Understanding Cancer Types and Causes: A Complete Guide for Awareness
The word “Cancer” sounds scary. If you know someone who’s diagnosed with cancer, you know the struggle, the vigorous treatment, and the fear of a relapse. An oncologist in Navi Mumbai advises people to be aware of the different types of cancers, their symptoms, and the diagnostic process, so that they know when to seek treatment. In this post, we’ll walk you through the meaning, types, symptoms, and causes of cancer. Read on.
How Cancer Develops
Cancer is not a single disease, but a group of diseases that can occur in any part of the body. Normally, healthy cells in the human body die when they are damaged, so that new cells can replace them. In people with cancer, this normal cell balance is disrupted. The damaged cells, instead of dying, multiply rapidly and form tumors. They can spread through lymph nodes to other parts of the body (also known as metastasis).
Causes of Cancer
A common cause of cancer is changes in your DNA, which give your cells instructions to grow, divide, and die. The changes in the DNA can be inherited or occur due to environmental factors. If one of the parents has gene mutations, they can pass these to their offspring. This increases the child’s risk of developing cancer. Other causes include:
1. Lifestyle Factors: Tobacco consumption and smoking are the major causes of lung, throat, and mouth cancers. Similarly, too much alcohol is linked to breast, liver, and mouth cancers. High intake of sugar, red meat, and processed foods can also increase cancer risk.
2. Environmental Factors: UV rays, too much exposure to radiation through medical imaging, and working with chemicals, such as benzene, are also associated with cancer risk.
3. Infections: Certain viruses and bacteria can cause cancer. Human Papillomavirus, for instance, is linked to a high risk of cervical cancer, especially HPV 16 and 18 variants. Likewise, hepatitis B and C can cause liver cancer, while a stomach infection caused by Helicobacter pylori also carries the cancer risk.
Types of Cancer
People can develop cancer of the breast, lungs, liver, throat, mouth, skin, blood, pancreas, stomach, and reproductive organs. Here are the most common types:
- Breast Cancer: It’s the most common type of cancer in women. Risk factors include obesity, gene mutations, hormonal changes, and late pregnancy. Breast cancer is detected through mammograms and physical checkups.
- Lung Cancer: Tobacco consumption and smoking are the most common causes, although genetic factors are also linked to lung cancer. Second-hand smoke and air pollution are other risk factors.
- Colorectal Cancer: Colorectal cancer is another common type of cancer that can occur in people with a family history of rectum or colon cancer or those living a sedentary lifestyle with poor dietary choices.
- Skin Cancer: Constant exposure to the ultraviolet rays can cause skin cancer, both melanoma and non-melanoma.
- Blood Cancer: Blood cancer creates an abnormal amount of white blood cells, which might disrupt the normal function of your blood.
Treatment for most types of cancers at a cancer hospital in Navi Mumbai includes a combination of chemotherapy, surgery, radiation therapy, immunotherapy, and hormone therapy. The best treatment plan for you depends on how aggressively the cancer grows, where it started, and your overall health.
What is Colorectal Cancer?
Your colon and rectum are part of your large intestine. The colon takes in water from what you eat and turns the waste product into poop, while the rectum is where the poop is stored. Colorectal cancer is the abnormal cell growth in the tissues of the colon or rectum. The term sounds intimidating, but it’s possible to survive colorectal cancer, especially if the disease is caught early.
Colorectal cancer treatment in Navi Mumbai is determined based on the stage of cancer, where it began, and your health. Being aware of its symptoms and seeking medical attention at the right time can help improve the success rate of your treatment.
Causes of Colorectal Cancer
Changes in your genetic material can lead to colorectal cancer. Here’s what else can increase your risk of developing colorectal cancer:
- Being older (the risk increases with age, although cases of colorectal cancer in young people are also seen nowadays)
- A family history of colorectal cancer
- Being diagnosed with ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s Disease
- Drinking excessive alcohol
- Smoking cigarettes
- Being obese
- Living a sedentary or inactive lifestyle
Symptoms of Colorectal Cancer
Early diagnosis is the major challenge with most types of cancer, including colorectal cancer. That’s why oncologists in Navi Mumbai recommend getting colonoscopies once you hit a certain age mark. If symptoms show up, they might include:
- Bright red stools that might indicate a possible internal bleeding
- Abdominal pain
- Thin or pen-like stools
- Unexplained or sudden weight loss without making dietary changes
- Fatigue
- Weakness
Note that these signs aren’t proof that you have colorectal cancer. It’s best to consult your healthcare expert if you notice unusual changes in your bowel movements, especially if they persist.
Diagnosis
Since symptoms alone are not powerful signs of cancer, it’s best to get tests that can help detect it before it has started developing or spreading. It’s advisable to start getting tests when you are 45. Here’s the list of the tools commonly used for diagnosing colorectal cancer.
1. Digital Rectal Exam: The test involves inserting a gloved finger into the rectum to test for polyps and any unusual growth.
2. Colonoscopy: Done under sedation, colonoscopy involves inserting a thin tube with a camera to get an inside view of your large intestine. It’s also used for removing polyps that can turn into cancer later.
3. Stool-based Tests: Your healthcare provider may ask you to provide a stool sample to detect blood in the stool.
Treatment for Colorectal Cancer
Colorectal treatment can vary based on the type and stage of cancer. Here are the common treatment options:
- Surgery to take out the parts of your large intestine affected by cancer cells
- Chemotherapy to remove the remaining cancer cells
- Radiation therapy to shrink the cancerous tumor before surgery or to kill the leftover cells after surgery.
- Target therapy that targets cancer cells
- Immunotherapy that boosts your immune system to fight cancer effectively.
A combination of these treatment options may be used to remove all cancer cells from your large intestine effectively.