What is cancer?
Cancer is a
collection of many diseases that all involve growth of abnormal cells. The body
is made up of many types of cells. Normally, cells grow, divide, and then die.
Sometimes, cells mutate (change). They begin to grow and divide more quickly
than normal cells. Rather than dying, these abnormal cells clump together to
form tumors.
Sometimes
these tumors are benign (not cancer). But if the cells in these tumors are
cancerous (malignant), they can invade and kill your body’s healthy tissues.
From these tumors, cancer cells can metastasize (spread) and form new tumors in
other parts of the body. Cells in benign tumors do not spread to other parts of
the body.
Symptoms of cancer
There
are many different symptoms of cancer. Often, your symptoms will depend on what
kind of cancer you have. For example, a symptom of breast cancer is a lump in
the breast. A symptom of skin cancer is an abnormal-looking mole. General
symptoms that tend to go with multiple types of cancer include:
- Unexplained
weight loss
- Fatigue
- Not feeling
“right”
- Blood in the
stool or urine
- Lumps
anywhere on the body
- Changes in
skin appearance, texture, or color anywhere on the body.
What
causes cancer?
Cancer
is caused by mutations in the DNA in your cells. The DNA is inside your genes,
which give instructions to the cells on what they are supposed to do. When the
DNA mutates, it causes errors in the instructions. This makes the cell stop
functioning normally. It can lead the cell to become cancerous.
Many things can cause your genes to
mutate. Sometimes you are born with a mutation. This means you inherited it
from your parents. More commonly, the mutations happen after you’re born.
Factors that can cause this include:
- Smoking
- Radiation
- Viruses
- Carcinogens
(chemicals that cause cancer)
- Obesity
- Hormones
- Chronic
inflammation
- Lack of
exercise
Who is at risk for cancer?
Everyone has some risk for cancer. In
the United States, cancer is likely to affect 1 in 2 men and 1 in 3 women at
least once in their lifetime. The amount of risk you have depends on a number
of factors. These factors include:
- Tobacco use
- Lifestyle
choices (such as diet and exercise)
- Family
history
- Factors in
your workplace and environment
How is cancer diagnosed?
There are a
variety of tests your doctor will need to do if he or she suspects cancer.
Physical exam: Your doctor will give you a thorough physical exam. He
or she will check your body for lumps or tumors. They will check your skin for
changes or enlargement of any areas.
Lab tests: They will likely order urine and blood tests that can
find abnormalities that can be caused by cancer.
Imaging: These tests are not invasive. They take pictures of your bones and
the inside of your body. They may include CT scans, bone scans, MRIs,
ultrasounds, X-rays, and positron emission tomography (PET) scans.
Biopsy: If you have a tumor, your doctor will want to look at the cells
inside. He or she will collect a sample of the cells. There are a variety of
ways to do this. These often depend on what kind of cancer is suspected and
where it is. A biopsy is the most definitive way to diagnose cancer.
What can I do to lower my risk of cancer?
Unfortunately, some risk factors for cancer (such as family
history) are out of your control. But there are things you can do each day to
improve your health and lower your risk of cancer. The best ways to lower your
cancer risk are to:
- Stop smoking
- Maintain a
healthy weight
- Be active
- Eat a
healthy diet
- Limit how
much alcohol you drink
- Limit your
exposure to sunlight or tanning beds.
Cancer treatment
The three most common types of cancer
treatment are surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy. Treatment is aimed at
removing the cancer cells or destroying them with medicines or by other means.
Surgery
Surgery is a way to physically remove
the cancer. Surgery can be very successful in treating some kinds of cancer.
But it isn’t an option in all cases. It may be possible to safely remove a
tumor and any affected surrounding tissue if:
- The cancer
is in the form of a malignant tumor (a tumor that spreads)
- The tumor is
still in one place (localized).
Radiotherapy
Radiotherapy uses radiation to damage cancer cells so that
they can’t multiply. The radiation is in the form of special X-rays, gamma
rays, or electrons. There is usually no pain during this kind of therapy.
Depending on the area that is treated, side effects from radiation damage to
normal tissues may occur. Your doctor can tell you what to expect.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy uses strong medicines to attack the cancer
cells. The word “chemotherapy” sometimes causes a lot of fear because the side
effects can be severe. However, not all people experience severe side effects.
The side effects of chemotherapy can often be treated with other medicines.
Questions to ask your doctor
- What is the
best thing I can do to prevent cancer?
- Am I more
likely to get certain types of cancer?
- How long
after I’m diagnosed with cancer will treatments begin?
- How will I
decide what treatment is best for me?
- Will I be
able to work while I’m undergoing treatment for cancer?
- Can I still
hold my children/grandchildren while I’m having chemotherapy or radiation
therapy?
- Is there a
special diet I should eat while I’m being treated for cancer?
- Now that I’m
done with my cancer treatment, how often will I have to be tested to see whether
my cancer has come back?
- Is it likely
that my cancer will come back?
- How can I
help my family accept that I have cancer?
