Basic Facts About Cancer

Cancer is a disease in which cells act abnormal, grow and multiply beyond normal limits and capabilities. Aggressive cell dissemination will then attack, destroy and destroy nearby tissue, also known as metastasis. There are three malignant properties of cancer cells, namely aggressive, breaking and quickly spread. Benign cells do not have these properties and are considered relatively safe, even if they also have a tendency to transform into malignant cells.

Cancer can occur in individuals in every age, and has a mortality rate of 13%. Most types of cancer caused by abnormal genetic composition of malignant cells can be caused by environmental factors or congenital defects.

Carcinogens can alter the host genome and the capacity to be malignant, while the problem of DNA replication can also occur as commonly seen in cancer development in the fetus. Cancer is rare in children and adolescents, but the most common type that happens is leukemia, followed by cancer of the central nervous system and then neuroblastoma.

The process of cancer development

Usually the cancer cells grow and multiply accordingly, and are sometimes the cells die. Body responsible for ensuring that the entire process of reproduction and balanced growth. Dead cells or damaged are replaced automatically. In the case of cancer, abnormal cells live longer than normal cells and rapidly form new abnormal cells. Cancer cells can reach body parts isolated and vital organs, and interferes with vital functions and processes.

DNA is the primary responsibility for directing the activities of cells. DNA damage normally repaired by the body. The problem is that the body is not able to repair the damage because the cancer cells directly destroy cells and other tissues. DNA damage can be caused by exposure to harmful elements in the environment or inherited. Cancer usually begins with the formation of tumors that subsequently spread throughout the body.

Signs and Symptoms

Symptoms can be divided into three separate categories, namely: local and systemic metastasis. Local signs are the first place, which is expressed through unusual lump or tumor formation, bleeding, ulcers and pain.

Signs of metastasis that abnormal cells have started to spread and affect nearby areas and are shown with a cough, or coughing up blood hemoptisis, hepatomegaly or enlarged liver, neurological symptoms, enlarged lymph nodes and bone pain.

Systemic signs indicate the cancer has spread to almost all parts of the body and affect vital organs and systems as a whole. Regular expressions are weak of body or cachexia, loss of appetite, weight loss, diaphoresis or night sweats, anemia, blood clotting and hormone abnormalities. Other notable symptoms include blurring of vision, tiredness, headache, fever, nausea, and vomiting.

Types of Cancer

Cancer accounted for one-fourth of the total number of deaths in developed countries. The most common type is prostate cancer, followed by lung cancer and breast cancer. There is also liver cancer, colon or colorectal cancer, pancreatic cancer, bladder cancer, ovarian cancer, endometrial cancer, bone cancer, skin cancer or skin melanoma, non-Hodgkin lymphoma and leukemia.

All this affects the various parts of the body. There is a possibility of cancer only occurs in certain parts of the body but is still regarded as the original parts. For example, if breast cancer spreads to the lungs, it is still referred to as breast cancer even if the cells in the lungs also become cancerous.

Properties of Cancer Cells

Cancer cells or malignant cells do not have properties that limit the growth of normal cells and their dissemination. They can not afford to apoptosis or still continue to reproduce despite having the genetic anomaly. These cells are not sensitive to the body's signals that limit the growth and spread. It has always been divide and last much longer than normal cells and also have the ability to invade and destroy nearby tissue only to breed.

Overall, genetic errors continue to spread without repair and increase mutations in the cells of the body. Bodily functions disrupted or no longer effective while the damage continues to grow. However, cancer is not infectious or contagious.