Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Cancer - What Is It Really?

By Mark Alison

Unfortunately, cancer is a fact of life in our world. People die from it every day and there are more kinds than one would like to think about. It seems every time you turn on the news, you hear another item or habit causes this dreadful disease. But what is it really? Why are there so many variations and what is the cause of it?

Under normal circumstances, the human body reproduces cells at a regular rate. Sometimes through outside forces, the DNA of some cells get damage and do not die off like they are supposed to. These reproduce at an unchecked pace and the growth spreads through the body. This is the basic explanation of cancer. Its' typically treated through radiation, chemotherapy, or by removing the infected tissues.

Not all tumors that form from these mutated cells turn into cancer. Some tumors are not cancerous and are called benign. They usually do not spread and can be considered localized. They are not dangerous, unless they keep growing. Benign tumors are many times left alone. They can be removed however to stop growth.

A malignant tumor is what we generally think of when we hear cancer. Malignant tumors continue to grow and spread throughout the body. Infections and illness will spread throughout your blood stream.

Treatments for malignant cancer are removing the tissue, radiation, and chemotherapy. The latter two are effective against inoperable tumors such as brain and bone marrow. Researches into new treatments are coming along every year.

Remission is the hopeful outcome for a patient with cancer. There is no cure. The chance of reoccurrence differs depending on what form a patient has. So far the best prevention of cancer is to reduce certain behaviors and activities that have been proven to cause the illness.

The Internet has been a boon for cancer researchers, survivors, and those worried about the disease. There are now hundreds of sites, such as www.canceranswers.info, that provide information and support.

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