Cancer is an abnormal and unorganized growth due to multiplication of cells in which controlling and regulating mechanisms have disappered. This uncontrolled growth of cells is also termed as “neoplasm”. The result of this uncontrolled division of cells is tumour. All tumours are not cancerous. If the tumour remains fixed to a place and does not spread to other parts of the body. Then it is called benign or non-malignent tumour It does not cause cacer.If the tumour starts spreding to neighnouring areas, it is said to be cancerous or malignent tumour or neoplasm. This stage is called metastasia and becomes fatal.Causes of cancer.
Although the exact causes of cancer are not fully understood. Yet anything physical or chemical that can cause cancer is termed as carcinogenic. They are listedd below:
1. Smoking is one of the main cause of lung cancer.
2. Chewing tobacco and betel nut is one of the cause of buccal or mouth cancer.
3. Prolonged exposure of skin to ultra-violet rays may cause skin cancer.
4. Different chemicals like soot, asbestos, benzopyrene, musturd gas, etc. are the caused of cancer of different organs.
5. Viruses can also cause cancer.
Symptoms of cancer:
There are a number of symptoms that indicate the formation of cancerous growth in our body. Some of them are given below:
1. Any persistent lump or thickening in tissues, especially in the lips, tongue or breast.
2. Any wound that does not heal quickly.
3. Unusual bleeding from normal in bowel movements.
4. Sudden or rapid changes in the form, appearance of a mole or a wart.
5. Unusual loss of body weight.
Treatment of cancer
The treatment of cancer varies according to the nature of cancer. The common treatments are:
1. Surgery is used to remove mostt tumours and the surrounding tissues.
2. The use of radioactive rays for treatment purpose is called radiotherapy. Some forms of cancers are treated by radiotherapy. The diseased body part is expossed to radiations from X-rays to kill normal as well as cancerous cells.
3. Chemotherapy is done to kill the cancerous cells. It includes the administration of certain anti-cancer drugs like Texal and Taxal taxotere.
