What Causes Cancer?
Cancer is a disease that starts when abnormal cells grow and divide without control. When cancer develops, the abnormal cells form a mass of tissue called a tumour. Cancer cells also grow, invade nearby tissues and spread to other areas of the body. Cancer is a complex disease and doctors still don’t know what causes it. However, they do know that there are things you can do to help reduce your risk of getting cancer. These include getting regular screening tests, eating a healthy diet and being physically active, avoiding tobacco and excessive sun exposure.
Most types of cancer start in the cells that line the lungs, digestive tract, bladder or blood vessels. They may also start in any other type of cell. Cancer cells often have mutations in their genes. These mutations change the instructions that tell cells when to grow and die. Normal cells usually repair these mutations, but when they don’t, the cells continue to grow and divide without control. The mutations also make the cells resistant to the action of hormones, which control cell growth. Cancer cells also ignore signals that tell cells to stop growing or to die (a process called programmed cell death, or apoptosis). As a result, the cancer cells build up and crowd out other cells.
As cancer grows, it can cause pain and other symptoms in the area where it is located. It can also spread to other parts of the body through the blood or lymphatic system. Cancer cells can also break off from a tumour and travel to other parts of the body, where they can cause new cancers. This is called metastasis.
Many different kinds of cancer can cause metastasis. The type of cancer you have and where it started in your body affects how likely you are to get metastatic cancer. For example, leukaemia is more likely to spread to the lungs and liver than breast or colon cancer.
Scientists are working hard to find ways to prevent and treat cancer. They are developing drugs that block the blood supply that tumors need to grow, correct the genetic changes that lead to cancer and help your immune system fight cancer. They are also finding ways to improve surgery and radiation treatments, and they are developing tests that can find cancer early when it is easier to treat.
If you have had cancer, you may have some thoughts or feelings that are difficult to talk about. Talking with a counselor can help you cope with these emotions and learn to live with them. A counselor can also teach you skills to manage your day-to-day life and help you plan for the future. There are support groups for people who have had cancer. They can help you share your feelings and learn from others’ experiences. You can join a cancer support group in person or online. There are also organizations that provide psychological counseling for cancer patients and their families.
Cancer is a disease that starts when abnormal cells grow and divide without control. When cancer develops, the abnormal cells form a mass of tissue called a tumour. Cancer cells also grow, invade nearby tissues and spread to other areas of the body. Cancer is a complex disease and doctors still don’t know what causes it. However, they do know that there are things you can do to help reduce your risk of getting cancer. These include getting regular screening tests, eating a healthy diet and being physically active, avoiding tobacco and excessive sun exposure. Most types of cancer start in the cells that line the lungs, digestive tract, bladder or blood vessels. They may also start in any other type of cell. Cancer cells often have mutations in their genes. These mutations change the instructions that tell cells when to grow and die. Normal cells usually repair these mutations, but when they don’t, the cells continue to grow and divide without control. The mutations also make the cells resistant to the action of hormones, which control cell growth. Cancer cells also ignore signals that tell cells to stop growing or to die (a process called programmed cell death, or apoptosis). As a result, the cancer cells build up and crowd out other cells. As cancer grows, it can cause pain and other symptoms in the area where it is located. It can also spread to other parts of the body through the blood or lymphatic system. Cancer cells can also break off from a tumour and travel to other parts of the body, where they can cause new cancers. This is called metastasis. Many different kinds of cancer can cause metastasis. The type of cancer you have and where it started in your body affects how likely you are to get metastatic cancer. For example, leukaemia is more likely to spread to the lungs and liver than breast or colon cancer. Scientists are working hard to find ways to prevent and treat cancer. They are developing drugs that block the blood supply that tumors need to grow, correct the genetic changes that lead to cancer and help your immune system fight cancer. They are also finding ways to improve surgery and radiation treatments, and they are developing tests that can find cancer early when it is easier to treat. If you have had cancer, you may have some thoughts or feelings that are difficult to talk about. Talking with a counselor can help you cope with these emotions and learn to live with them. A counselor can also teach you skills to manage your day-to-day life and help you plan for the future. There are support groups for people who have had cancer. They can help you share your feelings and learn from others’ experiences. You can join a cancer support group in person or online. There are also organizations that provide psychological counseling for cancer patients and their families.