Did you know him?
Cancer is a
generic term that includes a range of diseases that can affect all parts of the
body, and these diseases are also referred to as tumors. The characteristics of
cancer include the rapid reproduction of abnormal cells that can grow beyond
their known boundaries, break-in sympering parts of the body, and spread to
other organs, known as the "metastatic".
Metastases
are the leading causes of death for cancer.
Causes of cancer:
The cancer
arises from one cell. The normal cell is transformed into a cancer cell in
multiple stages, usually from a potentially carcinogenic lesion to malignant
tumors. These changes are caused by the interaction between an individual's
genetic factors and some external factors.
The
incidence of cancer increases significantly with age, most likely due to the
increased risk of certain cancers with age, and the accumulation of cancer
risks is reduced as the effectiveness of cellular repair mechanisms decreases
as a person ages.
Tobacco and
alcohol use, lack of vegetable and fruit intake, hepatitis C and B infection
and cervical cancer virus infection are also major risk factors for cancer in
low- and middle-income countries. In addition, cervical cancer caused by HUMAN
PAPIllomavirus is one of the leading causes of death for women from cancer in
low-income countries.
Known causes of cancer can be summarized
as follows:
Consumption
of tobacco or its derivatives.
• Overweight
or obesity.
• Lack of
vegetables and fruits.
• Physical
inactivity.
• Alcohol
use.
Sexually
transmitted infections such as HIV and cervical cancer virus.
• Air
pollution in cities.
Exposure to
smoke caused by solid fuel burns inside buildings.
Risk factors:
Age: Most
cancers are detected at age 55 and older, but cancer can be detected at any
age.
Lifestyle:
The rate of cancer in people with unhealthy behaviors such as smoking, drinking
alcohol, direct exposure to sunlight and forbidden relationships increases.
Family
history: Genetics account for 5-10% of cancer, but not necessarily everyone who
has a genetic factor develops cancer.
Health
condition: There is a relationship between chronic diseases and cancer such as
chronic colitis.
Symptoms and signs:
Symptoms
vary depending on the infected organ of the body. It is between fever, pain,
fatigue and fatigue, and a sudden change in weight (mostly low). As the mass or
thickness of the perceptible fish appears under the skin, the skin changes
color (yellowing, redness, turning to dark color) or the presence of wounds
that do not heal, persistent cough, hoarseness, difficulty swallowing,
indigestion, change in the habit of defecation and output.
Diagnostic:
Your doctor
may perform one of the following procedures to diagnose the disease depending
on the patient's condition:
• Clinical
examination: Your doctor examines the patient's body, looks for any mass, skin
color change, or increased size indicating cancer.
Laboratory
tests: This is done by taking a blood sample to detect cancer such as leukemia.
• Radiology:
Radiology scans bones and internal organs such as ultrasound, bone x-rays, MRI
scans and CT scans.
• Biopsy:
There are different ways to collect a biopsy sample, and taking the biopsy
depends on a type ofcancer and its location in the body.
• Early
diagnosis of cancer helps to speed up the treatment of the condition, and then
to heal, God willing.
• Periodic
medical examination helps detect cancer at an early stage. It is regularly
conducted for the most vulnerable groups.
• The
American Cancer Society has recommended a series of medical tests to prevent cancer for adults.
For the most exposed categories type of
cancer
The most vulnerable groups
|
Type of cancer
|
Women aged 40 or older
|
Breast cancer
|
Women aged 21 or older
|
Cervical
|
Women and men aged 50 or over
|
Colon cancer
|
Men aged 50 or over
|
Prostate cancer
|
Stages ofcancer:
The doctor is looking for the stages of the spread of
the disease in the body, and in general the cancer is classified in four stages
from (stage 1) to (stage IV), and is the fourth most seriousstage.
Complications ofcancer:
• Abnormal interaction of the immune system with
cancer: in some cases the immune system reacts and attacks healthycells.
The spread of the disease: Cancer may attack
other parts of the body.
• Re-infection: Some cancers can reappear, so it
is important to follow upthe condition after treatment and to do regularmedical
examinations.
Treatment:
Cancer treatment depends on several factors, perhaps
the most prominent of which is the type of cancer, its stage, and the patient's state of health.
The purpose of cancertreatment:
• Initial treatment: Usually done by surgery for
the purpose of gettingrid of cancer cells.
• Supportive therapy: works to kill the remaining
cancer cells after initial treatment such as chemotherapy, radiation or
hormonaltreatment.
Palliative therapy: treatment for the purpose of
controlling the complications of the disease.
Cancer treatmentoptions:
Surgical treatment: to get rid of the tumor.
Chemotherapy: drugs that kill cancercells.
Radiation therapy: using high-energy x-rays such
as X-rays.
• Stem cell transplantation: through bone marrow
transfer, it can be taken from a patient or a donor.
Biotherapy: The body's immune system helps detect and
fight cancer cells.
• Hormone therapy: Some cancers feed on body
hormones such as breast and prostate cancer, when you get rid of the body
hormone the cancercell dies.
Prevention:
There is no specific way to prevent cancer, but
there are factors that reduce the risk of the disease as follows:
• Refrain from smoking: There is a strong
relationship between cancer and smoking, especially lungcancer.
• Avoid direct exposure to sunlight, especially
harmful UV rays, by sitting in the shade, wearing protective clothing, and
usingsunscreen.
• Proper nutrition: Choose foods rich in fruits
and vegetables, and choose whole grains such as oats, brown rice and crushedwheat.
• Exercise regularly: 30-minute exercise daily
helps reduce the chance of cancer.
• Maintain ing ideal weight: Research has shown
that there is a strong relationship between obesity (overweight) and cancer,and the ideal weight can be reached with regular
exercise and proper nutrition.
• Regular medicalexamination.
• Vaccinations: There are specific viruses that
cause cancer, such as hepatitis B virus, which causes liver cancer, and the
virus that causes cervical cancer, and vaccination can prevent you from these
viruses.
• Take enough sleep and rest.
• Avoid the stressesof life and practice
yourhobbies.