Cancer Types, Symptoms, Treatment Options and Information


Symptoms of cancer metastasis depend on the location of tumorCancer has a reputation for being a deadly disease. While this certainly applies to certain particular types, the truths behind the historical connotations of cancer are increasingly being overturned by advances in medical care. Some types of cancer have a prognosis that is substantially better than nonmalignant diseases such as heart failure and stroke.

Cancer Definition - Begins when one cells changes and starts growing and dividing rapidly and out of control. This cell divides to give two cells, then four, eight etc. until they end up forming a growing mass of cancer cells called a tumor.

Cancer may affect people at all ages, even fetuses, but the risk for most varieties increases with age. Cancer causes about 13% of all deaths. According to the American Cancer Society, 7.6 million people died from cancer in the world during 2007.

There are more than 100 types of cancer, including breast cancer, skin cancer, lung cancer, colon cancer, prostate cancer, and lymphoma.

Metastasis Definition - The spread of a disease from one organ or part to another non-adjacent organ or part. They then begin to divide and grow again eventually forming a new tumor, called secondary tumors or metastases. Only malignant tumor cells and infections have the capacity to metastasize.

Malignant Definition - A medical term used to describe a severe and progressively worsening disease, mostly used as a description of cancer.

Benign Tumor Definition - A tumor that lacks the malignant properties of a cancer. A benign tumor does not grow in an unlimited, aggressive manner, does not invade surrounding tissues, and does not metastasize. Examples of benign tumors include moles and uterine fibroids.

Nearly all cancers are caused by abnormalities in the genetic material of the transformed cells. These abnormalities may be due to the effects of carcinogens, such as tobacco smoke, radiation, chemicals, or infectious agents. Other cancer-promoting genetic abnormalities may be randomly acquired through errors in DNA replication, or are inherited, and thus present in all cells from birth.

Cancers are caused by series of mutations. Each mutation alters the behavior of the cell

Cancer Symptoms and Treatment

Most cancers can be treated and some cured, depending on the specific type, location, and stage. Once diagnosed, cancer is usually treated with a combination of surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The choice of therapy depends upon the location and grade of the tumor and the stage of the disease, as well as the general state of the patient.

Radiation therapy - The use of ionizing radiation to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. Radiation therapy can be administered externally via external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) or internally via brachytherapy.

Surgery - In theory, non-hematological cancers can be cured if entirely removed by surgery, but this is not always possible. When the cancer has metastasized to other sites in the body prior to surgery, complete surgical excision is usually impossible.

Chemotherapy - The treatment of cancer with drugs ("anticancer drugs") that can destroy cancer cells. In current usage, the term "chemotherapy" usually refers to cytotoxic drugs which affect rapidly dividing cells in general, in contrast with targeted therapy (see below). Chemotherapy drugs interfere with cell division in various possible ways, e.g. with the duplication of DNA or the separation of newly formed chromosomes.

Cancer symptoms can be generally divided into three groups:

Symptoms of metastasis (spreading): enlarged lymph nodes, cough and hemoptysis, hepatomegaly (enlarged liver), bone pain, fracture of affected bones and neurological symptoms. Although advanced cancer may cause pain, it is often not the first symptom.

Local symptoms: unusual lumps or swelling (tumor), hemorrhage (bleeding), pain and/or ulceration. Compression of surrounding tissues may cause symptoms such as jaundice (yellowing the eyes and skin).

Systemic symptoms: weight loss, poor appetite, fatigue and cachexia (wasting), excessive sweating (night sweats), anemia and specific paraneoplastic phenomena, i.e. specific conditions that are due to an active cancer, such as thrombosis or hormonal changes.

Articles

Pub. DateTopicAuthor
2012-01-23Smoking After being Diagnosed with CancerWiley-Blackwell
2011-09-16Fluoride Can Cause CancerFluoride Action Network
2011-08-05Potential New Eye Tumor Treatment for RetinoblastomaCarnegie Institution
2011-07-09Cancer in Seniors - As We Age the Risk IncreasesNational Cancer Institute
2011-06-14Cancer Survivors Expenditure on Health CarePenn State
2011-06-11New Substances Added to List of CarcinogensNIH/National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
2011-05-25Improved Prognosis for Esophageal CancerDeutsches Aerzteblatt International
2011-04-26Sugar and its Role in the Spread of CancerAmerican Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
2011-04-13Recognizing the Symptoms of Oral CancerWestern Dental Services, Inc.
2011-04-11Late Diagnosis Major Factor in Hospital Cancer Deaths - IrelandQueen's University Belfast
2011-03-10Nearly 12 Million U.S. Cancer SurvivorsCenters for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
2011-02-25Radiation Places Dialysis Patients at Increased Risk of CancerAmerican Society of Nephrology
2011-01-17New Treatment for Breakthrough Cancer Pain Accepted for Use in ScotlandArchimedes Pharma Ltd
2011-01-15Cancer Pain Common Among SurvivorsUniversity of Michigan Health System
2010-12-21Smoking May Worsen Pain for Cancer PatientsElsevier Health Sciences
2010-12-20Outcomes after Recurrence of Oral Cancer VaryJAMA and Archives Journals
2010-12-19Major Initiative to Address Cancer in the WorkplaceNational Business Group on Health
2010-12-15How Virus Triggers Cervical and Mouth CancerUniversity of Manchester
2010-10-11Cancer Symptoms Prevalent at All Stages Including RemissionIndiana University School of Medicine
2010-10-05Ground Breaking Findings on Understanding CancerScheBo Biotech AG
2010-09-26Racial Disparities in Head and Neck CancerHenry Ford Health System
2010-09-07Fetal Exposure to Radiation and Risk of Childhood CancerPublic Library of Science
2010-08-18Drug Screening to Treat Common Childhood CancerWiley-Blackwell
2010-07-15Suspected Cancer Carcinogens - Report Outlines Knowledge GapsAmerican Cancer Society
2010-07-15Cancer Survival Rates by Types of CancerFECYT - Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology
2010-07-07Cancer Death Rate DroppingAmerican Cancer Society
2010-05-30Genes Associated with Throat Cancer FoundAgency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore
2010-05-16Mobile Cell Phones and Brain Cancer StudyMobile Manufacturers Forum
2010-04-09Building a Healthy Immune System to Fight Cancer Disease and IllnessTony Isaacs
2010-02-04Administering Chemotherapy to Seniors with Cancer Medicare Covers Only Half the CostCommunity Oncology Alliance
2009-12-14Worse Outcomes in Cancer Patients with Cognitive ImpairmentUniversity of Georgia
2009-09-22Heat Therapy Offers New Treatment for Soft Tissue SarcomaECCO the European CanCer Organisation
2009-08-17Does Sugar Feed Cancer?University of Utah Health Sciences
2009-08-15Compound that Kills Cancer Stem Cells FoundCell Press
2009-08-13Declining Cancer Mortality RatesAmerican Association for Cancer Research
2009-07-28Forecasting Cancer RecurrenceAmerican Institute of Physics
2009-07-02Boosting Immune System of Cancer PatientsSharon Bell
2009-04-05Thyroid Cancer InformationSally Rider
2009-04-05Ureter Cancer InformationSally Rider
2009-04-05Small Intestine CancerSally Rider
2009-04-05Malignant Salivary Tumors - Rare CancerSally Rider
2009-04-02Head Neck and Throat Cancer Symptoms and TreatmentSally Rider
2009-04-01Gallbladder CancersSally Rider
2009-04-01Esophageal Cancer InformationSally Rider
2009-04-01Osteosarcoma - Bone CancerSally Rider
2009-04-01Bladder Carcinoma - Bladder CancerSally Rider
2009-04-01Anaplastic Adrenal CancerSally Rider
2009-04-01Adrenal Cancer InformationSally Rider
2009-03-29New Cancer Gene IdentifiedWellcome Trust Sanger Institute
2009-02-23Calcium Intake Lowers Cancer Risk in WomenJAMA and Archives Journals
2009-01-03Dormant Cancer Cells rely on Cellular Cannibalization to SurviveJournal of Clinical Investigation
2008-11-15How to Help Someone with CancerDisabled World
2008-07-20What is Metastatic or Advanced CancerFrank Ward
2008-07-20Hereditary Cancer InformationMavis Butcher
2008-02-20Cervical Cancer InformationElysiana Canlas

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In This Section

Health and Disability
Brain Cancer
Breast Cancer
Cancer Treatment
Colorectal Cancer
Hodgkin's Disease
Kidney Cancer
Leukemia
Liver Cancer
Lung Cancer
Mesothelioma
Ovarian Cancer
Pancreatic Cancer
Prostate Cancer
Skin Cancer Melanoma
Stomach Cancer


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