Seerat Shahina
Karachi
Cancer & its Treatment
Cancer is a disease in which some of the body's cells grow uncontrollably and spread to other parts of the body. Cancer can start almost anywhere in the human body, which is made up of trillions of cells. When cells are abnormal or get old, they usually die. Cancer starts when something goes wrong in this process and cells keep making new cells and the old or abnormal ones don't die when they should. The cancer cells grow out of control. This makes it hard for the body to work in normal way.
Cancer can be attributed to many factors including population ageing and exposure to risk factors, such as smoking, alcohol use, low fruit and vegetable intake, and lack of physical activity and environmental pollution. According to World Health Organization (WHO) approximately 70% of deaths from cancer occur in low- and middle-income countries. Around one-third of deaths from cancer are due to tobacco use. Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide. Nonsmokers who are exposed to secondhand smoke at home or at work place have a 20% to 30% higher risk of lung cancer.
Cancer can develop anywhere in the body and is named for the part of the body. There are two main categories of cancer:
• Hematologic (blood) cancers are cancers of the blood cells, including leukemia, lymphoma, and multiple myeloma.
• Solid tumor cancers are cancers of any of the other body organs or tissues. The most common solid tumors are breast, prostate, lung, and colorectal cancers. These cancers are alike in some ways, but can be different in the ways they grow, spread, and respond to treatment.
Symptoms of Cancer may include weight loss, fatigue, pain; bone cancer which often hurt from the beginning. Some brain tumors cause headaches. Fever, sores that don`t heal, changes in skin like it’s darkened, looks yellow or red, itches, or rash. Cough or hoarseness that doesn’t go away. Cancer arises from the transformation of normal cells into tumour cells in a multi-stage process that generally progresses from a pre-cancerous lesion to a malignant tumour.
A tumor is a lump or growth. Some lumps are cancerous called malignant but many are not, they are called benign. When a cancer is found, tests are done to see how advanced the cancer is and whether it has spread, from where it started. A lower stage (such as a stage 1 or 2) means that the cancer has not spread very much. A higher number (such as a stage 3 or 4) means it has spread more. Stage 4 is the highest stage. When cancer cells break away from a tumor, they can travel to other areas of the body through either the bloodstream or the lymph system. The stage of the cancer is very important in choosing the best treatment for a person.
The curability of cancer is directly related to its stage at the time of diagnosis. In the majority of countries, cancer is generally diagnosed relatively at advanced stage because people delay in going for checkup. Advances in cancer care have been highly specific in terms of the diagnostic and treatment modalities that are recommended for each type of cancer.
Cancer treatment may include many steps according to the condition of the patient, some types of cancer are best treated with surgery; others respond better to drugs such as chemotherapy. Often 2 or more treatments are used to get the best results. In surgery doctors cut out tissue with cancer cells. Chemotherapy is a special medicine that shrinks or kills cancer cells. In Radiation therapy high-energy rays are used. Hormone therapy is a treatment to block cancer cells from getting the hormones they need to grow. Immunotherapy is done to boost body’s immune system to help it fight cancer cells and control side effects. Stem cell transplant is required to replace bone marrow cells lost due to very high doses of chemotherapy or radiation therapy, most commonly used to treat blood cancers and cancers in lymph nodes.
Cancers can be prevented by avoiding risk factors and implementing the evidence-based prevention strategies. The cancer burden can also be reduced through early detection of cancer and appropriate treatment. Many cancers have a high chance of cure if diagnosed early and treated
Many people with cancer feel depression. They feel a sense of loss of their health, and life. Some people with cancer might talk about death, worry about their future or their family’s future. This is a normal response to any serious illness. Over time, most people are able to adjust to the new reality in their lives and go forward. Some may need extra help from a support group or a mental health professional. When talking with someone who has cancer, the most important thing is to listen. Try to listen and understand how they feel. Let them know that you’re open to talking whenever they feel like. Love and support of family and friends can help cancer patients to manage daily routine life.