Cancer – risk factors, symptoms and treatments

Cancer
The body is made up of various kinds of cells. Normally, cells grow and divide to produce more cells only when our body needs them. This process helps keep our body healthy. Sometimes cells keep dividing when new cells are not needed, creating a mass of extra tissue. This mass is called a cancerous growth or a tumor.

Cancer is a process of an abnormal uncontrolled growth of cells. The cells divide uncontrollably and may grow into adjacent tissue or spread to distant parts of the body. There are many different types of cancers.

In cancer multiplication into new cells takes place at the cost of the other normal cells of the body. Normal cells of the body starve to death due to lack of nutrition.

Tumors can be noncancerous or cancerous:

Benign tumors: Noncancerous tumors are also known as benign tumors. Cells in noncancerous tumors do not spread to other parts of the body. They often can be removed and, in most cases, they do not come back.

Malignant tumors: Cancerous tumors are also known as malignant tumors. Cells in cancerous tumors divide without control or order. These cancer cells spread to different parts of the body and destroy them.

Malignant tumors can metastasize. Metastasize means cancer cells can break away from a malignant tumor and enter the blood vessels or lymphatic system to form secondary tumors in other parts of the body.

Is the cell growth essential for our body?
Yes it is essential. For example when you get a cut in some part of the body, cells in this area are damaged. Body has the ability to replace these damaged cells by new healthy cells. To replace damaged cells, new cells start developing at the wounded site. When wound is completely healed up, no more new cells are added. Hence cell growth is very essential for the normal functioning of the body.

What happens in cancer?
In cancer the body’s ability to add new cells is uncontrolled. The body does not know when to stop and it keeps on adding new cells. Result of this uncontrolled growth of cells is called cancer.

Can cancer spread in other parts of the body?
Only malignant type of cancer can spread to different parts of the body. The place where cancer starts, cells keep on dividing in uncontrolled manner. After that, these cancerous cells start spreading to other parts of the body. This way other parts of the body are also affected by cancerous cells.

Why does cancer occur?
Cancer occurs as a form of body responses to certain stimuli. Stimuli are certain factors, which make your body to keep on adding new cells uncontrollably, without knowing when to stop.

For example: cigarette smoke may act as stimuli for lung cancer.

Sunlight may act a stimulus for skin cancer. Etc

Who is prone to cancer?
Anybody and everybody can be prone to cancer. Cancer is a universal disease.

What are the risk factors for cancer?
Certain types of cancer are usually hereditary, such as breast cancer or lung cancer. People who are exposed to the following factors are more likely to develop cancer:

Smoking is a major risk factor for lung and oral cancer. The risk increases in persons who have been smoking for over twenty years.

Tobacco Chewing is also a risk factor for oral and lung cancer. The risk increases in persons who have been chewing tobacco for over fifteen years.

X-rays — People who undergo frequent X-ray examinations, or who work in X-ray departments, etc have increased risk for cancer.

Industrial and/or Vehicular Pollution — is a risk factor for cancer for people who are overly exposed to industrial or vehicular pollutants. For example: Those living in near industries or next to main roads.

Sunlight – persons who are exposed to harsh sunlight for long periods of time have a greater risk for cancer.

Menopause — Women who have attained menopause are vulnerable to uterine or cervix cancer, and should therefore undergo regular, routine examinations after menopause.

What are the symptoms of cancer?
Symptoms may vary from person to person. Some may experience all of them or few of them.

The symptoms for cancer can be:

  •  A sore that does not heal.
  •   Unusual excessive bleeding from the body.
  •   Blood in the urine.
  •   Bleeding in women other than menstrual bleeding
  •   Non-injury bleeding from the surface of the skin, mouth, or any other part of the body.
  •   Excessive bleeding from a slight injury.
  •   Blood expectoration or spitting out blood.
  •   A lump or hard area in the breast or in other parts of the body.
  •   Raised birthmark.
  •   Sudden growth in a birthmark, mole, etc.
  •   Bleeding from a mole, wart, cyst, etc.
  •   Digestion is not proper (indigestion).
  •   Difficulty in swallowing.
  •   Cough which is not going away or hoarseness.
  •   Pain and swelling of a bone and the surrounding tissue.

How can cancer be diagnosed?
Cancer is usually diagnosed by a doctor with help of a complete physical examination. Laboratory tests required to diagnose cancer are:

  •  X-rays to look for any mass or spot in the lungs.
  •   Sputum tests to study the sputum.
  •   CT scan (computed tomography) – which can provide more precise information about the size, shape, and position of a tumor.
  •   MRI.
  •   Biopsies of the affected part of the body.
  •   PAP smears.
  •   Blood tests.
  •   Urine tests

What are the treatments for cancer?
Radiation therapy is used to reduce the size of cancer. It uses high energy of rays to attack and stop the growth of cancerous cells.

Chemotherapy uses drugs to kill cancer cells.

Anti-Cancer Drugs are used to fight the growth of cancerous cells.

Chemotherapy with anti-cancer drugs is used in combination with radiation and surgery in the treatment of cancer.

Surgery is used to remove the cancerous parts of the affected organs.

Prevention and early detection are important factors in treating cancer. Most of the cancers, when detected early and treated in time, are curable.

Burns – causes, signs, symptoms and treatments

What are the causes for burns?
Different causes of burns are:

  •  Exposure to or contact with heat such as fire, radiation, or hot liquids.
  •   Electric shock
  •   Contact with Chemical agents like acids.
  •   Exposure to sunrays for long can also cause burns known as sunburns.
  •   Accidental fires.

What are the signs and symptoms of burns?
Signs and symptoms of burns usually depend on the extent of area burnt and on the cause of burn. For example burns caused due to electrical shock or chemicals are very severe and invariably cause third degree burns.

Severity of symptoms of burns varies from first-degree to third-degree:

First-degree burns are superficial burns. They affect only the outer layer of the skin, causing pain, redness, and swelling. They are sensitive to touch and moist.

Second-degree burns affect both the outer and underlying layers of skin. They cause pain, redness, swelling, and additionally blistering.

Third-degree burns cause the deepest damage. The surface of the burn may be white and soft, or black, charred, and leathery. The burned area has no feeling when touched. Third-degree burns are not usually painful because the nerve endings in the skin are completely destroyed.

The skin is completely destroyed in third degree burns.

How can burns be diagnosed?
In most cases, it is easy to diagnose a burn. It is hard to tell the exact degree of burn, though.
For example, it may take a day or two for the burn to blister, making it a second-degree burn.

What are the treatments for burns?
The treatment depends largely on the severity and location of the burns.

First aid should be given immediately to a person who has got burnt.

If the person shows signs of shock, or if the person has burns to the airway or lungs. They should be rushed to hospital immediately after giving the necessary first aid steps.

First aid steps for burns are:

  •  Cover the burned area with cool water, but not ice water, for 5 minutes.
  •   Try to calm the person. Burns are extremely painful and can cause a lot of anxiety.
  •   Cover the burnt area with a bandage after soaking it for several minutes. Use only clean cloth.
  •   Try to avoid contaminating the wound.
  •   Over-the counter pain killers like aspirin can be given.
  •   Very minor burns usually heal without any treatment or follow-up with a doctor.

If the burn appears to be more severe (second-degree or third-degree) the person should receive medical attention.
A tetanus shot should be given for all types of burns.

Additional first aid steps for severe burns are:

  •  If the person is on fire, have the person stop, drop, and roll. If the person is still on fire, cover the person with a wool or cotton blanket. Douse the fire with water. If water is not available douse it sand.
  •   All burning material should be removed from the person`s skin.
  •   One should try to keep the airway open. One should check if the person is breathing.
  •   If the person is not breathing. CPR or cardiopulmonary resuscitation should be performed. It is the process giving artificial respiration.
  •   Elevate the burned area and protect it from further burns, pressure, or injury.

What are the possible complications of burns?
Infection and respiratory failure are the most common complications leading to death because of severe burns.

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