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Cancer
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What Is Cancer?
Cancer is a disease in which certain cells in the body grow uncontrollably and spread to other parts of the body. Diseases related to abnormal cell growth may invade or spread to other parts of the body. Under normal circumstances, human cells grow and reproduce (through a process called cell division), forming new cells when needed by the body. When cells age or are damaged, they die and new cells replace them. Sometimes, abnormal or damaged cells can grow and reproduce when they should not. These cells may form tumors, i.e. tissue masses. Tumors can be cancerous or non cancerous (benign). Unlike benign tumors, cancer does not spread.
Differences between Cancer Cells and Normal Cells
Lack of appropriate signal control can lead to growth, but when apoptosis signals are emitted, normal cells can continue to grow by avoiding and ignoring them. Normal cells exhibit contact inhibition, while cancer cells can invade and spread to other locations. Cancer cells live normally by evading the immune system, and some cancer cells have twice the number of chromosomes as normal cells, relying on different nutrients from normal cells.
Internal Factors Causing Cancer
The genetic changes that lead to cancer often affect three main types of genes - primary genes, tumor suppressor genes, and DNA repair genes.
The oncogene is involved in normal cell growth and division. However, when these genes are altered in some way or become more active than normal, they may become oncogenes (or oncogenes), allowing cells to grow and survive when they should not.
Tumor suppressor genes are also involved in controlling cell growth and division. Cells with certain changes in tumor suppressor genes may divide uncontrollably.
DNA repair genes are involved in repairing damaged DNA. Cells with these gene mutations tend to produce additional mutations in other genes and undergo changes on their chromosomes, such as partial duplications and deletions. These mutations combined may lead to cellular carcinogenesis.
External Factors that Cause Cancer
Smoking, unhealthy diet, radiation exposure to certain substances, exposure to environmental pollutants, virus infection, and genetic factors can all pose a risk of developing cancer.Preventive and Therapeutic Measures
Preventive measures
Diet: Maintain a healthy diet, avoid drinking alcohol, smoking, eat more vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and fish, and eat less pickled foods.
Vaccination: For example, receiving the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine to prevent cervical cancer
Genetic testing
Perform genetic testing on offspring of high-risk individuals or parents carrying disease causing genes, as shown in the table below:
| Gene | Cancer types | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | BRCA1, BRCA2 | Breast, ovarian, pancreatic |
| 2 | HNPCC, MLH1, MSH2, MSH6, PMS1, PMS2 | Colon, uterine, small bowel, stomach, urinary tract |
Treatment Methods
Chemotherapy, radiation therapy, surgery, immunotherapy (such as monoclonal antibody therapy, immune checkpoint therapy), laser therapy, and other methods are mainly related to cancer cell types, and the results of treatment methods are unpredictable.
Reference
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cancer
"Cancer – Signs and symptoms". NHS Choices. Archived from the original on 8 June 2014. Retrieved 10 June 2014.
"Cancer". World Health Organization. 12 September 2018. Retrieved 19 December 2018.
Anand P, Kunnumakkara AB, Sundaram C, Harikumar KB, Tharakan ST, Lai OS, et al. (September 2008). "Cancer is a preventable disease that requires major lifestyle changes". Pharmaceutical Research. 25 (9): 2097–116. doi:10.1007/s11095-008-9661-9. PMC 2515569. PMID 18626751. (Erratum: doi:10.1007/s11095-008-9690-4, PMID 18626751).
https://www.verywellhealth.com/more-cancer-types-4158486
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cancer
"Cancer – Signs and symptoms". NHS Choices. Archived from the original on 8 June 2014. Retrieved 10 June 2014.
"Cancer". World Health Organization. 12 September 2018. Retrieved 19 December 2018.
Anand P, Kunnumakkara AB, Sundaram C, Harikumar KB, Tharakan ST, Lai OS, et al. (September 2008). "Cancer is a preventable disease that requires major lifestyle changes". Pharmaceutical Research. 25 (9): 2097–116. doi:10.1007/s11095-008-9661-9. PMC 2515569. PMID 18626751. (Erratum: doi:10.1007/s11095-008-9690-4, PMID 18626751).
https://www.verywellhealth.com/more-cancer-types-4158486