Cancer
Cancer let 'Prevention' be the buzzword
Every Year 4th February is a world cancer day- a day designated by the united nation world health organization, in cooperation with the International Union Against cancer- to raise awareness on this leading cause of death around the world.Each year on 4th February, WHO supports International Union Against cancer to promote ways to ease the global burden of cancer. Preventing cancer and raising quality of life for cancer patients are recurring themes.
This year's theme, 'cancer can be prevented too; focusses on simple measures to prevent cancer such as:
- no tobacco use
- a healthy diet and regular exercise
- limited alcohol use
- Protection against cancer causing infections
Cancer is a term that encompasses a complex group of more than 100 different types of cancerous diseases. The various types of cancer include
- AIDS related cancer
- Anal cancer
- Bladder cancer
- Bone cancer
- Breast cancer
- Brain cancer
- Cervical cancer
- Colon cancer
- Endometrial cancer
- Esophageal cancer
- Ewing's sarcoma
- Eye cancer
- Gastrointestinal cancer
- Gynaecologic cancer
- Head and neck cancer
- Kidney cancer
- Laryngeal cancer
- Leukemia
- Liver cancer
- Lung cancer
- Lymphoma,melanoma
- Mesothelioma
- Multiple myeloma
- Oral cancer
- Ovarian cancer
- Pancreatic cancer
- Prostrate cancer
- Rectal cancer
- Renal cell cancer
- Skin cancer
- Stomach cancer
- Testicular cancer
- Throat cancer
- Thyroid cancer
- Uterine cancer
- Vaginal cancer
- Vulvar cancer,etc
From the types of cancers discovered so far it is obvious that cancer can affect just about every organ in the human body. Each type of cancer is unique with its own causes, symptoms, and methods of treatment. Like with all group of disease, some types of cancer are more common than others. In the Indian subcontinent, lung cancer, breast cancer, cervical cancer, esophageal cancer, stomach cancer and oral cancer cases occurs more commonly than others forms.
How does Cancer develop
The organs in our body are made up of cells. Cells divide and multiply as the body needs them. When these cells continue multiplying when the body doesn't need them, the result is a mass or growth, also called a tumor. These growths are considered either benign or malignant. Benign is considered non-cancerous and malignant tumours are cancerous and can often invade nearby tissue and organs, spreading the disease.
Cancer Symptoms
Symptoms of cancer vary based on the type of cancer. As cancer progresses to an advanced stage, common symptoms can include weight loss, fever, and fatigue. These are very non-specific symptoms that are more likely related to other less serious illnesses than cancer.
It is important to note that some types of cancer do not present any symptoms until they are in advanced stages. This is why cancer screening and risk assessment are vital for cancer prevention and early detection.