About Cancer

Cancer word is taken from Latin word "carb", which means malignancy. Cancer disease can be defined as "an abnormal growth of cells which tend to proliferate in an uncontrolled way and, in some cases, to metastasize." Cancer is also known as malignancy, a malignant tumor, and neoplasm. There are more than hundred diseases; each types of cancer have its different name, cause and treatment options.

Cancer is a disease of the cells, which make up all the organs and tissues of the body. These cells normally repair and reproduce themselves in an orderly way. If for some reason this process gets out of control, a growth or tumor will form.

Some common types of cancer are given below:

Bladder Cancer: Bladder Cancer is a disease in which abnormal cells malignant growth in the urinary bladder. Bladder, a part of urinary system is hallow, muscular or balloon-shaped organ located in the pelvic that normally holds urine until it is released. The most common symptoms of bladder cancer is blood in the urine or pain during urination. Smoking is the single risk factor that causes bladder cancer.

Breast Cancer:Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer found in women and the second leading cause of cancer death. The most common sign of breast cancer is a lump or thickening in the breast. A lump is an armpit that does not go away and hence may be a sign of cancer. Other possible symptoms are breast discharge, nipple inversion, or changes in the skin overlying the breast. The treatment options, used for treating breast cancer are surgery, radiotherapy, hormone therapy, and chemotherapy.

Lung Cancer: Lung Cancer is the malignant transformation and growth of lung issue. The lungs, part of the respiratory system, are a pair of sponge-like, cone-shaped organs in the human body.

There are two types of lung cancer- primary lung cancer and mesothelioma. Each type of lung cancer has different causes of occur and treated differently. Cigarette smoking is the main cause of occur lung cancer. Common treatment options, used for treat lung cancer are surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy.

Leukemia: Leukemia is a cancer of blood-forming tissue such as bone marrow. These deranged, immature cells build up in the blood and within organs of the body. They are not able to carry out the normal functions of blood cells. The major forms of leukemia are divided into four categories- acute myelogenous leukemia, acute lymphocytic leukemia, chronic myelogenous leukemia, chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Depending upon the abnormal cells the most common symptoms of leukemia are fevers, weakness, blooding gums, frequent infections, weight loss, and etc. There are two types of treatment of leukemia - induction therapy, and continuation therapy. In induction therapy, the main treatment is to reduce the number of leukemia cells and the main process is to induce a remission. Remission is a period of time when the cancer is responding to treatment or is under control. Continuation therapy occurs after a patient goes through remission process. The main purpose of this phase is to kill any left-out cancer cells.

Colon Cancer: Colon cancer, also known, as colorectal cancer or bowel cancer is a disease in which abnormal cells malignant growth in the colon or rectum and appendix. It begins in the digestive system, called as gastrointestinal system. It is the third most common form of cancer. The most common symptoms of colon cancer is diarrhea, blood in the stool, weight loss, abdominal pain and tenderness etc. The available treatment options for treat colon cancer are surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy.

Other common types of cancer are kidney cancer, throat cancer, thyroid cancer, vaginal cancer, melanoma, skin cancer, oral cancer, anal cancer, brain cancer, penile cancer etc.

Cancer Treatment Options: There are different treatment options used to treat each type cancer but most popular used for cancer treatment are- surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, biologic therapy, gene therapy, hormone therapy and etc.

Radiation Therapy: Radiation therapy is a special type of therapy, which use radiation to destroy fast growing cancer cells. There are two main types of radiation therapy- external radiation therapy, and internal radiation therapy. External radiation therapy is also known as x-ray therapy, cobalt therapy and proton therapy. In this therapy a beam of radiation is directed from outside the body. Internal radiation therapy is also known as brachy therapy or implant therapy, where a source of radioactivity is surgically placed inside the body near the tumor.

Chemotherapy: This treatment is used to describe medications for kills the cancer cells. This treatment is given to those with advanced cancers that have spread others parts of body, possibly outside colon.

Surgery - Surgery is an operation that involves removal of cancerous part of the colon. It acts as a primary treatment for cancer.