INFO ~ CANCER SERIES #1: What Is Cancer?

INFO ~ CANCER SERIES #1: What Is Cancer?

Cancer is actually an umbrella name given to a group of about 210 diseases. Of these, only a few predominate in each country. In Malayia, cancer is the second leading cause of deaths. It is estimated that 40,000 cases are diagnosed yearly. Cancer can attack any organ of the body. The major cancer affecting males are cancer of the lung, nasopharynx, colon, leukaemia, rectum and prostate; while amongst females, cancer of the breast, cervix, colon, ovary, leukaemia and long are the most prevalent.

There are basically 3 types of cancer:

• Carnicomas: These usually occur in rapidly dividing tissues such as cells that cover and line our bodies, including the skin, colon, breast, liver and breathing passages. These are the most common forms of cancer.
• Sarcomas: This type of cancer generally occurs in more slowly dividing tissues such as the muscle and nerve tissues.
• Leukaemia: These are cancers of the tissue that form the blood cells.

Cancer cells are abnormal cells. They keep dividing and forming more cells without control or order. A mass of extra tissue, called a growth or tumour, is formed. It can be either benign or malignant.

Benign tumours are not cancerous as they can be removed. In most cases, they do not reoccur. Benign tumours do not spread to other parts of the body and are rarely a threat to life.

Malignant tumours, on the other hand, are cancerous. It can spread to invade and damage nearby tissues and organs. Cancer cells can alo break away from the malignant tumour and enter the blookdstream or lymphatic system. This is how cancer spreads from the original or primary tumour to form new tumours in other parts of the body. The spread of cancer is called metastasis.

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