What is cancer? Cancer is a group of various diseases that result when there is an uncontrolled amount of cells growing and dividing. Cancer is usually a result when there is a sudden change in the DNA, which prevents the cells from staying in interphase (a part of the cell cycle) for the required amount of time. Some of these cancerous cells die during this phase but it only takes one to survive and start the process of dividing and multiplying.
As these cancerous cells divide and multiply a tumor starts to form within the body. A tumor is a mass of problematic cells that consistently reproduce to form a lump or growth. There are two types of tumors, benign and malignant. Benign tumors are non-cancerous cells that physically crowd other nearby cells and tissues, and in some cases may affect the cells and tissues regular function. Malignant tumors are a mass of cancerous cells that interfere with close by tissues and cells, therefore destroying them. Cancerous cells can also dispatch from their original spot where they were created, and spread throughout the body disrupting more cells and creating more tumors, this is called metastasis.
There are different types of cancer as well as different types of cancer screenings (ways to detect cancer before it occurs). Some of the most common types of cancer in Canada are; lung cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer, and colorectal cancer. Lung cancer accounts for about 27% of all cancer deaths and is by far the leading cause of cancer deaths among men and women. Each year more people die of lung cancer than breast, prostate, and colon cancer combined (http://www.cancer.org/cancer/lungcancer-non-smallcell/detailedguide/non-small-cell-lung-cancer-key-statistics). Although cancer can sometimes be inevitable and sometimes it is because of habits, there are ways to detect cancer before it strikes and prevent it. There are many different types of cancer screenings such as doing it yourself at home, or getting a special appointment/medical checkup. An example of a medical checkup would be a cancer screening called a pap test. A pap test is a test done for female around the age of 18 for cervical cancer, this test involves a doctor taking a sample of cervical cells and testing them, checking for abnormal growth.
There are 4 factors that affect and determine the risk or chance of one getting cancer. These factors are: family history, medical history, carcinogens, age, and lifestyle choices. Family history, and environment, as well as age, are difficult or impossible to change; however you can change your lifestyle to reduce your change of getting cancer. Reducing the use of tobacco products can reduce your chances of facing cancer. A healthy diet with a lot of fruits and vegetables and less fatty meats can reduce the chances of cancer. Also, you can reduce the risks of getting cancer with weight loss, which can be done maintaining a healthy diet. Reducing your risks will increase your chances to live a better longer life, without having to endure the pain of cancer.
When doctors detect cancer within a patient, the goal is to slow down the rate of the tumor’s growth and destroy as many cancerous cells as possible. There are 4 main methods to treat cancer; surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and biophotonics. Surgery is the preferred method if the cancerous tissue is easy to access. During surgery, the cancerous tissue is removed from the body. Chemotherapy is often used if the patient has first stage of cancer. This treatment involves the patient taking drugs, this method shrinks tumors and reaches places that can’t be seen or are too small to be detected. This treatment comes with side effects such as nausea, hair loss and fatigue. Radiation therapy is where a focused beam is directed directly at the cancer cells easily destroying them. Finally, biophotonics is the newer method to treating cancer. This is a more accurate method where beams of light detect and search for cancerous tissue.
Cancer is terrible and a unsustainable disease that requires a big amount of help to overcome. I have seen many people lose their lives to cancer, including my grandfather and Mr.Hatt, which makes me want to inform more people about the dangers and risks of cancer, as well as the information to detect cancer before it happens, these little things can save peoples lives. To learn more about cancer or to donate go to https://www.cancer.ca/en/?region=on.
As these cancerous cells divide and multiply a tumor starts to form within the body. A tumor is a mass of problematic cells that consistently reproduce to form a lump or growth. There are two types of tumors, benign and malignant. Benign tumors are non-cancerous cells that physically crowd other nearby cells and tissues, and in some cases may affect the cells and tissues regular function. Malignant tumors are a mass of cancerous cells that interfere with close by tissues and cells, therefore destroying them. Cancerous cells can also dispatch from their original spot where they were created, and spread throughout the body disrupting more cells and creating more tumors, this is called metastasis.
There are different types of cancer as well as different types of cancer screenings (ways to detect cancer before it occurs). Some of the most common types of cancer in Canada are; lung cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer, and colorectal cancer. Lung cancer accounts for about 27% of all cancer deaths and is by far the leading cause of cancer deaths among men and women. Each year more people die of lung cancer than breast, prostate, and colon cancer combined (http://www.cancer.org/cancer/lungcancer-non-smallcell/detailedguide/non-small-cell-lung-cancer-key-statistics). Although cancer can sometimes be inevitable and sometimes it is because of habits, there are ways to detect cancer before it strikes and prevent it. There are many different types of cancer screenings such as doing it yourself at home, or getting a special appointment/medical checkup. An example of a medical checkup would be a cancer screening called a pap test. A pap test is a test done for female around the age of 18 for cervical cancer, this test involves a doctor taking a sample of cervical cells and testing them, checking for abnormal growth.
There are 4 factors that affect and determine the risk or chance of one getting cancer. These factors are: family history, medical history, carcinogens, age, and lifestyle choices. Family history, and environment, as well as age, are difficult or impossible to change; however you can change your lifestyle to reduce your change of getting cancer. Reducing the use of tobacco products can reduce your chances of facing cancer. A healthy diet with a lot of fruits and vegetables and less fatty meats can reduce the chances of cancer. Also, you can reduce the risks of getting cancer with weight loss, which can be done maintaining a healthy diet. Reducing your risks will increase your chances to live a better longer life, without having to endure the pain of cancer.
When doctors detect cancer within a patient, the goal is to slow down the rate of the tumor’s growth and destroy as many cancerous cells as possible. There are 4 main methods to treat cancer; surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and biophotonics. Surgery is the preferred method if the cancerous tissue is easy to access. During surgery, the cancerous tissue is removed from the body. Chemotherapy is often used if the patient has first stage of cancer. This treatment involves the patient taking drugs, this method shrinks tumors and reaches places that can’t be seen or are too small to be detected. This treatment comes with side effects such as nausea, hair loss and fatigue. Radiation therapy is where a focused beam is directed directly at the cancer cells easily destroying them. Finally, biophotonics is the newer method to treating cancer. This is a more accurate method where beams of light detect and search for cancerous tissue.
Cancer is terrible and a unsustainable disease that requires a big amount of help to overcome. I have seen many people lose their lives to cancer, including my grandfather and Mr.Hatt, which makes me want to inform more people about the dangers and risks of cancer, as well as the information to detect cancer before it happens, these little things can save peoples lives. To learn more about cancer or to donate go to https://www.cancer.ca/en/?region=on.