HEALTH - CANCER
What is Cancer?
Cancer is a class of diseases characterized by out-of-control cell growth. There are over 100 different types of cancer, and each is classified by the type of cell that is initially affected.
Cancer harms the body when damaged cells divide uncontrollably to form lumps or masses of tissue called tumors (except in the case of leukemia where cancer prohibits normal blood function by abnormal cell division in the blood stream). Tumors can grow and interfere with the digestive, nervous, and circulatory systems, and they can release hormones that alter body function. Tumors that stay in one spot and demonstrate limited growth are generally considered to be benign.
More dangerous, or malignant, tumors form when two things occur:
A cancerous cell manages to move throughout the body using the blood or lymph systems, destroying healthy tissue in a process called invasion
That cell manages to divide and grow, making new blood vessels to feed itself in a process called pathogenesis.
When a tumor successfully spreads to other parts of the body and grows, invading and destroying other healthy tissues, it is said to have metastasized. This process itself is called metastasis, and the result is a serious condition that is very difficult to treat.
In 2007, cancer claimed the lives of about 7.6 million people in the world. Physicians and researchers who specialize in the study, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of cancer are called oncologists.
What causes cancer?
Cancer is ultimately the result of cells that uncontrollably grow and do not die. Normal cells in the body follow an orderly path of growth, division, and death. Programmed cell death is called apoptosis, and when this process breaks down, cancer begins to form. Unlike regular cells, cancer cells do not experience programmatic death and instead continue to grow and divide. This leads to a mass of abnormal cells that grows out of control.
Oral Cancer Treatment
Surgery
A common treatment for oral cancer is surgery to remove the tumor. Depending on the size of the tumor, part of the tongue, jaw, palate also may be removed, which may affect the ability to talk, swallow or chew. In these cases, reconstructive surgery may be necessary to help rebuild the areas that were removed.
Radiation Therapy
Given internally or externally, radiation therapy is an option for very small tumors or people who can not tolerate surgery. It also can be used prior to surgery to try to shrink the tumor or used after to try to kill any remaining cancer cells in the surrounding area.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy for oral cancer is typically given intravenously and often given at the same time as radiation therapy. Because of the harsh nature of chemotherapy, it can cause pain and infection in the mouth and gums, resulting in dry mouth and/or changes in taste.
Targeted TherapyA drug called Erbium also can be given in combination with radiation or chemotherapy. It belongs to a class of drugs known as targeted therapies because it is designed to bind to epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) cells that are found on the surface of oral cancer cells. Since it is a targeted therapy, it usually produces less side effects than chemotherapy.
more information
www.breastcancercarespecialists.com
www.lungcanceronline.org
www.kidneycancer.org
www.websitesfordoctors.in