Cancers next to heart disease in the
United States, as a cause of death. It takes
thousands of lives every year, and it affects all
parts of the body. It attacks people of all ages. But
mostly people over 40 years of age or older. If
discovered in time it can often be cured. Time is an
important factor in the diagnosis of cancer. If
untreated cancer grows worse and is always
fatal.
Cancer is a disorderly growth of body
cells that undermines and spreads wildly through
normal tissue. By examining the specimen of tissue
under a microscope you can identify it without a
doubt. All growth and tumors are not always
cancerous. The malignant ones are cancers. The benign
growth are none cancerous. There are two common forms
of malignant growth they are called carcinoma and
sarcoma. Malignant are usually not confined to within
a section, and can spread to nearby tissues. They can
spread by metastasis to other parts of the body
through the lymph and blood. There is no way of
knowing unless symptoms of growth appear or shows up
on an x-ray film. Different types of cancer grow more
rapidly than other types of cancer.
The spread of cancer to other parts of the
body. The place where cancer starts is called the
primary site. The metastasis sites are known as
secondary sites. The routes through which cancer
spreads through the body are: (1.) By extending
directly into nearby tissue or body cavity like the
chest and abdomen, which are usually the most
affected sites. (2.) Spreading to lymphatic systems,
both through vessels and into tissue where lymph
circulates or nodes where it often localizes. (3.)
Also by traveling through the blood vessels to other
parts of the body, especially the bones, liver, and
lungs. Cancer can be excised generally cured if it is
detected in the primary site. If metastasis has
started the prognosis is usually poor. If 5 years
have
passed without recurrence of symptoms or lesions a
person is considered to be cured of cancer.
The cause of cancer has not yet been pinpointed by medical science. Authorities now are inclined to think that it developes from a combination of causes rather than just one thing. There are some predisposing factors which may contribute to the start of the disease.
There are some factor's known as carcinogens may cause cancer they are: (1.) Heredity may be a factor. Incidences in sibling's are higher than that of the general population. Authorities don't know for sure if it is hereditary or environmental. If the theory of viral cancer is found to be right, hereditary factor will be considered familial weakness or inability to resist the cancer. (2.) Cigarette smoking a definite connection has been linked between cigarette smoking and cancer. (3.) Exposure to certain agents-There are over 450 agents that have been identified as carcinogins in industry, such as oil, aniline dyes, coal soot and other chemicals. (4.) Benign tumors can turn into cancer such as growth's in the rectum, ovian cysts, pigmented moles and growths in the mouth, x-rays and radium irritation's of the skin. (5.) Virus-Some scientist feel that cancer could be caused by a virus. They think people with weakness and low resistence in their bodies have a high tendency to catch it. If it is true they may be able to develope immunizations to fight cancer. (6.) Chronic irritations-such things as pipe smoking causes lip cancer. Bad fitting dentures could lead to mouth cancer, exposure to long periods of sunlight, rubbing on mole from a belt or strap, suspender's, and cervical irritation's. Some people develop cancer even when they have never been exposed to any of the above causes. There is evidence that there are other disposing causes in the body. So there could be a combination of other factor's that could be working together to cause cancer.
© 1997 cdgratti@webtv.net<
/I>