UNDERSTANING: CANCER

The word cancer refers to changes in the body's cells that cause them to grow out of control. These cells can grow very fast and spread, eventually crowding out normal cells and damaging entire systems of the body.

Cancer can occur in almost any cell. It begins with damaged DNA, the "building block of life" that controls all cell functions, including when to divide (reproduce) and when to die. When DNA is damaged, cells can divide rapidly or outlive normal cells. Most of the time, the body's immune system recognizes these damaged cells and destroys them. However, if this normal process does not happen, a tumor can grow.

A tumor is a mass or collection of cells. Tumors can:

Benign tumors are non-cancerous - They can grow, but they do not invade surrounding tissues or travel to other areas of the body.

Malignant tumors are cancerous - Very different from normal cells, cancer cells can invade nearby tissue. They also can travel to areas away from the original (primary) site and grow in other parts of the body - This is called metastasis.

Causes of Cancer

Although every patient and family member wants to know what causes cancer, the reason people develop cancer is not well-understood.

There are some known carcinogens - materials that can cause cancer - but many are still undiscovered. We do not know why some people who are exposed to carcinogens get cancer and others do not. The length and amount of exposure are believed to affect one's chances of developing a disease, such as with cigarette smoking and lung cancer, but here again, much remains to be understood.

Genetics can also play an important role in whether an individual develops cancer. For example, heredity is a risk factor in some kinds of breast cancer. Bottom line: There may be one or more possible causes of your cancer.

Treating Cancer

Because cancer is a complicated disease that takes many different forms, it is treated in many different ways. Treatment is tailored to the specific needs of the person receiving it.

Cancer treatments vary depending upon four (4) main factors:

Type of cancer
Stage of cancer
Your overall condition
Goal of treatment

Your doctor will determine the stage and grade of your cancer. Learn about staging and grading of cancer.

The goals of cancer treatment also vary:

Cure
Prolong life
Reduce unwanted symptoms or effects of the cancer

Your doctor may recommend one or more treatments to achieve your goals. Increasingly, it is common to use several treatments at the same time or in sequence in order to prevent both local recurrence and recurrence throughout the body. This is referred to as a multi-modality treatment. Cancer treatments are also referred to as modalities. Modalities include chemotherapy, surgery, radiation therapy, biological therapy, and hormone therapy. Chemotherapy is one of the best ways to help you achieve your treatment goals. Find out about treating cancer with chemotherapy.

Your doctor may also discuss combining your chemotherapy with other treatments.

Reasons to Be Optimistic

As you move beyond the initial shock of learning that you have cancer to begin the journey of surviving cancer, you have many good reasons to be optimistic. Science and medicine have made-and continue to make-tremendous progress in treating cancer and in making treatments more manageable, both physically and emotionally. Chemotherapy is one of the most significant advances in the history of medicine. For millions of people, it helps treat their cancer effectively and helps them enjoy full, productive lives. However, chemotherapy is not without side effects and risks. Learn how to best manage chemotherapy side effects.

No one would call having cancer or undergoing chemotherapy a normal experience, but by proactively managing your treatment, including potential side effects, you can help ensure that your life stays as close to normal as possible.

Don't forget: You are not alone. Fighting cancer is a team effort that involves family, friends and your health care team.

Cancer Staging and Grading

Following a diagnosis of cancer, an important next step is to accurately determine the stage of the cancer. Staging is a system that describes how far the cancer has spread.

Different stages of cancer may be treated differently. For cancer staging & grading, click here!

 

Courtesy of Mayo Clinic