Cancer is not a single
disease, but is a group of diseases caused by the abnormal growth of human
cells which has the potential to spread to different parts of the body. There are about more than 100 verities of
cancer that occur in human beings. There cannot be a single symptom or sign
which can foretell the formation of cancerous cells. Depending upon the part of
the body where cancer affects, its symptoms may be different. But the common symptoms
which can be caused by other diseases as well as cancer are detailed below.
1.
Fatigue
2.
Lump
felt under the skin
3.
Change
in the color of the skin like yellowing, redness, darkening etc.
4.
Change
in bladder or bowel habits
5.
Trouble
in breathing accompanied by persistent cough
6.
Difficulty
in swallowing
7.
Hoarseness
in sound
8.
Difficulty
after eating followed by indigestion
9.
Muscle
and join pains which cannot be explained
10.
Night
sweats and persistent fever
11.
Bleeding
or bruising without any reason
These symptoms can appear
due to various reasons. But if you are worried about risks of cancer, it is
better you meet your physician and act according to his opinion. If he suggests
to undergo the appropriate screening tests for diagnosing cancer, do it without
hesitation.
These symptoms can
appear due to various reasons. But if you are worried about risks of cancer, it
is better you meet your physician and act according to his opinion. If he
suggests to undergo the appropriate screening tests for diagnosing cancer, do
it without hesitation.
Causes for cancer
Changes or mutations
taking place within the cells to the DNA are the causes for the formation of
cancer. DNA of every human being consists of a large number of genes which
contains instructions to tell the cell how to grow and divide and what are the
functions it has to perform. When errors in these instructions occur, they can
cause the cell to become cancerous and the stop it to function normally.
What are duties of gene
mutations?
Allow rapid growth of
cells: Gene mutations instructs a cell when to grow and how to grow. It can
also ask a cell to grow more rapidly. This can lead to the formation of more
cells with the same mutation.
Sometimes they are
unable to prevent uncontrolled growth: As normal cells know when to stop
growing, they are always available in the right quantity. But cancerous cells
do not have this controlling mechanism and hence they do not stop growing when
sufficient numbers are reached. This rapid growth of cancerous cells results in
the formation of tumor.
Make mistakes in
repairing DNA errors: The DNA repair genes always search for errors in
cell’s DNA. Whenever some error is
found, they are corrected immediately. When mutation occurs in DNA repair
genes, it implies that repair in DNA errors are not possible leading to the
formation of cancerous cells.
How gene mutations are
caused?
Genetic causes: Some people have
inherited gene mutations form their parents genetically. Only a small
percentage of cancer patients belong to this category.
Gene mutations that
occur after you are born: A number of causes like smoking, viruses, radiation,
cancer causing chemicals, hormones, obesity lack of exercise etc are capable of producing gene mutations.
During a normal growth
process gene mutations may occur naturally. But the cells has some inherent
mechanism to find out such mutations and repair the mistake immediately. Occasionally a miss occurs resulting in the formation of
cancerous cells.
Interaction between gene
mutations: If you are a person born with
inherited gene mutations, that will not make you a cancer patient from the date
of birth onwards. You will become cancer patient only when some other acquired
gene mutations combine with your genetic gene mutation. Inherited genetic
mutation only makes one person more susceptible to cancer than a normal person.
The number of gene mutation required for the
formation of cancer is not known till date. It depends upon the type of the
cancer and the body organ subjected to cancer.
Risk
factors:
Though
doctors have sufficient knowledge about the risk factors, in experience it is
seen that cancer generally affects
people who are free from risk factors. However, let us examine the common risk factors.
1 Age:
Cancer takes decades to develop to its fullest extent. For this reason cancer
is usually found among people who are
above 65 years of age. Cancer is not an adult disease or not a male
disease.
2. Life
style and habits: Like style factors
like smoking drinking, over exposure to sun, obesity, unsafe sex etc are
considered to be major causes of cancer.
3.
Family history: In fact, only a small percentage of cancer patients are found
to have inherited genetic mutations as the cause of cancer in them.
4.
Health condition: Chronic and sever health conditions like ulcerative clitoris
etc have found to increase the risk of cancer in patients.
5.
Your environment: Environment in which you live may be containing harmful
elements and this can be a cause for the formation of cancer in you. Secondary smoke
inhaled by the relatives of a regular smoker can lead to the formation of cancer in a secondary smoker. Chemicals like asbestos and
benzene are also capable of producing cancer in its users.
Complications
Cancer
and its treatment has often been found to be followed by certain complications. Some
of them are explained below.
Pain: Pain is a natural accompaniment of cancer and
its treatment, though all cancers are not painful. There are medications and other
approaches which can reduce the pain caused by cancer and its treatment.
Fatigue:
People affected by cancer are often subjected to fatigue especially those who
are undergoing radiation therapy or chemotherapy.
Breathing
difficulty: Cancer patients who undergo
cancer treatment often find being short of breath. Proper treatments can bring
relief to this condition.
Nausea:
Occurrence of nausea is commonly experience by cancer patients. Your doctor
will be able to predict the occurrence and give medications to reduce its severity.
Diarrhea/constipation:
Your bowels are often affected by cancer as well as cancer treatment resulting
in constipation or diarrhea.
Weight
loss: Cancer takes away food form normal cells and this makes the patient lose
weight considerably resulting in severe
weight loss. This is a very serious condition and even artificial nutrition through
tubes have been found to be ineffective.
Chemical
changes in the body: Cancer upsets the normal chemical balance of human body and chemical imbalance so produced can
lead to frequent urination, excessive thirst, confusion, constipation etc.
Paralyses
the brain and nervous system: Cancer has often found to affect the brains and
nervous systems of its patients resulting in headaches and stroke like
situations.
Paraneoplastic
syndrome: This is a special condition formed as a result of cancer which
affects the human immune system and healthy cells are being attacked .Symptoms
like difficulty in walking seizures etc are caused as a result of this
phenomenon.
Metastasize
of cancer: Spreading of cancer to other parts of the body is known as
metastasize of cancer. The area where
the cancer spreads is determined by the type of the cancer.
Return of cancer: Cancer survivors who have escaped from
the clutches of cancer are liable to the return of cancer. Ask your doctor and devise
a course of action for non recurrence of cancer if you are a cancer cured
person.
(NB: More articles about cancer will be published shortly)
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