What is cancer?

 Cancer is a kind of disease characterized by uncontrolled division of cells and the ability of these cells to invade other tissues, either by direct growth into its neighbor tissue or by implantation into distant sites by metastasis. A process called staging helps in assessing the prognosis and in determining the most appropriate treatment to the unrestrained growth of cancer cells. It is used by physicians to describe the extent of spread of a cancer. In this system, cancer is being classified into four stages. Stage I - there’s no involvement of lymph nodes and no spread of the cancer from metastases or its original site. Stage IV - the advance cancer, with both distant metastases and lymph node involvement.

We are all on a very special and challenging trip called “life.” As we take our own journeys, we may meet different forms of hardships and obstacles on the road. Some of these natural phenomenon like stormy weather that makes the road slippery or it maybe big and huge rocks on the road that hinders and may stop us in continuing our trip. Problem really comes on our way and nobody is exempted. It only varies in forms and shapes, but all have sizes and dimensions. One of the biggest problems that we consider is when a crucial situation burdens us - a matter of life and death. Acquiring the disease or illness which is almost incurable is a good example. And one this dreadful disease is the big “C”… CANCER.

Where cancer starts?

All of us carry an approximated 10,000 malignant cells. The immune system defense mechanism will kick this out of the system. The isolation of these malignant cells will turned out into a self motivated cell – cancel cell. One of the public health problems worldwide is cancer, which is a deadly disease that afflicts people of all ages and races. It varies greatly in cause, symptoms, responses to treatment and possibility of cure.

Cancer, which is the unrestrained growth and spread of cells, has the ability to affect almost any tissue of the body. The five most common cancers in the world include the stomach, lung and colorectal cancer. Among men, lung and stomach cancer are the most common cancer worldwide while cervical cancer and breast cancer are the most common types of cancer for women.

When cancer starts?

The first year of life is the age of peak incidence of cancer in children. The most common infant malignancy is leukemia, followed by neuroblastoma, and the central nervous system cancers. Other common types of cancer in children include lymphomas, Wilm’s tumor, retinoblastoma, rhabdomyosarcoma, osteosarcoma and Ewing’s sarcoma. There’s a rising incidence of pediatric cancers like leukemia. Every year, more than 11 million people are diagnosed with cancer and about 77% of all cases were diagnosed at ages 55 and above. About 25% of all deaths in the USA and other developed countries are caused by cancer. Annually, 0.5% of the population is diagnosed with cancer. There’s estimation that 16 million new cases of cancer will be diagnosed every year by 2020.

What causes cancer?

Exposure to environment factors such as tobacco, smoke, radiation, alcohol and certain viruses can cause cancer. Some of these can be avoided, but the sad fact that there is no known way to entirely avoid the disease. Cancer is just one of the monsters of life. We can minimize the chance of meeting this monster and deadly disease if we clearly understand it.