Although the word cancer is very common, when we are asked to define it, we might not do justice to it. We all have hard about the word Cancer many times however very few people understand the disease and how it develops.
Cancer is a term that encompassed a complex group of more than 100 different types of diseases. Cancer can affect just about every organ in the human body. Many people are surprised to learn that cancer can affect parts of the body like eyes and the heart.
Each type of cancer is unique with its its own causes, symptoms and methods of treatment. Like all groups of disease, some types of cancer are more common than others. The term cancer comes from a Greek word carcinos which means crab. The ancient Greek physician hippocrates likened a spreading cancerous tumour to the shape of a crab’s claw. Although our understanding of the disease has advanced dramatically since then the description is still apt. An important feature of cancerous tumour is its ability to spread within the body.
There are many ways one can define cancer. In the simplest way, cancer can be explained as cells in a certain part of the body that have started to grow in an out-of-control and unregulated fashion. The human body is made up of billions of tiny units called cells. These are the smallest structures in the body that can be considered to be living. They can only be seen under high-powered microscopes. Cells normally go through a life cycle of growth, division, and death. When this occurs in an orderly fashion, cells are created and die in roughly equal numbers. They also normally stay confined to the area of the body in which they were meant to be.
Unfortunately, certain cells sometimes begin to multiply much faster than they die when this happens, these abnormal cancerous cells can also spread to other areas. When cancer from one body site has spread to other areas of the body, the cancer can be said to have metastasized. This is always an unfortunate occurrence as cancer that has spread is much harder to treat in general.
A cancer is named after its original site in the body. For example, prostate cancer,even if it were spread to bones or to the colon would still be called prostate cancer and not bone or colon cancer. This would more appropriately be called prostate cancer with metastasis to the bone.
All types of cancer are different. For example prostate cancer is very different from lung cancer. The two are are caused by different factors, diagnosed in different ways and treatment differently.
Regardless of the type of cancer, the underlying problem is the unregulated and abnormal growth of the cells in that part of the body.
The body is made up of many types of cells as per the needs of the body. Cancer raids when cells keep dividing, even when new cells are not needed. The mass of extra cells may produce a tumor that can be ;
Benign: Benign tumors are rarely life threatening, and they do not spread to other parts of the body. In general, they are dormant. They often can be removed and usually do not grow back.
Malignant : Malignant tumors can invade, damage and destroy nearby tissues and spread to other parts of the body.
Other definitions of cancer
According to the National Cancer institute of cancer terms, cancer is a term for diseases in which abnormal cells divide with out control and can invade nearby tissue. Cancer cells can also spread to other parts of the body through the blood and lymph systems. There are several main types of cancer. Carcinoma is a cancer that begins in the skin or in the tissue that line or cover internal organs. Sarcoma is a cancer that begins in bone, cartilage, fat, muscle blood vessels, or other connective or supportive tissue. Leukemia is a cancer that starts in blood forming tissue, such as bone marrow, and causes large numbers of abnormal blood cells to be produced and enter the blood. Lymphoma and multiple myeloma are cancers that begin in the cells of the immune system. Central nervous system cancers are cancers that begin in the tissue of the brain and spinal cord. Also called malignancy.
How cancer develop
The organs in our body are made up of cells. Cells devided and multiply as the body needs them. When these cells continue multiplying when the body doesn’t need them, the result is mass or growth, also called a tumour. These growth are considered either benighted or malignant. Benign is considered non-cancerous and malignant is cancerous. Benign tumors rarely are life threatening and do not spread to other parts of the body. They can often be removed. Malignant tumors how ever often invade nearby tissue and organs spreading the disease.
How cancer spread to other parts of the the body.
The cells with in malignant tumors have the ability to invade neighbouring tissues and organs, thus spreading the disease. It is also possible for cancerous cells to break free from the tumor site and enter the blood stream, spreading the disease to other organs. This process of is called metastasis. When cancer had metastases and had affected other areas of the body, the disease is still referred to the organ of origination. For example, if cervical cancer spreads to the lungs, it is still called cervical cancer, not lung cancer although most cancers develop and spread this way—via an organ – blood cancer like leukemia do not. They affect the blood and the organs that form blood and then invade nearby tissues.
More theories on the causes of cancer.
The lymph theory developed in the 17th century, replacing Hippocrates black bile theory on the cause of cancer. The discovery of the lymphatic system gave new insight to what may cause cancer. It was believed that abnormalities in the lymphatic system was the cause.
It’s wasn’t until the late 19th century that Rudolph Virchow how recognized that cells even cancerous cells, derived from other cells.
Other theories surfaced, such as cancer being caused by trauma, parasites, and it was thought that cancer may spread “like a liquid.” It was later concluded that cancer is spread through malignant cells by German surgeon, Karl Thiersch . In 1926 a Nobel prize was wrong fully awarded for the discovery of the cause of stomach cancer a worm. The 20th century saw the greatest progression in cancer research. Research identifying carcinogens, chemotherapy, radiation therapy and better means of diagnosis were discovered. Today, we are able to cure some types of cancer, and research is still going on clinical trials and research studies are out key to finding a cure, or a definitive method of prevention
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