By Dr Puneet Chandna
In the world today it is believed that, one-third of the population will be diagnosed with cancer at some point in their lifetime. Cancer is a disease that has probably touched your life or the lives of people you know. For anyone who would like to learn more about cancer, here is some background material.
Your body is made up of trillions of cells, all of which will naturally divide and multiply over your whole lifespan. Cellular demise is a common result of ageing or abnormality. When this process goes awry, cancer develops because new cells are being made instead of the old or aberrant ones being destroyed. As cancer cells multiply uncontrollably, they can squeeze out healthy tissue. In turn, this hinders your body’s normal functioning.
Treating cancer successfully is possible for many patients. And these days, there are more people than ever before who can go on to enjoy fulfilling lives after surviving cancer.
Many other diseases share characteristics with cancer.
Cancer comes in a wide variety of forms. Cancer can arise in any organ or tissue of the body, and each distinct type of cancer is called after the organ or tissue in which it first appeared. Cancer that originates in the breast and then metastasizes to other organs is still referred to as breast cancer.
Cancer can be broken down into two broad groups:
Blood cancers, often known as hematologic malignancies, encompass a wide range of diseases that begin in the blood cells.
Cancers that originate in other bodily organs or tissues are referred to as “solid tumours.” Cancers of the breast, prostate, lungs, and colon are the most prevalent types of solid tumours.
While there are commonalities between these tumours, each may exhibit unique behaviours in terms of development, metastasis, and therapeutic effectiveness. Rapid metastasis is a hallmark of several malignancies. Some develop at a slower rate. Some can spread to other organs with greater ease than others. Most people just keep going in the same direction they were heading.
When it comes to cancer treatment, surgery and medications like chemotherapy both have their place. To achieve the best outcomes, it is common practise to undergo two or more treatments.
Just what is a tumour, exactly?
Tumors are abnormal growths or lumps. Many lumps are not cancerous despite popular belief.
Benign tumours are those that do not spread cancer.
Malignant tumours are those that cause cancer.
While benign tumours often do not metastasize (spread to other parts of the body), cancer can. Cancer cells have the ability to metastasize (spread) from their original tumour site. These cells can disperse throughout the body, wreaking havoc on lymph nodes and other organs along the way.
How does cancer develop?
Several mutations in cancer cells’ genes contribute to the disease. There may be a variety of reasons for these shifts. Reasons for developing cancer include inherited predisposition, environmental exposure, and personal behaviour. There is often no clear explanation.
When was the cancer diagnosed and what stage is it in now?
When cancer is detected, diagnostic procedures are performed to determine the tumor’s stage and whether or not it has spread. The stage at which a cancer is diagnosed.
When the cancer is at an early stage (stages 1 and 2), it hasn’t spread beyond the body. A higher stage number (such as 3 or 4) indicates a more widespread occurrence. The fourth stage is the pinnacle.
When deciding on a course of treatment for cancer, the patient’s stage of the disease is crucial. Inquire of your doctor about the significance of the stage of your cancer.
The way cancer spreads.
The original site is not always the last place cancer appears; it might spread to other locations.
Whenever a tumour ruptures, cancer cells might enter the circulation or the lymph system and spread to other parts of the body. When cancer cells enter the circulatory system, they may eventually make their way to previously inaccessible organs. Lymph nodes are a possible destination for cancer cells if they spread through the body’s lymphatic system. Most of the cancer cells that escaped either perish or are eliminated before they can spread to other parts of the body. There is still a chance that a few of the tumour cells will travel to a new location, multiply there, and cause new symptoms. Metastasis is the process through which cancer spreads to a new location in the body.
The cells of a metastasis are identical to those of the original malignancy. It’s not a brand new form of cancer. Spreading breast cancer cells are still breast cancer cells, not lung cancer cells. Moreover, metastasized colon cancer cells in the liver are still colon cancer cells.
There are a number of alterations that cancer cells must undergo before they can invade and metastasize (Spread) to other organs. They must develop the ability to detach from the primary tumour and adhere to the exterior of a lymph vessel or blood vessel. The next step is for them to penetrate the vessel wall so they can travel with the blood or lymph to a different body part.
