Cancer is the unrestrained growth of abnormal cells in the human body. Cancer develops when the body’s normal control mechanism stops functioning. Old cells do not die. Instead, these old cells grow out of control, form new and abnormal cells. These abnormal cells may form a mass of tissue, called a tumor. A few cancers, such as leukemia, do not form tumors.
What Are The Most Common Forms Of Cancer?
Cancer can happen in any part of the human body. In women, breast cancer is the most common. In men, it’s prostate cancer. Lung cancer and colorectal cancer affect both men and women in large numbers.
There are five main categories of cancer:
– Carcinomas starts in the skin or tissues that line the internal organs.
– Sarcomas begin in the bone, cartilage, fat, muscle, or any other connective tissues.
– Leukemia develops in the blood and bone marrow.
– Lymphomas begins in the immune system.
– Central nervous system cancers affect the brain and spinal cord.
How Is Cancer Treated?
Treatment options usually depend on the type of cancer, its stage, if the cancer has spread and your general health. The goal of treatment is to kill as many cancerous cells while reducing damage to normal cells in the body. Advances in medical science and technology make this possible.
The three main treatments are:
– Surgery: Directly removing the tumor through surgery
– Chemotherapy: Using chemicals to kill cancer cells
– Radiation Therapy: Use of X-rays to destroy cancer cells
One type of cancer in a particular individual is very different from the same cancer in another individual. Within a single type of cancer, such as lung cancer, medical researchers are discovering subtypes that each requires a different treatment approach.
What Should You Do To Manage The Side Effects Of Cancer Treatment?
Supportive care services illustrate a broad range of therapies designed to fight side effects and maintain good health. Treating cancer requires focusing on more than the disease; it must also deal with the pain, fatigue, depression, and other side effects that come with it.
Supportive care services include:
– Nutrition therapy to help prevent undernourishment and reduce side effects
– Naturopathic support to use natural remedies in order to boost energy and reduce side effects
– Oncology rehabilitation to rebuild strength and overcome the physical side effects of treatment
– Mind-body medicine to improve emotional health through counseling, stress management techniques and support groups
