Cancer Not Such a Killer as Shown in Our Movies

As a kid, I remember  watching movies which shows the guy coming over to the girl he loves more than the world and telling her to forget  and leave him and get married to somebody else because he has CANCER and will die in a few months.

Well, this is a scenario since last 10-20years. Is CANCER really such a deadly disease which would take away your life immediately? If unnoticed and untreated, YES, it would turn out to be a venomous disease but if daignosed in time can be treated.

 WHAT IS CANCER?

Cancer is the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells in the body. These abnormal cells are also called malignant cells. These cells divide without any control and invade different parts of the body. Cancer is not just a single disease. It is a combination of many diseases. There are many types of cancer. The various types of cancers are determined by the place they affect. e.g. skin cancer, stomach cancer etc.

The common types of cancers that we come across are:

Breast cancer

Oral cancer

Lung cancer

Stomach cancer

Prostrate cancer

Non-Hodgkin`s lymphoma

Skin cancer

Bone cancer

Bladder cancer

Kidney cancer

Leukemia

Melanoma

Pancreatic cancer

Uterine cancer etc.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF CANCER

Usually the signs and symptoms of cancer varies according to the area that the cancer is affected.

But there are few symptoms which are common in all types of cancers such as:

FATIGUENESS

Fatigue is extreme tiredness which does not get better even by taking rest. As cancer grows, this may be an important symptom. In stomach cancer or colon cancer, due to the blood loss, there may be fatigue.

FEVER

Fever is a very common symptom of cancer. As the disease progresses ,fever gets very evident due to the treatment or the cancer itself affecting the immune system of the patient.

SUDDEN WEIGHT LOSS

Many people with cancer show this symptom at some point of the disease. There may be unexplained and sudden weight loss.

PAIN

Pain may be a symptom in many types of cancer. Continuous Headaches which may not get better with treatment may be due to brain tumor. Uncontrolled Pain in the back may be due to cancer in colon, rectum, or ovary.

SKIN CHANGES

Along with skin cancer , other types of cancers also shows skin changes such as:

Hyperpigmentation: skin looks darker than usual

Erythema               : reddened skin

Jaundice                : skin and eyes look yellowish in colour

Pruritis                   : itching

Excessive hair growth

TREATMENT OF CANCER

Cancer is commonly treated with surgery, chemotherapy ,radiation therapy according to the stage of the disease.There are new drugs coming into the market and researches still being done to prevent cancer.

SURGERY

Surgery is used to prevent , treat ,stage and diagnose cancer. Surgery is done to remove tumors and cancerous tissues as possible. It is often performed along with chemotherapy or radiation therapy.

CHEMOTHERAPY

It is a type of treatment which uses drugs to eliminate the malignant cells. It can be administered though pills or Intravenously(IV).Chemotherapy affects the body as a whole as it targets by killing the rapidly multiplying cancerous cells. As there are other cells in the body like hair follicles, cells that line the stomach which also multiplies rapidly, these cells are also affected in turn. Hence ,there may be hair loss and stomach upset due to chemotherapy. 

RADIATION THERAPY

Radiation therapy uses certain type of energy to eliminate the cancer cells. It kills the DNA of the malignant cells in turn avoiding the cells from multiplying. Cancer cells are highly sensitive to radiation and hence die when treated. Even the healthy cells might get damaged due to the radiation but as they are resilient, they recover. Radiation therapy may be given individually or along with surgery or chemotherapy. It depends upon the aggressiveness of the disease.

PREVENTION OF CANCER

Cancer can be prevented by:

Living a healthier lifestyle.

Converting stressful life into a happier life.

Doing regular exercises, yoga, and meditation.

Have peace of mind.

Quit smoking, alcohol, and certain other habits.

Involve in co-curricular activities along with daily routine.

Avoid exposing to midday sun.

Get immunized.

Routine general check-ups.

Take early detection seriously.

Hence, its time we realize that CANCER can be both treated and prevented. The scene is not as bad as shown  in our movies. They should now make movies about cancer survivors like Yuvraj Singh, Lance Livingston and   Lisa Ray. A movie on their life story would certainly be a hit.