Cancer Defined

Submitted By: Stewart Wrighter
With the number of people dying from cancer, it is no wonder why there are several who think that when they contract the disease it is hopeless for them. As such, there are a lot of people who want to know what causes diseases such as lung cancer New York or pancreas cancer New York. They want to know what these diseases are and what they can do to prevent it. However, getting to the root of cancer is a complicated matter, one that will take several pages of information. This is why it is important to break down such information for the patient.

What is Cancer?

Cancer has been the number one cause of death in many people throughout the world. It does not only affect the rich, educated, and average looking people. Cancer does not choose which person it affects, no matter who that person is. But what is cancer? It is a class of diseases which are characterized by an out-of-control cell growth. As of today, there are already more than 100 types of cancer. Each of these is classified by what type of cell has been initially affected.

Cancer becomes harmful to the body once damaged cells start dividing uncontrollably and start forming lumps or even masses of tissue. These lumps are called tumors and can grow as well as interfere with the normal functions of the digestive, circulatory and nervous systems. As a result, they are able to release hormones which change the function of these systems. In the case of leukemia, cancer prohibits the normal blood function through the abnormal cell division which affects the blood stream. Tumors which stay in one spot and illustrate limited growth are normally considered as benign.

When is Cancer Dangerous?

As soon as the tumors become malignant, they are already causing a huge danger to the body system that it affects. This can happen when:

• Invasion- a process wherein cancerous cells destroy the healthy tissues. This occurs when these cells are able to move throughout the whole body through the lymph or blood systems.

• Angiogenesis- another process wherein the tumor grows and divides. As a result the new blood vessels start feeding on its’ own self.

The moment the tumor starts spreading to the other body parts, it then grows, invades and destroys the other healthy tissues. This is when the tumor is believed to have metastasized. This process is referred to as metastasis. The result of which is a serious condition, one which is very difficult to heal.

Throughout the world, millions of people are dying from cancer every year. In 2007 alone, an alarming 7.6 million people throughout the world has already died from cancer. Researchers, scientists and physicians are all working together in order to stop cancer and be able to allow people to have a normal life. With the advancements in technology, drugs and medical treatments, we can only hope that it will be soon that oncologists are able to find a cure that will finally be able to stop cancer.