Cancer is the second leading cause of death worldwide after heart disease. Cancer is caused by the uncontrolled division of cells and causes tumors. Tumors may occur at any place where cells multiply rapidly, including organs, glands, muscles, blood vessels, bone marrow, lymph nodes, and skin. There are many different types of cancers, each having its own characteristics. Cancer occurs when cells divide without control. When they do not die normally (commit suicide), they accumulate changes that allow them to reproduce indefinitely. If these changes happen in normal body cells, they become benign or pre-cancerous. But if they happen in reproductive or stem cells, they become malignant or cancerous. Cancer treatment process can be differ according to stages of cancer
Followings are the things about cancer
- Cancer is a disease where cells divide uncontrollably causing them to grow out of control and invade surrounding tissue. There are many types of cancer including breast, prostate, lung, colon, skin, brain, liver, stomach, blood, bone etc.
- Cancer starts when DNA damage occurs in our body. The damaged DNA then signals our immune system to attack these abnormal cells. However, if the immune system fails to identify the problem, the cell continues to replicate and grow out of control.
- In some cases, cancerous cells may become metastatic, spreading throughout the whole body. Metastasis is when cancer spreads to other parts of the body. Once cancer becomes metastatic, treatment options are extremely limited.
- Cancer cells have a high rate of replication. A normal cell replicates once per day. A cancer cell replicates at least 100 times per day.
- Cancer cells can invade other organs and spread to other parts of the same organ. If they spread to different organs, we call it metastasis.
- Cancer cells do not respond to chemotherapy drugs. Chemotherapy drugs kill cells based on their function and what they need to survive. Cancer cells cannot use those chemicals. Chemotherapy price is depend on many factors
- Cancer cells can evade the immune system. Immune cells recognize foreign substances and destroy them. When the immune system recognizes abnormal cells, it destroys them. But cancer cells can disguise themselves as normal cells.
- Cancer cells can escape apoptosis (programmed cell death). Apoptosis helps keep the balance between cell reproduction and cell death. By removing unwanted cells, apoptosis prevents cancer.
- Cancer cells can resist anti-cancer treatments. Anti-cancer treatments target specific molecules and receptors that help cancer cells grow and multiply. But cancer cells often evolve ways to avoid being destroyed. As a result, anti-cancer treatments often fail.
- Cancer cells can change shape. Normal cells are round; cancer cells are squamous, spindle-shaped, or polygonal. Squamous cells look like sheets of paper. Spindle shaped cells resemble spaghetti. Polygonal cells resemble cubes.
- Cancer cells can break away from tumors. Tumors are clumps of cancer cells that stick together and grow slowly. Sometimes, tumor cells break away from the tumor and travel through the bloodstream or lymph vessels to other parts of the human body.
- Cancer cells can enter the bloodstream. Blood carries oxygen and nutrients to every part of the body. Because cancer cells don’t need oxygen and nutrients, they can enter the bloodstream and travel to distant sites.
- Cancer cells can leave the bloodstream. After traveling through the bloodstream, cancer cells can go to any organ in the body. The cells can attach to the lining of the organ’s blood vessels and stay there. Or they can detach from the blood vessel and move to new places.
- Cancer cells can cause inflammation. Inflammation is a protective reaction to harmful stimuli. Normally, inflammation causes redness, swelling, pain, warmth, loss of appetite, and weakness. But sometimes, inflammation damages healthy tissue instead of helping fight infection.
These are the things about cancer you have to know
