No one likes to hear the word: cancer, whether for themselves or someone they care about. It’s so daunting that many refer to it as the “C-Word.” There are over 200 different types of cancer, each with its unique characteristics. Some types baffle medical experts, while others can be effectively treated and cured.
Our cells are meant to grow and divide; without new cells, our bodies wouldn’t develop properly, and certain parts would deteriorate over time.
As hair grows, cells shed from the skin. Cell division keeps the stomach lining intact and replenishes blood. Cells also grow to build muscles and lengthen bones.
Growth and division of cells are typically regulated tightly. However, if these controls fail, cells may begin to divide uncontrollably. The newly formed cells can continue this unchecked growth. This uncontrolled division is what we call cancer. When cancer spreads to other areas of the body, doctors refer to it as metastasis (Meh-Tass-tuh-sees).
What causes cancer?
Genes typically dictate how a cell grows or divides. These genes are segments of DNA that serve as guides for cellular operations. Each time a cell divides, its DNA is replicated, ensuring both new cells receive identical instructions.
Just as a manual can contain typographical errors, genes may also have DNA copied with “spelling mistakes.” Scientists call these changes mutations.
Cells possess DNA repair genes that create molecules to correct these mutations as they traverse the DNA. Usually, the cell manages to rectify these errors. The immune system can also identify and eliminate these damaged cells. In some instances, mutations are so serious that they prevent cell survival.
Nonetheless, sometimes mutated cells persist.
Some mutations may be benign. Others may alter cellular behavior without leading to cancer. However, mutations occurring in any of three gene types can raise the likelihood of the cell becoming cancerous.
- DNA repair genes. Without the ability to repair DNA, more mutations may go unchecked.
- Proto-Oncogenes. These genes regulate cell growth. Mutations can cause cells to grow uncontrollably. A mutated proto-oncogene is termed an oncogene, a word derived from Greek ONCOS meaning mass or bulk (as in tumor mass).
- Tumor suppressor genes. These genes work to regulate proto-oncogenes, preventing excessive cell growth. Mutated tumor suppressor genes may fail in this role.
Some mutations are inherited from our parents, while others can result from environmental damage. For instance, ultraviolet radiation from the sun can induce DNA mutations, as can cigarette smoke. These factors, known as carcinogens, elevate the risk of developing cancer.
Scientists and medical professionals often discuss hereditary factors and environmental contributors to cancer, yet in many cases, the precise cause remains unclear.
Types of cancer
Cancer can arise from various mutations and can originate in many cell types throughout the body. This variability means that no two cancers are identical. Scientists typically classify cancer based on the body part where it first manifests.
Some cancers form solid masses called tumors; however, not all tumors are malignant. Some are merely benign lumps with cells that have divided excessively but haven’t spread. If a doctor diagnoses a cancerous tumor early enough, it can often be surgically removed. Common types of solid tumors include breast cancer, skin cancer, and lung cancer.
Other cancers affect the blood and may arise in bone marrow, which produces blood cells. They can also originate from immune system organs and lymph fluid (which combats infections and carries waste). Hematological cancers, such as leukemia and lymphoma, target blood cells, including both red and white blood cells.
Cancer primarily affects adults but can also occur in children. In 2024, about 9,600 children under the age of 14 in the U.S. were diagnosed with cancer. Fortunately, more than four out of five children in this age group survive their cancer. However, sadly, approximately 1,000 children in the United States die from cancer annually.
The most prevalent cancers in children under 14 are leukemia and lymphoma, while less common types include brain and spinal cord cancers and other nerve tissues.
The fight against cancer
Treatment for cancer depends on its type, location, and stage.
Cancers in individuals under 18 may be approached differently than in adults. The study and treatment of cancer are known as oncology.
Numerous treatment options exist, and many patients receive a combination of therapies.
Some early-stage solid tumors can be surgically excised.
Chemotherapy employs drugs to eradicate cancer cells and shrink tumors. The specific medication used varies with the cancer type. Some drugs may target cancer cells indirectly; for instance, certain tumors depend on hormones for growth, and doctors may prescribe medications that inhibit the production or usage of these hormones.
Some cancers can be affected by heat and light. Physicians can employ radio waves, lasers, or ultrasound to heat these cells. Photodynamic therapy utilizes drugs that render cancer cells excessively sensitive to light, allowing doctors to direct lasers or other light sources to destroy them.
Radiation therapy can also combat cancer. High-energy radiation beams can kill cancer cells by damaging their DNA.
Patients with blood cancers might undergo chemotherapy or radiation to obliterate the diseased bone marrow, followed by the injection of healthy bone marrow from donors to restore the patient’s ability to produce healthy blood cells. This procedure is called stem cell transplantation.
Doctors may also harness the patient’s immune system to fight cancer. Immunotherapeutics aim to enhance the body’s natural immunity, or they may tag tumors chemically to enable the immune system to identify and annihilate them.
Cancer treatments often have undesirable side effects. Patients can experience nausea and fatigue because these treatments also kill healthy cells, particularly those that divide rapidly like stomach cells, immune cells, and hair cells. As a result, many patients experience hair loss during treatment.
Researchers continually seek innovative cancer treatment methods. Some patients participate in clinical trials to evaluate new therapies. While every cancer is different, the aim remains consistent: to restore control over cells that have become erratic.
Cancer stage
Doctors frequently use staging to track cancer progression. Different cancers may utilize varying staging systems, with some being more comprehensive than others. Many systems categorize cancer into five stages, where a higher stage indicates more advanced disease.
Stage 0: The cells are still behaving as they originally did. Stage 0 indicates a tumor for solid cancers but is not considered true cancer as it hasn’t yet spread.
Stage I: The tumor is small and confined to one area. It may have the potential to spread but hasn’t done so yet.
Stage II: The tumor has grown larger, and its cells have invaded nearby tissue, potentially spreading to lymph nodes (part of the immune system).
Stage III: The initial tumor spreads to lymph nodes and neighboring tissues. The process of cancer cells migrating to distant organs is termed metastasis.
Stage IV: Cancer has disseminated to multiple parts of the body, far from its original site.
Each cancer is categorized by its stage and tissue type as diagnosed by the doctor, even if it progresses in severity later.
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Source: www.snexplores.org
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