Cancers

Cancer, also called malignancy, is an abnormal growth of cells; which means they can spread into, or invade, nearby tissues.Cancer cells are also often able to evade the immune system, a network of organs, tissues, and specialized cells that protects the body from infections and other conditions. Although the immune system normally removes damaged or abnormal cells from the body, some cancer cells are able to “hide” from the immune system.

A cancer that has spread from the place where it first started to another place in the body is called metastatic cancer. The process by which cancer cells spread to other parts of the body is called metastasis.

There are five main categories of cancer:

• Carcinomas begin in the skin or tissues that line the internal organs.
• Sarcomas develop in the bone, cartilage, fat, muscle or other connective tissues.
• Leukemia begins in the blood and bone marrow.
• Lymphomas start in the immune system.
• Central nervous system cancers develop in the brain and spinal cord.

Symptoms

Cancer can cause many different symptoms and also varies with the type of cancer.

• Skin changes, such as:
• A new mole or a change in an existing mole
• A sore that does not heal
• Breast changes, such as:
• Change in size or shape of the breast or nipple
• Change in texture of breast skin
• A thickening or lump on or under the skin
• Hoarseness or cough that does not go away
• Changes in bowel habits
• Difficult or painful urination
• Problems with eating, such as:
• Discomfort after eating
• A hard time swallowing
• Changes in appetite
• Weight gain or loss with no known reason
• Abdominal pain
• Unexplained night sweats
• Unusual bleeding or discharge, including:
• Blood in the urine
• Vaginal bleeding
• Blood in the stool
• Feeling weak or very tired

Usually, early cancer does not cause pain.

Causes

Cancer is the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells in the body. Cancer develops when the body’s normal control mechanism stops working. Old cells do not die and cells grow out of control, forming new, abnormal cells. These extra cells may form a mass of tissue, called a tumor. Some cancers, such as leukemia, do not form tumors.

Diagnosis

The doctor may ask about your personal and family medical history and do a physical exam. The doctor also may order lab tests, scans, or other tests or procedures like biopsy.

Staging

Staging describes the severity of a person’s cancer based on the size and/or extent (reach) of the original (primary) tumor and whether or not cancer has spread in the body. Staging is important as it helps healthcare providers and researchers exchange information about patients.

Treatment

Treatment options depend on the type of cancer, its stage, if the cancer has spread and your general health. The goal of treatment is to kill as many cancerous cells while minimizing damage to normal cells nearby.
The three main treatments are:

• Surgery: directly removing the tumor
• Chemotherapy: using chemicals to kill cancer cells
• Radiation therapy: using X-rays to kill cancer cells