Cancer is a group of various diseases that result when there is an uncontrolled amount of cells growing and dividing. Cancer is usually a result when there is a sudden change in the DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid), which prevents the cells from staying in interphase for the normal amount of time. Some of these cancerous cells die, but when one survives it continues to grow and divide. As more of these cells grow and divide, a tumour starts to form. A tumour is a mass of problematic cells that constantly reproduce without any obvious functions or signs in the body. There are two types of tumours, a benign tumour and a malignant tumour. Benign tumours are non-cancerous cells that physically crowd other nearby cells and tissues, and in some cases may affect the cells and tissues regular function. Malignant tumours are a mass of cancerous cells that interfere with close by tissues and cells by destroying it. These cancerous cells stop the production of enzymes and hormones of the neighbouring tissues and cells. There are cases where these cancerous cells from the malignant tumour escape the place they originated from, and spread throughout the body interfering with more cells and tissues, thus creating more malignant tumours. This process is called metastasis.
When cells divide, DNA or genetic information is successfully copied. During this process however, an error or change may result in the DNA. This is called a mutation. This may result in the death of the cell or if the cell is able to withstand, it will survive. With abnormal behaviour of the DNA, cancerous cells grow and divide uncontrollably until all the nutrients left are worn out or exhausted. Mutations can also be caused by carcinogens. Carcinogens are factors that the environment has that can lead to cancer. Such carcinogens include; radiation, hepatitis B, HPV (human papillomavirus), tobacco smoke and certain plastic chemicals can all lead a person to cancer. Carcinogens are very difficult to understand as they can affect people in different ways, some may get cancer as others will not. Also, if one has cancer without acknowledging a new born may get the genetic information from the patient with cancer, causing the baby to be born with cancer. Due to this factor, scientists recommend being cautious around carcinogens until research is complete.
Cancer screening is a great way of checking your body for cancer without the symptoms. Cancer screening can be done by yourself at home, part of your medical check-up, or with a special appointment. Those with a family history of cancer are advised to get a genetic screening test. This is because this test will determine if cancer is a part of your DNA. Also, people who are exposed to carcinogens due to their lifestyle should screen for cancer. Though screening won’t prevent one from cancer, early detection has a higher rate of being treated successfully. Men can check for testicular cancer through self-examination. A PSA (prostate-specific antigen) test which is prescribed by a doctor is a blood test to screen for prostate cancer. This test is usually done for those over the age of 50. Women can also screen themselves for breast cancer, looking for unusual lumps daily. Pap test is a test done for female around the age of 18 for cervical cancer. This test involves a doctor taking a sample of cervical cells and testing them, checking for abnormal growth. There are also other tests like a blood test which screens for colon cancer.
There are 4 factors that affect and determine the risk of one getting cancer. These factors are: family history, medical history, carcinogens, and lifestyle choices. Family history and environment are hard or impossible to change; however you can change your lifestyle to reduce your change of getting cancer. Reducing the use of tobacco products can reduce your chances of facing cancer. A healthy diet with a lot of fruits and vegetables and less fatty meats can reduce the chances of cancer. Consuming super foods will not prevent cancer however, it will reduce the chances. Super foods contain the supplements and vitamins one needs to help protect oneself against cancer. Super foods include: tomatoes, carrots, grapefruit, avocadoes, garlic, broccoli, red grapes, raspberries, cabbages, nuts and figs. Also, you can reduce the risks of getting cancer with weight loss, which can be done maintaining a healthy diet.
The earlier cancer is detected, the better chances you have of being a survivor. Growing tumours can create swelling in the area and severe discomfort. Symptoms to look for include sudden weight loss for no apparent reason and feeling very tired. Doctors can order medical tests, blood tests, and imaging if you are suspected to have cancer. Depending on the type of cancer, you have the type of imaging. There are 5 types of imaging thus includes: endoscopy, X-ray, ultrasound, CT scanning (computerized-axial-technology), and an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging). Endoscope is a scan commonly used to detect colon cancer. A fibre-optic cable is inserted through the patient’s rectum with a forceps and a camera attached. While the patient is on the sedative, doctors look at the imaging the camera shows, and if they detect abnormal growth the forceps is used to bring back a small sample. Doctors also use X-rays to image bones and lungs. With the side effect of DNA damage, a mammogram X-ray can image breast tissue. Due to the harm of DNA damage, it’s recommended that pregnant women do not go for X-ray. Next, the ultrasound is used to image the softer tissues like the heart and liver. The high frequently sound waves create a digital image helping the specialists and doctors view the certain tissue. Also, another commonly used scan is the CAT or CT scan. These detailed images are received when the X-ray technician takes multiple X-rays’ from multiple angles. This allows doctors to view parts a regular X-ray will not detect. Finally, an MRI is an image gained from radio waves and strong magnetic fields creating well detailed images. This information and image can be put into a 3-D aspect. If any of these images or blood samples shows suspicious growth and division in cells, doctors take the samples and view them under a microscope. With a blood sample, leukemia can be detected if there is a higher ratio of white blood cells to red blood cells. Cancer cells are usually smaller or larger compared to the neighbouring cells. If a tumour is detected as malignant these cells will be removed surgically. After this process, doctors than investigate to see where the tumour first originated from and study the cell’s growth and death rates as well as the rate it spreads.
When doctors detect cancer within a patient, the goal is to slow down the rate of the tumour’s growth and destroy as many cancerous cells possible. Currently there are 4 methods to treat cancer: surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and biophotonics. Treating cancer is not a small process, it involves many people such as surgeons, medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, and oncology nurses. Surgery is the preferred method if the cancerous tissue is easy to access. During surgery, the cancerous tissue is removed from the body. Chemotherapy is often recommended if the patient has first stage of cancer. This treatment involves the patient taking drugs by mouth or injected, and this method shrinks tumours and reaches places that can’t be seen or too small to be detected. This treatment comes with side effects such as nausea, hair loss and fatigue. Radiation therapy is where a focused beam is directed directly at the cancer cells easily alienating them. Doctors may also insert radioactive sources into the tumour as well. Radiation therapy reduces all side effects seen in chemotherapy and eliminates most of the daughter cells too. Finally, biophotonics is the newer method to treating cancer. This is a more accurate method where beams of light detect and search for cancerous tissue.
Check out the Nelson Science Perspective 10 for more info.
When cells divide, DNA or genetic information is successfully copied. During this process however, an error or change may result in the DNA. This is called a mutation. This may result in the death of the cell or if the cell is able to withstand, it will survive. With abnormal behaviour of the DNA, cancerous cells grow and divide uncontrollably until all the nutrients left are worn out or exhausted. Mutations can also be caused by carcinogens. Carcinogens are factors that the environment has that can lead to cancer. Such carcinogens include; radiation, hepatitis B, HPV (human papillomavirus), tobacco smoke and certain plastic chemicals can all lead a person to cancer. Carcinogens are very difficult to understand as they can affect people in different ways, some may get cancer as others will not. Also, if one has cancer without acknowledging a new born may get the genetic information from the patient with cancer, causing the baby to be born with cancer. Due to this factor, scientists recommend being cautious around carcinogens until research is complete.
Cancer screening is a great way of checking your body for cancer without the symptoms. Cancer screening can be done by yourself at home, part of your medical check-up, or with a special appointment. Those with a family history of cancer are advised to get a genetic screening test. This is because this test will determine if cancer is a part of your DNA. Also, people who are exposed to carcinogens due to their lifestyle should screen for cancer. Though screening won’t prevent one from cancer, early detection has a higher rate of being treated successfully. Men can check for testicular cancer through self-examination. A PSA (prostate-specific antigen) test which is prescribed by a doctor is a blood test to screen for prostate cancer. This test is usually done for those over the age of 50. Women can also screen themselves for breast cancer, looking for unusual lumps daily. Pap test is a test done for female around the age of 18 for cervical cancer. This test involves a doctor taking a sample of cervical cells and testing them, checking for abnormal growth. There are also other tests like a blood test which screens for colon cancer.
There are 4 factors that affect and determine the risk of one getting cancer. These factors are: family history, medical history, carcinogens, and lifestyle choices. Family history and environment are hard or impossible to change; however you can change your lifestyle to reduce your change of getting cancer. Reducing the use of tobacco products can reduce your chances of facing cancer. A healthy diet with a lot of fruits and vegetables and less fatty meats can reduce the chances of cancer. Consuming super foods will not prevent cancer however, it will reduce the chances. Super foods contain the supplements and vitamins one needs to help protect oneself against cancer. Super foods include: tomatoes, carrots, grapefruit, avocadoes, garlic, broccoli, red grapes, raspberries, cabbages, nuts and figs. Also, you can reduce the risks of getting cancer with weight loss, which can be done maintaining a healthy diet.
The earlier cancer is detected, the better chances you have of being a survivor. Growing tumours can create swelling in the area and severe discomfort. Symptoms to look for include sudden weight loss for no apparent reason and feeling very tired. Doctors can order medical tests, blood tests, and imaging if you are suspected to have cancer. Depending on the type of cancer, you have the type of imaging. There are 5 types of imaging thus includes: endoscopy, X-ray, ultrasound, CT scanning (computerized-axial-technology), and an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging). Endoscope is a scan commonly used to detect colon cancer. A fibre-optic cable is inserted through the patient’s rectum with a forceps and a camera attached. While the patient is on the sedative, doctors look at the imaging the camera shows, and if they detect abnormal growth the forceps is used to bring back a small sample. Doctors also use X-rays to image bones and lungs. With the side effect of DNA damage, a mammogram X-ray can image breast tissue. Due to the harm of DNA damage, it’s recommended that pregnant women do not go for X-ray. Next, the ultrasound is used to image the softer tissues like the heart and liver. The high frequently sound waves create a digital image helping the specialists and doctors view the certain tissue. Also, another commonly used scan is the CAT or CT scan. These detailed images are received when the X-ray technician takes multiple X-rays’ from multiple angles. This allows doctors to view parts a regular X-ray will not detect. Finally, an MRI is an image gained from radio waves and strong magnetic fields creating well detailed images. This information and image can be put into a 3-D aspect. If any of these images or blood samples shows suspicious growth and division in cells, doctors take the samples and view them under a microscope. With a blood sample, leukemia can be detected if there is a higher ratio of white blood cells to red blood cells. Cancer cells are usually smaller or larger compared to the neighbouring cells. If a tumour is detected as malignant these cells will be removed surgically. After this process, doctors than investigate to see where the tumour first originated from and study the cell’s growth and death rates as well as the rate it spreads.
When doctors detect cancer within a patient, the goal is to slow down the rate of the tumour’s growth and destroy as many cancerous cells possible. Currently there are 4 methods to treat cancer: surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and biophotonics. Treating cancer is not a small process, it involves many people such as surgeons, medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, and oncology nurses. Surgery is the preferred method if the cancerous tissue is easy to access. During surgery, the cancerous tissue is removed from the body. Chemotherapy is often recommended if the patient has first stage of cancer. This treatment involves the patient taking drugs by mouth or injected, and this method shrinks tumours and reaches places that can’t be seen or too small to be detected. This treatment comes with side effects such as nausea, hair loss and fatigue. Radiation therapy is where a focused beam is directed directly at the cancer cells easily alienating them. Doctors may also insert radioactive sources into the tumour as well. Radiation therapy reduces all side effects seen in chemotherapy and eliminates most of the daughter cells too. Finally, biophotonics is the newer method to treating cancer. This is a more accurate method where beams of light detect and search for cancerous tissue.
Check out the Nelson Science Perspective 10 for more info.