What Is Cancer

[ihost 0]

Hello all!

 

I thought that I could make a topic to talk about cancer. For peoples that are only curious of what it might be, going to peoples that already know but want to learn a little more, to peoples that unfortunately have it or have friends or family that has it and so on.

 

Let's talk about this here, but first of all, permit me to explain you what cancer is for those who do not know... Ill try to be using an easy language so everyone here can understand even those that do not know anything about sciences or biology! (Please feel free to leave me comments and maybe some new stuffs to add or remove or stuffs that you do not understand in what I wrote! I'll be more than happy to answer you!)

 

First of all let's start from the root. We have organs made of tissues, like heart, kidney, liver and so on. Those organs compose eventually a body... So those tissues that composes the organs are made up of tiny building blocks called cells.

 

Cancer is a disease of these cells.

 

So there are many different type of cells in our body that works differently and, as well, looks a bit different. But they all have one point in common (or mostly of them): they reproduces the same way. (They reproduces themselves through mitosis and meiosis if it is to form gametes [sex cells] ).

 

Cells are constantly reproducing, because they get old pretty fast and dies pretty fast too! So they need replacements and they have it... Theres starts a problem: usually cells separates to reproduce in a specific manner and order. Everything under control. The catch starts specifically there: if there is an error during it's replication, the cell might divide and divide non stop! So it keep replicating itself, developing into a lump which is called a tumor.

 

 

[PS. I had read pictures of true human tumors, but I prefer to not show it here, because some are not too nice to see! So if you are interested to see some cool pictures, type cancer in Wikipedia and there are real photos there or even Google it, but don't look the info on Wikipedia, usually many mistakes!!!]

 

So yeah! Let's continue.

 

There are two types of tumors: benign or malignant. Cancer is the name given to a malignant tumor.By proceeding a biopsy (examining a small sample of cells under a microscope), Doctors can found out if the tumor is benign or malignant.

 

You have to note that in a benign tumour the cells do not spread to other parts of the body and so are not cancerous, but f they continue to grow at the original site, they may cause a problem by pressing on the surrounding organs... You know the rest...

 

In the other side, a malignant tumour consists of cancer cells that have the ability to spread beyond the original area. If the tumour is left untreated, it may spread into and destroy surrounding tissue. Sometimes cells break away from the original (primary) cancer. They may spread to other organs in the body through the bloodstream or lymphatic system.

 

For your information, there is an image of the lymphatic system for those who do not know (took from https://www.wikipedia.org/):

 

The lymphatic system is part of the immune system, which is the body's natural defence against infection and disease. (This immune system, just for your information, is getting weaker when you are in really stressful periods!!)

 

When the cancer cells reach a new area they may go on dividing and form a new tumour. This is known as a secondary cancer or metastasis.

 

It is important to realise that cancer is not a single disease with a single type of treatment. There are more than 200 different kinds of cancer, each with its own name and treatment.

 

There, done for now! Again, feel free to leave comments, your own adventures, stories, wonders, suggestions or even question!

 

Tim.

Edited October 30, 2008 by ihost (see edit history)

[Jelly 0]

My uncle had a bad case of cancer, it even led to his unwanted death. Apparently, there are some cases of cancer that are difficult to locate in the body, and can spread too far before it's too late. Sad :x..P.S. So cancer is a malignant tumor?

[ihost 0]

My uncle had a bad case of cancer, it even led to his unwanted death. Apparently, there are some cases of cancer that are difficult to locate in the body, and can spread too far before it's too late. Sad :x..
P.S. So cancer is a malignant tumor?

Hey,

I am sorry about your uncle. Yes, sometimes it is hard to locate so sometimes, you just treat doing the Chemotherapy on a larger scale. So the solution would be treat larger areas of the body where it can situate, but it is really dangerous; can kill cells that you don't want to and in the other way of thinking, would it be better to just wait and let it kill? So it is pretty hard to decide sometimes.

And yes, if a person has a malignant tumor, he has a cancer, so cancer is a malignant tumor.

Tim.

[harrison858 0]

My grandpa died of cancer, and I've only seen him once when I was about 6 years old.Cancer was actually part of the problem, the other part was very high blood pressure, and the doctor from overseas (My grandpa lived overseas) said that there was blood leaking out from all the 8 or 9 holes in his head (Eye sockets, ears, nose, mouth, etc), and I've never seen that happen before. Could this be a side effect of cancer? Any relations to cancer and high blood pressure? Maybe it was because of the fear of dying? o.o

[ihost 0]

My grandpa died of cancer, and I've only seen him once when I was about 6 years old.
Cancer was actually part of the problem, the other part was very high blood pressure, and the doctor from overseas (My grandpa lived overseas) said that there was blood leaking out from all the 8 or 9 holes in his head (Eye sockets, ears, nose, mouth, etc), and I've never seen that happen before.

Could this be a side effect of cancer? Any relations to cancer and high blood pressure? Maybe it was because of the fear of dying? o.o

Hey,

That is pretty sad, not even time to know him! =(

But well, let's see. This probably because of his tumor that he had this blood leak. Let me explain.

1) high pressure in the head can occur when the spinal fluid flow is blocked by a tumor, hematoma etc. The ventricle fluid spaces of the brain can enlarge and if severe enough the person can die from compression of the brain stem . The way to tell is by doing a lumbar puncture and ,easuring the opening and closing pressures.

3) primary headaches usually get worse with activitiy, shoulf be avoided if the pain is severe enough.

4) pulsating headache is more frequently associated with migraine, but may occur in other hadeaches also.

5) A diueretc generally will not help, although acetazolamide is often presribed for high pressure fluid realted headaches.

6) pain can be referred from meningeal arteries etc to the so this is possible

I don't think that his fear of death could caused such damaging results, even if human body is full of mystery

Tim.

PS. Did you knew that if you hold your breath, your blood pressure in the head drops!

[Glenisha 0]

Cancer is a group of more than 100 different diseases characterized by the uncontrolled, abnormal growth of cells. These cells form a lump or mass called a tumor. Some cancers, however, such as blood cancers, do not form tumors. Tumors can be benign (noncancerous) or malignant (cancerous). Benign tumors may grow, but they do not spread to other parts of the body and are usually not life threatening. Malignant tumors grow and invade other tissues in the body.

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Glenisha

 

[Running With Scissors 0]

Before if you asked me what cancer was I would probably say a rapid growth of cells and that there was no full proof way to stop it although there are some treatments but they are not sure to work.Now if someone asked me I would talk about the different kinds and describe the pictures you posted and make myself look like a real know it all.

[ipin 0]

there are some treatments my teacher have cancer in the lung 'cuz of smokingnow she is having (hioterapia) < not good at spelling

[knowlet 0]

Why one cannot easily cure from cancer is that drugs attach the whole organism, the whole human. Philips developed not long ago microcapsules that can be injected near the cancerous zone and that their drug-content released by a trigger.

[Unknown_99 0]

The ventricle fluid spaces of the brain can enlarge and if severe enough the person can die from compression of the brain stem .

so let me get this straight, if the lump of cells grows large enough, it can squeeze your brain stem like a teenager squeezing his zit out? But won't that have special implications since I read somewhere that it is in the brain stem that one's heartbeat is controlled? Like death perhaps?

[contactskn 2]

Dear friend I should appreciate such a good approach. You have provided with a good information on such a worst and sometimes if not diagnosed in time then dangerous disease. You have explained it in such a simple language that any one can understand it. Thank you for such a good and informative post on such a subject

[knowlet 0]

so let me get this straight, if the lump of cells grows large enough, it can squeeze your brain stem like a teenager squeezing his zit out? But won't that have special implications since I read somewhere that it is in the brain stem that one's heartbeat is controlled? Like death perhaps?

Yes, you're right squeezing of brain stem is dangerous. But not because of slowing your heart, rather slowing-surpressing your breath - the breathing centres.