National cancer awareness day: Know symptoms, causes and treatment in detail
Cancer is caused when abnormal cells are created which are invasive in nature and keeps multiplying. It is not a single disease but a group of diseases that can affect any part of the body
PTC News Desk: Cancer is no longer an uncommon disease nowadays. With rapidly changing lifestyle and overall obliviousness towards health, a sharp surge in rising cases of cancer has been recorded with increasing risk simultaneously. Cancer is caused when abnormal cells are created which are invasive in nature and keeps multiplying.
Types of Cancers:
Cancer is not a single disease but a group of diseases that can affect any part of the body, however there are three broader cancer classification
- Solid cancers: This is considered as most common type which marks up to 80 % to 90 % of total cases.
- Blood cancers: These are cancers that start in your blood cells or lymphatic system. Examples include leukemia, lymphoma and multiple myeloma.
- Mixed: Cancers that involve two classifications or subtypes. Examples include carcinosarcoma and adenosquamous carcinoma.
Symptoms and Causes:
The symptoms generally vary from person to person, however there are certain symptoms that evidently indicate towards cancer.
- Fatigue
- Fever(occurring mostly at night)
- Loss of appetite
- Persistent pain
- Blood
- New lumps or bumps
- Hair Loss
- Unexplained weight loss
What are the causes of cancer ?
Cancer is caused by genes that manage cell activity when they further mutate and give rise to abnormal cells that keep multiplying while disrupting the normal body function. These cells become cancerous and create tumours and travel to other parts of the body your lymphatic system or bloodstream.
Diagnosis for cancer
- Blood Tests: It includes complete blood count, tumour marker test and blood protein tests
- Biopsies: It includes surgical incision or non surgical with a help of needle
- Genetic Testing: It helps to diagnose and initiate a future plan for the treatment for inherited forms
Common Cancer Treatments
- Surgery: In the beginning surgery can remove cancerous tumors that haven't spread
- Chemotherapy: It destroys cancer cells with medications or through insertion of needle into the vein
- Radiation therapy: High dosage of radiation tends to kill cancer cells
- Targeted therapy: It targets the mutations that turns healthy cells into cancerous cells
- Bone marrow transplant: This method replaces damages cells with healthy ones