Cancer is caused when your body cells begin to divide uncontrollably. The condition can result in the development of tumors, damage to the immune system, and other impairments that can be fatal if the condition is not diagnosed and treated in good time. Your body cells get instructions to die after the completion of their lifespan to give way for the buildup of new cells. Cancerous cells lack these instructions to stop dividing and die, resulting in their uncontrollable growth. As a result, these cancerous cells continue to use oxygen and nutrients that would actually be required by other new and healthy cells. This way, cancerous cells affect the body’s capability to function normally and regularly.
Some types of cells cause rapid cell growth while others make the cells grow and divide at a slower pace. Cancer cells may grow in one area and spread to other areas and organs of the body through lymph nodes. Lymph nodes are clusters of immune cells that are located on the lymphatic vessels that are spread throughout your body,.
Cancer can also result due to genetic reasons. The genetic code of your cell tells them to divide and expire. Problems with these instructions and changes in genes can lead to faulty instructions, resulting in the growth of cancerous cells. Changes in genes may change proteins that would be used to repair damaged cells. If the parents have these genes, they may pass incorrect information to the offspring. Inherited genetic mutations can result in hereditary cancer syndrome, a condition that contributes to 5 to 10 percent of the total cancer cases. Other risk factors of cancer include heavy consumption of alcohol, physical inactivity, poor nutrition, and obesity.
Below methods are usually used by oncologists or cancer doctors for the treatment of cancer:
Chemotherapy: The therapy kills cancerous cells by rapidly targeting the rapidly dividing cells. The therapy can shrink tumors but side effects can be severe.
Hormone therapy: Medications are administered by the oncologist that change how certain hormones work or interfere with the body’s ability to produce them. Hormone therapy is commonly used for the treatment of prostate cancer in men and breast cancer in women.
Radiation therapy: High doses of radiation is used to kill cancerous cells. Radiation therapy may be indicated by the doctors to shrink a tumor before surgery, or reducing tumor-related symptoms,
Precision medicine: This newer form of cancer treatment provides a personalized approach. It involves the use of genetic testing to determine the best treatment based on the symptoms presented by an individual.
Other treatment methods for treatment of cancer include stem cell transplant, and immunotherapy. Surgery is often the part of cancer treatment for a person having cancerous tumor. The surgeon may decide to remove lymph nodes to prevent the spread of cancerous cells. Targeted therapy is used perform functions within cancerous cells to prevent them from multiplying.
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