Cancer

The author of this writing aims at discussing cancer. Firstly, she would like to define the word cancer. According to the National Cancer Institute, “Cancer, a term for diseases in which abnormal cells divide without control and can invade nearby tissues” (National Cancer Institute, 2023). The same website gives the definition of cancer to be “a disease in which some of the body’s cells grow uncontrollably and spread to other parts of the body” (National Cancer Institute, 2023). The same website also stated that “Cancer can start almost anywhere in the human body, which is made up of trillions of cells. Normally, human cells grow and multiply (through a process called cell division) to form new cells as the body needs them. When cells grow old or become damaged, they die, and new cells take their place. Sometimes this orderly process breaks down, and abnormal or damaged cells grow and multiply when they shouldn’t. These cells may form tumors, which are lumps of tissue. Tumors can be cancerous or not cancerous (benign). Cancerous tumors spread into, or invade, nearby tissues and can travel to distant places in the body to form new tumors (a process called metastasis). Cancerous tumors may also be called malignant tumors. Many cancers form solid tumors, but cancers of the blood, such as leukemias, generally do not. Benign tumors do not spread into, or invade, nearby tissues. When removed, benign tumors usually don’t grow back. Benign tumors can sometimes be quite large, however, some can cause serious symptoms or be life threatening, such as benign tumors in the brain” (National Cancer Institute, 2023).

This section of the article would focus on the juxtaposition between normal and cancer cells. The National

• Cancer Institute differentiates cancer cells from normal cells by stating in its website that
• Cancer cells grow in the absence of signals telling them to grow while normal cells only grow when they receive such signals
• Cancer cells ignore signs that normally tell cells to stop dividing or to die (a process known as programmed cell death or apoptosis)
• Cancer cells invade into nearby areas and spread to other areas of the body unlike normal cells that stop growing when they encounter other cells, and most normal cells do not move around the body
• Cancer cells tell blood vessels to grow toward tumors. These blood vessels supply tumors with oxygen and remove waste product from tumors
  Cancer cells hide from the immune system. The immune system normally eliminates damaged or abnormal cells
• Cancer cells trick the immune system into helping cancer cells stay alive and grow. For instance, some cancer cells convince immune cells to protect the tumor instead of attacking it
• Cancer cells accumulate multiple changes in their chromosomes, such as duplications and deletions of chromosome parts. Some cancer cells have double the total number of chromosomes
• Cancer cells rely on different kinds of nutrients than normal cells. In addition, some cancer cells make energy from nutrients in a different way than most normal cells. This lets cancer cells grow more quickly and
• Many times, cancer cells rely so heavily on these abnormal behaviors that they can’t survive without them (National Cancer Institute, 2023).

This part of the article would discuss the development of cancer. According to the National Cancer Institute, it mentioned that “Cancer is a genetic disease-that is, caused by changes to genes that control the way our cells function, especially how they grow and divide. Genetic changes that cause cancer can happen because

• Of errors that occur as cells divide
• Of damage to DNA caused by harmful substances in the environment, such as the chemicals in tobacco smoke and ultraviolet rays from the sun and
• They were inherited from our parents” (National Cancer Institute, 2023).

The same website mentioned that “The genetic changes that contribute to cancer tend to affect three main types of genes and they are 1. Proto Oncogenes 2. Tumor suppressor genes and 3. DNA repair genes. These changes are sometimes called “drivers” of cancer.

Proto Oncogenes are involved in normal growth and division. However, when these genes are altered in certain ways or are more active than normal, they may become cancer-causing genes (or oncogenes), allowing them to grow and survive when they should not.

Tumor suppressor genes are also involved in controlling cell growth and division. Cells with certain alterations in tumor suppressor genes may divide in an uncontrolled manner.

DNA repair genes are involved in fixing damaged DNA. Cells with mutations in these genes tend to develop additional mutations in other genes and changes in their chromosomes, such as duplications and deletions of chromosome parts. Together, these mutations can cause the cells to become cancerous” (National Cancer Institute, 2023).

This section is penned down to elucidate on the spread of cancer. According to the National Cancer Institute, it mentioned that “A cancer that has spread from the place where it first formed to another place in the body is called metastatic cancer. The process by which cancer spreads to other parts of the body is called metastasis. Metastatic cancer has the same name and the same type of cancer cells as the original, or primary cancer. For example, breast cancer that forms a metastatic tumor in the lung is metastatic breast cancer, not lung cancer. Under a microscope, metastatic cancer cells generally look the same as cells of the original cancer. Moreover, metastatic cancer cells and cells of the original cancer usually have some molecular features in common, such as the presence of specific chromosome changes” (National Cancer Institute, 2023).

The National Cancer Institute mentioned that “Not every change in the body’s tissue is cancer. Some tissue changes may develop into cancer if they are not treated. Examples are:

• Hyperplasia occurs when cells within a tissue multiply faster than normal and extra cells build up. However, the cells and the way the tissue is organized still look normal under a microscope. It is can be caused by several factors or conditions, including chronic irritation
• Dysplasia is a more advanced condition than hyperplasia. In dysplasia, there is also a buildup of extra cells. But the cells look abnormal and there are changes in how the tissue is organized. In general, the more abnormal the cells and tissue look, the greater the chance the cancer will form. Some types of dysplasia may need to be monitored or treated, but others do not. An example of dysplasia is an abnormal mole (called a dysplastic nevus) that forms on the skin. A dysplastic nevus can turn into melanoma, although most do not.
• Carcinoma in situ is an even more advanced condition. Although it is sometimes called stage 0 cancer, it is not cancer because the abnormal cells do not invade nearby tissue the way cancer cells do. But because carcinoma in situ may become cancer, they are usually treated” (National Cancer Institute, 2023).

This part of the article would focus on the types of cancer. Regional Cancer Care Associates specified various types of cancers such as bladder cancer, breast cancer, brain cancer, cervical cancer, colon cancer, esophageal cancer, fallopian tube cancer, head & neck cancer, kidney cancer, leukemia, liver cancer, lung cancer, lymphoma, mesothelioma, myeloma, neuroendocrine tumors, ovarian cancer, pancreatic cancer, prostate cancer, rectal cancer, sarcomas, skin cancer, small cell carcinoma, stomach cancer, testicular cancer, thyroid cancer, transitional cell carcinoma, and uterine cancer, their causes, risk factors, signs and symptoms, types and stages as well as treatments, but the author of this article would only mention and explain three of them, which are bladder, brain and breast cancers.

A. Bladder cancer
This is the uncontrolled growth and division of bladder cells. It is not often caught until it reaches its later stages and becomes more challenging to treat.

Causes of Bladder cancer

• Smoking
• Tobacco use
• Exposure to certain chemicals or radiation
• Chronic irritation of the bladder’s lining and
• Parasitic infections

Risk factors of Bladder cancer

• Being male
• Older age

Prior cancer treatment

• Taking certain diabetes medications
• Family or personal history of cancer

Signs and symptoms of Bladder cancer

• Blood in the urine
• Back and/or pelvic pain
• Leg swelling
• Unexplained weight loss and
• Anemia (low red blood cell count)

Types and Stages of Bladder cancer

• Urothelial carcinoma: This form of bladder cancer develops in the cells that form the interior lining of the bladder.
• Squamous cell carcinoma: It is associated with chronic bladder irritation, such as the kind caused by an infection or long-term catheter use.
• Adenocarcinoma: This form of cancer develops in the cells that make up the mucus-secreting glands in the bladder.

Treatments to Bladder cancer

• Chemotherapy
• Immunotherapy and
• Radiation therapy

B. Brain Cancer
Cancers of the central nervous system primarily affect the brain but may also impact the spinal cord.

Causes of Brain cancer

• Family history and
• Radiation exposure
• Brain tumor symptoms
• Personality or mood changes
• Difficulty concentrating
• Unusual headaches
• Tingling or numbness in limbs
• Vomiting and/or nausea
• Loss of balance
• Seizures
• Loss of memory
• Changes in vision and
• Fatigue

Some patients with a brain tumor may not experience symptoms until the tumor grows large enough to impact healthy brain tissue.

Types of Brain cancer

There are two types of malignant tumors and they are:

• Metastatic: Also called secondary tumors, these growths spread-or metastasize-to the brain from cancer that has developed elsewhere in the body. Metastatic brain tumors can stem from many other parts of the body, including the skin, breasts, lungs, colons, or kidneys.
• Primary: These are tumors that originate in the brain rather than spreading to the brain from elsewhere in the body.

Doctors assign brain tumors one of four grades.

• Grade I: This is a small tumor that isn’t likely to spread to other areas of the brain and body.
• Grade II: These are smaller tumors that do not pose a risk of spreading. However, these types of tumors can potentially come back after treatment.
• Grade III: This is a more serious tumor that can move to other areas of the body and
• Grade IV: This is the most severe type of brain tumor. It usually shows signs of rapid growth.

Detection of Brain cancer

Early detection and treatment of brain cancer can help improve outcomes and quality of life. When dealing with brain cancer, the doctors may refer the patients for neurological testing and imaging studies such as computed tomography (CT) scan or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Treatment for Brain cancer

• Surgery
• Radiation
• Chemotherapy
• Targeted therapy and
• Immunotherapy
• Breast cancer
• Breast cancer also affects men every year.

Signs and symptoms of Breast cancer

• Hard lump(s) forms in the breast or the underarm area.
• For some patients, the lump may be painful and irregularly shaped
• Size and shape of the breast changes
• Persistent pain in the breast
• Swelling and/or discoloration
• Skin becomes puckered
• Fluid starts leaking from the nipple
• Itchy and scaly rash on the nipple and
• Unexpected weight loss
• Risk factors of breast cancer
• Age
• Family history
• Birth control
• Hormone therapy
• Pregnancy
• Diet and exercise and
• Alcohol

Stages of Breast cancer

• Stage 0: Cancerous or malignant cells have started to form in the breasts
• Stage I: The tumor has grown in size to about 2 centimeters or less
• Stage II: The tumor is now between 2 and 5 centimeters and has started to spread to nearby lymph nodes
• Stage III: Measuring about 2 inches now, the tumor is continuing to grow and spread to other lymph nodes and tissues and
• Stage IV: The breast cancer has metastasized to other parts of the body and is no longer confined to join the breast region.

Treatment options for breast cancer

• Mastectomy
• Surgery
• Chemotherapy
• Hormone therapy
• Radiation therapy or
• A combination of methods in order to ensure the best outcome (Regional Cancer Care Associates, 2023).

To avoid cancer, individuals should

• Not smoke
• Cover their foods when using microwaves
• Get themselves screened early for brain, breast, cervical, and colon cancers
• Get vaccines or shots
• Avoid tobacco
• Eat healthy foods and fruits
• Keep a healthy weight
• Limit their alcohol intake
• Protect their skins from the sun
• Be physically active and
• Avoid risky behaviors