Cancer: Oncology and Accurate Cause
Cancer Cancer is one of the top causes of death in the world today. Studies show that one in three people will go through some form of cancer in their lifetime. There are various different kinds of cancer that effect different parts of the body. Cancer is treated in many different ways. Some forms of cancer are treatable, and some are not. Cancer usually comes from the development of a tumor. Tumors form in the body when cells are produced without cause. New cells are formed when they are not needed, and they group together to form a tumor.
The tumor can be benign, which means that it is non-cancerous, or it can be malignant, which means that it is cancerous. If cells break away from a malignant tumor, they will enter the bloodstream, and spread throughout the body, hurting other parts of the body. Cancer can also appear with no definite cause. However, there are some activities that people participate in, that increase the risk of cancer. Smoking can cause cancer of the lung, mouth, and throat. Alcohol can cause cancer of the mouth, throat, and liver. Also, exposure to radiation and sunlight can cause skin cancer.
The accurate cause of cancer still remains a mystery. Cancer can be spotted early on by certain symptoms. As cancer progresses through it’s many stages, it will produce certain symptoms. The symptoms depend on the size and location of the cancer. In some areas, symptoms will not appear until the cancer is very large, making the cancer more difficult to treat. The general symptoms of cancer are fever, an alter of metabolism, fatigue, severe weight loss, weakness and dizziness, blood clots, and sores that don’t heal. There are many different ways of treatment for cancer.
Surgery is usually the first choice of most patients. If the cancer is localized, meaning it hasn’t spread, surgery is the best option. The surgeon will remove the tumor and the surrounding tissue. Surgery offers the best chance of a cure. The next method of treatment, which is usually a patient’s second choice, is chemotherapy. This method treats cancer cells that have spread. Chemotherapy is used depending on the type of cancer, and the stage it is in. Chemotherapy specifically treats cancer by injecting strong medicine to a patient, and allowing the drugs to travel throughout the body.
The side effects include vomiting, hair loss, infections, and fatigue. The last treatment, which is usually a last resort, is Radiation. It destroys cancer cells, so they don’t multiply. More than one half of people with cancer experience Radiation. Radiation is the process of external high-energy rays or implants inserted near the tumor, eliminating the cancer cells. With all kinds of cancer, there are seven main warning signs. These seven signs found in one person would show that the person may be suffering from some type of cancer, and this person should see a doctor immediately.
The seven warning signs are a major change in bowel or bladder habits, a sore that does not heal, unusual bleeding, thickening or lump in breast, indigestion or difficulty swallowing, obvious changes in wart or mole, and an irritating cough or roughness. Work Cited “Cancer. ” Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 26 Mar. 2012. Web. 26 Mar. 2012. <http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Cancer>. “What Is Cancer? ” American Cancer Society. Web. 26 Mar. 2012. <http://www. cancer. org/Cancer/CancerBasics/what-is-cancer>. “Genetics and Cancer. American Cancer Society. Web. 26 Mar. 2012. <http://www. cancer. org/Cancer/CancerCauses/GeneticsandCancer/index>. “Diet and Physical Activity. ” American Cancer Society. Web. 26 Mar. 2012. <http://www. cancer. org/Cancer/CancerCauses/DietandPhysicalActivity/index>. Weinberg, Robert A. The Biology of Cancer. New York: Garland Science, 2007. Print Nathan, David G. The Cancer Treatment Revolution: How Smart Drugs and Other New Therapies AreRenewing Our Hope and Changing the Face of Medicine. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley, 2007. Print.
