Chronic Diseases: Cancer
The diagnosis of cancer strikes fear into the hearts of many patients and their families. Why does cancer have this effect on us? Perhaps because its causes are fairly mysterious. Also, though we give it one name, cancer is not really a single disease. Rather, it is a progressive condition that attacks different organs of the body in different ways. Treatment of cancer is difficult as well as painful, and the disease itself is often fatal. That's the bad news. The good news is that cancer is often preventable, and we can reduce our risk of many forms of cancer by acquiring healthy habits and avoiding unhealthy ones.
Cancer develops when abnormal cells multiply in the body's normal tissue, causing tumors. Some tumors are benign, meaning they don't cause cancer. Some are malignant, which means they are cancer-causing. When these cancerous tumors spread through the body, disease occurs; this process is called metastasis.
Types of Cancer
Can you name the most common types of cancer? What are their risk factors and what are the carcinogens that cause these cancers (carcinogen is defined as a substance that is directly involved with causing or promoting cancer)?Lung Cancer: exposure to cigarette smoke and other inhalants such as asbestos
Breast Cancer: genetic factors, obesity, alcohol abuse, physical inactivity
Testicular: genetic factors, undescended testicles
Though no cure yet exists for cancer, some possible treatments exist:
- Surgery: removes cancerous tissue from the body.
- Radiation: kills cancerous cells by aiming radiation at them.
- Chemotherapy: uses cancer-killing chemicals to destroy cancerous cells.
- New Method of Blood Treatment: A new method of blood treatment now exists, where new antibodies are introduced to the body and destroy cancer cells.
Detection and Prevention
What are some things people can do to help prevent cancer?Avoid Smoking: Exposure to cigarette smoke is a leading cause of cancer.
Exercise Regularly: Cancer has been related to issues of obesity and other chronic conditions that exercise helps alleviate.
Eat Well: Eating a balanced diet high in fruits, vegetables, vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber has been shown to help decrease the risk of acquiring certain types of cancer.
