Cancer is a type of disease in which abnormal cells multiply rapidly. Normally, cells will divide and die naturally over time, but cancer cells fail to do so and continue to grow. In addition to destroying healthy cells around them, cancerous cells can damage the surrounding tissue. To combat cancer, you must understand the causes of cancer. Understanding cancer can help you find the best treatment for your condition. Cancer is a genetic disease. It results from changes in DNA, which governs how cells grow and divide.
Genetic changes are not predestined to run in families. In fact, it is thought that the environment and lifestyle of an individual play an important role in the risk of developing cancer. Inherited mutations can lead to cancer. These faulty instructions pass from generation to generation. In some cases, the mutated genes can become oncogenes, which code for proteins that promote the growth of cancer cells. Tumor suppressor genes, on the other hand, tell cells to stop growing and repair damaged DNA.
Fortunately, new technologies are improving cancer treatments. Advanced treatments include chemotherapy, radiation therapy, surgery, stem cell transplantation, and precision medicine. As a result, cancer mortality rates continue to decline. The best way to determine the type of cancer is to visit a health care provider at the beginning of your symptoms. Cancer symptoms can be a sign of other diseases or an unrelated disease. Your health care provider can also perform a physical exam to assess your risk and decide on the best treatment for you.
Cancer has four stages. Stage zero is the earliest stage of cancer and is usually relatively treatable. Stage one cancers are called primary cancers and are still considered pre-cancerous. Cancers in stage zero are called leukemia, lymphomas, and melanoma. The difference between cancer and sarcoma is the location in which the cancer began. Once there, cancer cells continue to grow and spread throughout the body, so that they eventually form a tumor.
During the first stage, a tumor will not grow any larger. In the second stage, the cancer cells may have spread to different parts of the body. This process is called metastasis. This type of cancer is spread to distant parts of the body through the blood and lymph system. It can also spread to distant organs, such as lymph nodes. While most cancer cells die before spreading, some may escape and settle in a new area. They can then grow into a new tumor, called metastasis.
While doctors do not know why some people get cancer, they do know that the disease is not contagious. You cannot catch cancer from someone else, and it is not caused by germs. You can play with and talk to people with cancer, but do not get too close. Cancers are very devoted to their loved ones and their careers. However, if you do have a Cancerian friend or family member, you should avoid interacting with them.