Cancer Diseases

Cancer is a class of disease, which occurs due to the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells in any part of the body. These abnormal cells are called cancer cells or tumor cells.. These cancer cells can grow and interfere with the digestive, circulatory, respiratory, nervous systems. These cells also could release hormones, which alter the proper functioning of these systems. Today millions of people are living with cancer or have had cancer. The reason is insufficient knowledge about the cancer disease, its symptoms, its causes and how it could be cured.

TYPES OF CANCER

There are 200 different types of cancer diseases present till today as our body has 200 different types of cells.

There are five basic cancer cells:

1. Carcinoma: cancer starts in the linings of organ or covering tissues 
2. Sarcoma: cancer starts in blood vessels, muscles, nerves, and tendons
3. Lymphoma: cancer starts in lymph nodes, lymphatic vessels.
4. Leukemia: cancer starts in white blood vessels.
5. Multiple melanoma: cancer occurs in bone marrow or in plasma cells.

SYMPTOMS OF CANCER

Symptoms depend on the type of cancer where it is located and where it has spread. As cancer grows it push nearby organs, blood vessels, nerves. This pressure causes signs and symptoms of cancer. Some symptoms are physically apparent while some are less physically apparent. Also sometimes cancer occurs at such a place that it does not cause any symptom.

• Unintentional weight loss: many of you will be very happy with this weight loss but it could be reason of many diseases including cancer.
• Persistent fatigue: this symptom is more common when cancer is in its advanced state.
• Pain: pain is not an early symptom except in case of cancer in bones.
• Fever: this symptom is associated with leukemia, lymphoma.
• Bowel changes: constipation, blood in stools, diarrhea all are related to coon cancer.
• Chronic cough: it is symptom in case of lung cancer.
• Headache: regular and severe headaches could be symptom of cancer.
• Skin changes: darker looking skin, yellowish skin, reddish skin, itching are also symptoms of cancer.
• Excessive hair growth.

CAUSES OF CANCER

Genetics: Some types of cancer seem to run in families but it is not true because only 5-10% of all cancers are inherited. The reason could be number of factors in common like smoking. Most cancers are not certainly linked to the genes you inherit from your parents.

Tobacco: It accounts for 80% of lung cancer, which is leading cause of death in both men and women.

Cigarette smoking also accounts for 30% of cancer deaths. All the forms of oral tobacco have chemicals that cause cancer especially in mouth, esophagus, and pancreas.  Smokeless tobacco is no doubt less harmful than smoking but eating any form of tobacco puts you at serious health risks.

Sun and UV exposure: exposure to sun and its ultra violet rays could cause diseases like cancer.

Diet and physical activity: research shows that poor diet and inactiveness are the two factors causing cancer in most of the cases. But you all can do something about it. 

•                  Control your weight  
•                   Limit the alcohol
•                  Exercise daily
•          Eat healthy foods

Benzene: It is a colorless and flammable liquid .it affects in leukemia cancer of blood cells.
Radon: It is a colorless, odorless and a radioactive gas. Long exposure to radon gas causes lung cancer.

Diesel exhaust: diesel exhaust derived from crude oil can also cause cancer.

Secondhand smoke: It is mixture of two smoke- side streams smoke and mainstream smoke. Side stream smoke comes from the end of lightened cigarette, cigar and mainstream smoke exhaled by the smoker. more the secondhand smoke you are exposed to more the chemicals in your body and more the chances of cancer.

Pollution.

Prevention of cancer

The risk of developing many cancer diseases can be reduced by changes in person’s lifestyle. So reduce the chances of cancer by preventing it. Start following the below given tips and stay healthy, fit and fine.

• Avoid tobacco use.
• Eat variety of healthy foods.
• Avoid smoking.
• Limit the alcohol if you drink.
• Stay active and maintain healthy weight.
• Protect yourself from sun.
• Get immunized: vaccination against hepatitis B.
• Get screened: regular screening and self examination helps in early detection of cancer.

Treatment works best when cancer is found early. It can be treated while it is small or it is less spread in the body.

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