What Cancer Is and How It’s Treated
Cancer is a disease that occurs when your body’s cells grow and divide without control. Cancer can start in any part of the body, but most often it develops in tissues that cover internal or external surfaces. There are more than 100 different kinds of cancer. Some types are more common than others, and some can spread to other parts of the body. This article describes what cancer is and how it’s treated.
Cells are the basic building blocks of your body. Your body constantly makes new cells to replace old or damaged ones. When your cells become damaged or don’t die when they should, they can grow out of control and form a mass called a tumor. A tumor that isn’t cancer is called benign. A tumor that is cancer is called malignant.
Your genes provide the instructions that determine how your cells will grow and die. Some people get cancer because of changes (mutations) in their genes that occur before they are born. These changes may be caused by things like cigarette smoking or exposure to radiation. Other people get cancer because of things that happen in their lives, such as being exposed to certain chemicals or viruses. A few people get cancer because of inherited genetic mutations that they get from their parents.
Mutations that cause cancer usually change sections of DNA that code for proteins. These changes are sometimes “switched on” by oncogenes, which are genes that promote cancer growth. Some cancers are caused by things that damage DNA, such as ultraviolet radiation from sunlight or certain infections. Other cancers are caused by things that interfere with how your immune system works.
Many cancers can be prevented by taking care of your health and following your doctor’s advice about screenings. Getting regular checkups and staying away from tobacco, drugs, and excessive alcohol use can help you prevent or detect cancer early. If you have a family history of cancer, it’s important to talk to your doctor about your risk for developing the disease.
Although experts don’t know what causes most cancers, they do know that some factors — such as being male or female, being older, and having certain types of genetics — increase your chance of getting the disease. They also know that some cancers can be treated and even cured if they are caught in the earliest stages. If you have cancer, treatment can include surgery, chemotherapy, and/or radiation therapy. Some cancers are treated with medicine taken by mouth. Other cancers are treated with medicine given through a vein (intravenously). Your doctor might give you radiation in the form of X-rays or radiotherapy or they might recommend surgery. They might also prescribe drugs to shrink a tumor or kill any cancer cells that remain after surgery. These medicines and treatments are called cytotoxic or chemotherapeutic agents. Combined, they are often called chemo-radiation therapy.
Cancer is a disease that occurs when your body’s cells grow and divide without control. Cancer can start in any part of the body, but most often it develops in tissues that cover internal or external surfaces. There are more than 100 different kinds of cancer. Some types are more common than others, and some can spread to other parts of the body. This article describes what cancer is and how it’s treated. Cells are the basic building blocks of your body. Your body constantly makes new cells to replace old or damaged ones. When your cells become damaged or don’t die when they should, they can grow out of control and form a mass called a tumor. A tumor that isn’t cancer is called benign. A tumor that is cancer is called malignant. Your genes provide the instructions that determine how your cells will grow and die. Some people get cancer because of changes (mutations) in their genes that occur before they are born. These changes may be caused by things like cigarette smoking or exposure to radiation. Other people get cancer because of things that happen in their lives, such as being exposed to certain chemicals or viruses. A few people get cancer because of inherited genetic mutations that they get from their parents. Mutations that cause cancer usually change sections of DNA that code for proteins. These changes are sometimes “switched on” by oncogenes, which are genes that promote cancer growth. Some cancers are caused by things that damage DNA, such as ultraviolet radiation from sunlight or certain infections. Other cancers are caused by things that interfere with how your immune system works. Many cancers can be prevented by taking care of your health and following your doctor’s advice about screenings. Getting regular checkups and staying away from tobacco, drugs, and excessive alcohol use can help you prevent or detect cancer early. If you have a family history of cancer, it’s important to talk to your doctor about your risk for developing the disease. Although experts don’t know what causes most cancers, they do know that some factors — such as being male or female, being older, and having certain types of genetics — increase your chance of getting the disease. They also know that some cancers can be treated and even cured if they are caught in the earliest stages. If you have cancer, treatment can include surgery, chemotherapy, and/or radiation therapy. Some cancers are treated with medicine taken by mouth. Other cancers are treated with medicine given through a vein (intravenously). Your doctor might give you radiation in the form of X-rays or radiotherapy or they might recommend surgery. They might also prescribe drugs to shrink a tumor or kill any cancer cells that remain after surgery. These medicines and treatments are called cytotoxic or chemotherapeutic agents. Combined, they are often called chemo-radiation therapy.