells, or by preventing them from forming new cells.
In addition, chemotherapy attacks the chromosomes that make DNA. These chromosomes are responsible for telling cells when to divide and how long to live. If these chromosomes are faulty, they can give the wrong instructions to cells, and this can lead to cancer.
These genetic changes are often passed down through the family, or they can occur because of certain environmental exposures. For example, smoking and sun exposure can increase the risk of developing certain types of cancers.
Some genes change the proteins that would usually repair damaged cells and prevent cancer. They can also change the chemicals that tell the immune system to destroy the cancer.
Changing the genes that tell the cells to divide can cause the cancer to become more rapid-growing and malignant. The faster a cancer grows, the more likely it is to spread to other parts of the body.
Another way cancer cells spread is by tricking the immune system into believing that they are normal. This trick causes the immune system to stop attacking and protecting normal cells in the area where the cancer is growing.
Cells in a tumor ignore signals that normally tell them to stop dividing or to die. They also invade into nearby areas, and they might even try to travel through the bloodstream to other parts of the body, where they can grow.
They can also secrete substances that can make the immune system react in ways that produce symptoms of cancer, such as fever or extreme tiredness or weight loss.
This is because the cancer uses up much of the body’s energy supply. In addition, the cancer may release chemicals that alter how the body makes energy or that can affect the body’s ability to fight infection.
Unlike normal cells, which die when they’re no longer needed, cancer cells are “immortal.” They can grow for decades if left untreated. That’s why researchers are trying to figure out how to keep cancer from growing so fast and causing it to spread.
Cancer develops when cells multiply uncontrollably and form a mass of tissue (called a tumor). A cancer can also spread to other parts of the body. This is called metastasis. There are more than 100 types of cancer, and they all start in the same way. Each type of cancer has its own characteristics, and the type of cancer you have can help your doctor choose a treatment. Some types of cancers grow and spread quickly, while others grow and spread slowly. Choosing the right type of treatment for you depends on many factors, including your overall health and how well your immune system is working. Treatment for cancer focuses on killing as many of the cancerous cells as possible without harming healthy cells. This goal is accomplished with drugs, radiation therapy and surgery. Chemotherapy targets cancer cells by destroying them with drugs, which may be taken orally or injected into a blood vessel. The drugs kill the cancer by stopping the growth and division of cancer cells, or by preventing them from forming new cells. In addition, chemotherapy attacks the chromosomes that make DNA. These chromosomes are responsible for telling cells when to divide and how long to live. If these chromosomes are faulty, they can give the wrong instructions to cells, and this can lead to cancer. These genetic changes are often passed down through the family, or they can occur because of certain environmental exposures. For example, smoking and sun exposure can increase the risk of developing certain types of cancers. Some genes change the proteins that would usually repair damaged cells and prevent cancer. They can also change the chemicals that tell the immune system to destroy the cancer. Changing the genes that tell the cells to divide can cause the cancer to become more rapid-growing and malignant. The faster a cancer grows, the more likely it is to spread to other parts of the body. Another way cancer cells spread is by tricking the immune system into believing that they are normal. This trick causes the immune system to stop attacking and protecting normal cells in the area where the cancer is growing. Cells in a tumor ignore signals that normally tell them to stop dividing or to die. They also invade into nearby areas, and they might even try to travel through the bloodstream to other parts of the body, where they can grow. They can also secrete substances that can make the immune system react in ways that produce symptoms of cancer, such as fever or extreme tiredness or weight loss. This is because the cancer uses up much of the body’s energy supply. In addition, the cancer may release chemicals that alter how the body makes energy or that can affect the body’s ability to fight infection. Unlike normal cells, which die when they’re no longer needed, cancer cells are “immortal.” They can grow for decades if left untreated. That’s why researchers are trying to figure out how to keep cancer from growing so fast and causing it to spread.