Cancer Disease - Symptoms, Causes, Treatment

Definition

What is cancer?

Cancer is a disease caused by abnormal growth of body tissue cells that turn into cancer cells. In its development, these cancer cells can spread to other body parts that can cause death.

This disease occurs due to the growth of abnormal cells that are not controlled, causing infiltration and destruction of normal body tissues. Basically, the human body consists of trillions of cells scattered in every organ and part. These cells will continue to grow and develop into new cells. While the cells that are old, unhealthy, and no longer work will die naturally.

Each cell of the body has a central control called the nucleus. The nucleus consists of a series of DNA chains that act as regulators of the nature and function of each cell, including to divide.

Normally, the cells will divide according to the prescribed time and with the genetic properties of normal cells. But at the time of mutation in the cell, the genetic information of cells in the DNA chain is damaged, imprinted or even lost, during the process of cell division. In cancer, mutations occur where cells will divide too much so that it will form a tumor tissue.

Based on the type of cells affected, cancer can be divided into 5 groups, namely:

Carcinoma, cancer originating from skin tissue or outer layer tissue of internal organs. Carcinoma is divided into several subtypes including adenocarcinoma, basal cell cancer, squamous cell cancer, and transitional cell cancer.
Sarcoma, cancer originating from connective tissue such as bone tissue, cartilage tissue, fat tissue, muscle tissue, and blood vessel tissue.
Leukemia, cancer originating from blood-forming tissue such as bone marrow. This type of cancer causes excessive production of blood cells that will then be released into the bloodstream.
Lymphoma and myeloma, cancer originating from cells in the immune system.
Cancer in the brain and spinal cord, a cancer that originates from the central nervous system network.

Cancer cells are born if there is a fault in the system, so that the damaged cell does not die by itself. This cell will continue to multiply and multiply as much as possible until the amount that can not be controlled again. This change can trigger the emergence of cancer cells.

Compared with body cells, cancer cells have many differences. These cells can grow aggressively and spread to other body parts to form a new tissue. Cancer cells also can not die and damage by itself.

Cancer can occur in any part of the body because of its origin from cells in the human body. Thus, there are many types of cancer found in humans. It was reported that there are more than 200 different types of cancer.

How common is cancer?

Cancer is often known by the community as a tumor, but not all tumors are cancerous. Tumor is all lumps are not normal or abnormal. Tumors are divided into 2 groups, namely benign tumors and malignant tumors. Cancer is a common term for all types of malignant tumors.

Cancer can affect everyone, in every part of the body, and in all gologan ages, but more often happen to people aged 40 years. Even those with a healthy lifestyle. This can be controlled by reducing your risk factors.

Generally before the cancer extends or damages surrounding tissue, the patient does not feel any complaints or symptoms. When there are already complaints or symptoms, usually the disease is advanced.

Signs & symptoms

What are the signs and symptoms of cancer?

Here are some of the symptoms of cancer that should not be ignored:

1. Appearing unusual lumps

The most typical cancer symptom is the appearance of an unusual tumor lump. If you find a lump that grows quickly in a short time and shaped unnatural, this could be a symptom of breast cancer. In addition to the breast, this lump can also appear on any body part. Therefore, if you find a new lump or lump that changes in your body, consult a doctor as soon as possible.

2. Changes in the skin

If you suspect an unusual change in size, shape, or color of a mole, be aware of symptoms of skin cancer. To make sure any changes that occur on your skin are not symptoms of this disease, immediately consult a doctor for a thorough examination. You should also do a routine skin exam yourself to see if there is any strange-looking growth on your skin.

3. Problems with lymph nodes

Lymph nodes are small red-shaped tissue structures that play a large role in the human immune system. So, when an infection occurs, the lymph nodes will swell to give a mark.

Therefore, swollen lymph nodes need to watch out for can be a sign of cancer, such as leukemia and lymphoma. This gland is found in the neck, inner thighs, armpits, around the intestine, and between the lungs.

4. Weight loss does not matter

If your weight loss is due to the effect of diet, this is normal. But if your weight loss happens for no apparent reason, you need to be vigilant.

Weight loss can be a symptom of colon cancer, pancreas, or other digestion. Not only that, weight loss can also be a sign of this disease that can spread to the liver so it will affect your appetite and body's ability to release food waste in the body.

5. Prolonged cough or tightness

Most coughs may not need to be wary of. However, if the cough you are experiencing does not heal, occurs in a long time and accompanied by shortness of breath or blood, you should be vigilant. The reason, this can be dangerous because it shows that your lungs are problematic. In the worst case scenario, you may experience lung cancer.

Therefore, if you are exposed to a prolonged cough, go to a health center to perform an X-ray or CT scan of the chest.

6. Pain without cause

If your pain is a result of physical injury, this may not be a serious problem. However, if you experience pain that is fixed and without cause is worth being wary of. Depending on the location of the pain, there are various types of this disease. Headaches that never healed despite already undergoing treatment can be a symptom of brain cancer.

7. Bleeding is not normal

Abnormal bleeding may indicate the possibility that you have the disease. For example, vaginal bleeding outside menstruation or after intercourse can be a sign of endometrial and cervical cancer.

There may be symptoms of cancer that are not mentioned above. Therefore, immediately consult a doctor if you suspect unnatural changes in your body as early detection of this disease. The earlier the disease is detected, the chances for recovery will also be greater.

When should I see a doctor?

If you have any of the cancer signs or symptoms mentioned above, or have any questions about the symptoms of this disease, you should immediately consult your doctor. Everyone's body reacts differently. It's always better to discuss what's best for your situation with your doctor.

What causes cancer?

The most common cause of cancer is a change (mutation) in DNA in cells. Inside DNA, it contains thousands of genes that will instruct the cells to perform their functions on the organs in which they live. So the nucleus that is home to thousands of genes will determine what cell types a particular organ needs, when the cell needs to divide, and which cells to die and replace.

Unfortunately, this process does not always work perfectly. When the cell performs self-cleavage, there is a risk that new cells born from the division contain genes that are damaged or multiplied too much. Changes in the structure of genes in these cells are referred to as gene mutations.

When a gene mutation occurs, the cell can no longer accept orders and instructions from the central system so that it will grow out of control and produce abnormal proteins. Abnormalities in the protein produced will further trigger the division of new cells with imperfect genes. In other cases, the protein needed to stop the birth of a new cell is not produced at all.

Typically, mutations of different genes and that have occurred more than five times will newly potentially grow into cancer cells. The process can last for years until the cells divide and form a large enough cancer cells. Then the symptoms begin to appear and the cancer cells appear when your body is scanned.

However, in the case of children, gene damage has occurred since in the womb or since birth. So, they do have a congenital gene that is damaged in body cells so that the process of formation of cancer does not require a long time.

In general, there are two factors that cause cancer most often occur, namely:

Internal factors. You may be born with genetic mutations inherited from your parents. This type of mutation is responsible for a small percentage of this disease.
External factors. Most gene mutations occur after birth and are not inherited. A number of factors can cause gene mutations such as smoking, radiation, viruses, cancer-causing chemicals (carcinogens), obesity, hormones, chronic inflammation and lack of exercise.

Scientists do not know how many mutations should accumulate so they can cause cancer. Even so, scientists believe that the cause of cancer will vary with each person depending on the type of cancer they are experiencing. Consult your doctor to find out more specific causes of cancer. By knowing the various factors that cause cancer allows to lower your risk of developing this disease in the future.

Most cancers can be prevented with healthy lifestyles from a young age and avoid cancer-causing factors. Although the exact cause of cancer is not known, everyone can make prevention efforts by healthy living and avoid the causes of cancer:

Regarding food:

Reduce excessive fatty foods
Eat more fiber foods.
Eat more colorful vegetables and fruits, several times a day
Eat more fresh foods
Reduce food that has been preserved or stored for too long
Limit alcoholic drinks

Avoid yourself from sexually transmitted diseases
Avoid smoking. For smokers: stop smoking.
Strive for a balanced life and avoid stress
Check regularly and regularly.

Risk factors

What increases my risk of getting cancer?

There are many factors that increase your risk of this disease, such as:

Age. This disease may take decades to grow. Therefore, most people diagnosed with this disease are 65 years of age or older. However, it is not an exclusive disease for adults. The reason, this disease can also be diagnosed at any age.

Bad habits. Smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, excessive sun exposure, obesity, and unsafe sex can be cancer-causing factors.

Family history. In many cases, the disease is inherited. Therefore, you should undergo a genetic test for further prevention. However, having a genetic mutation inherited does not mean you will get this disease.

Health condition. Some chronic health conditions such as ulcerative colitis can significantly increase the risk of developing this particular type of disease.

Living environment. Hazardous chemicals such as asbestos and benzene at home or workplace can be a factor that increases the risk of this disease. Even if you do not smoke, you can inhale cigarette smoke if you are around people who smoke or live with someone who smokes.

Medication & Treatment

The information provided is not a substitute for medical advice. ALWAYS consult your doctor.

How is cancer diagnosed?

It is advisable to quickly diagnose the disease to get the best chance for healing, especially in the early stages. Doctors can use one or more approaches to diagnose the disease. Some common tests doctors do to diagnose this disease include:

Physical examination. Your doctor may have a rectal examination if you suspect you have the disease in your gut or prostate. Other physical examination methods may also be performed by a doctor to clarify the diagnosis of the patient's illness.

Laboratory test. The doctor may perform a blood test to describe the overall health of the patient and detect the presence or absence of an abnormality.

Imaging tests. Various imaging tests such as PET scan, MRI, X-ray, ultrasound, and CT scan can be used to find out if the disease has spread.

Biopsy. This procedure is performed by lifting a small portion of the tissue for examination under a microscope. Samples taken in the biopsy were then analyzed by the pathologist. It will evaluate cells, tissues, and organs in laboratory tests to determine the diagnosis of the disease experienced by the patient.

What are cancer drugs?

Cancer drugs basically depend on the type and stage of the disease, potential side effects, as well as the choice and general health of the patient. In general, here are some of the most common cancer drugs:

1. Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is a treatment that uses chemicals with a powerful intensity to kill rapidly growing cells in the body. Chemotherapy is most often used as a cure for cancer, because the cell of this disease develops faster than normal cells in the body.

Chemotherapy drugs can be used alone or combined as a cancer drug. Chemotherapy is an effective way to treat many types of this disease but has the risk of side effects that must also be wary of.

2. Radiotherapy

Radiotherapy is a method of treatment that relies on radiation by using high energy waves such as x-rays, gamma, protons, and electrons to kill cancer cells. Although radiotherapy is most often used as a cure for cancer, it is sometimes used to treat patients not affected by this disease, such as tumors and disorders of the thyroid gland.

3. Target therapy

Target therapy is a therapy that uses drugs or other chemicals to identify and attack specific cancer cells without killing normal cells. This therapy includes:

• Monoclonal antibodies

• Tyrosine kinase inhibitors

• Cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors (cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors)

The therapy used may be a combination of several therapies. Consult your doctor for the right treatment and cancer treatment options for you. Each treatment of this disease has different side effects. Consider the risk of consuming cancer drugs with your condition.

Treatment at home

What are the lifestyle changes or home remedies that can be done to overcome cancer?

The following lifestyle changes can help you prevent and treat cancer:

Do not smoke. Smoking has been linked to various types of this disease-including lung, mouth, throat, larynx, pancreas, bladder, uterus and kidney.
Eat with a healthy diet.
Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables.
Limit processed meats.
Maintain a healthy body weight and be physically active. Maintaining a healthy weight can reduce the risk of various types of this disease, including breast, prostate, lung, colon, and kidney.
Protect yourself from the sun.
Get regular medical care.

If you have any questions, consult your doctor to understand the best solution for you.