We Can Beat Cancer

What exactly is cancer? According to the Medical News Today website, "Cancer is a class of diseases characterized by out-of-control cell growth. There are over 100 different types of cancer, and each is classified by the type of cell that is initially affected."

So any kind of cancer can affect anyone whether there is previous history of it in your family or not. This is why it is so important to have yearly exams and when available to cancer-self checks and the ones with breast cancer. Unfortunately, many people go undetected for years before they find out they have cancer. Going undetected can be a result of many reasons. Some of the reason are: 1. Don't feel sick so no reason to suspect much less go the doctor to get checked, 2. No Healthy Insurance or can't afford the deductible or co-pay, or 3. Feel sick but afraid to go to the doctor.

There are over 100 forms of cancer. Cancer.net has over 120. The list below is only a few of them.

. Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma

. Adrenal Gland Tumor

. Amyloidosis

. Bone Cancer

. Brain Stem Glioma - Childhood

. Brain Tumor

. Breast Cancer

. Breast Cancer - Inflammatory

. Central Nervous System - Childhood

. Cervical Cancer

. Childhood Cancer

. Desmoplastic Infantile Ganglioglioma - Childhood

. Endocrine Tumor

. Eye Cancer

. Eyelid Cancer

. Fallopian Tube Cancer

. Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor - GIST

. Germ Cell Tumor - Childhood

. Gestational Trophoblastic Tumor

. Head and Neck Cancer

. Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer

. Hereditary Diffuse Gastric Cancer

. Islet Cell Tumor

. Juvenile Polyposis Syndrome

. Kidney Cancer

. Lacrimal Gland Tumor

. Laryngeal and Hypopharyngeal Cancer

. Leukemia - Acute Lymphoblastic - ALL - Childhood

. Melanoma

. Meningioma

. Mesothelioma

. Neurofibromatosis Type 2

. Nevoid Basal Cell Carcinoma Syndrome

. Oral and Oropharyngeal Cancer

. Osteosarcoma - Childhood

. Ovarian Cancer

. Pancreatic Cancer

. Penile Cancer

. Prostate Cancer

. Rhabdomyosarcoma - Childhood

. Salivary Gland Cancer

. Sarcoma

. Sarcoma - Alveolar Soft Part and Cardiac

. Sarcoma - Kaposis

. Skin Cancer (Non-Melanoma)

. Turcot Syndrome

. Unknown Primary

. Uterine Cancer

. Vaginal Cancer

. Von Hippel-Lindau Syndrome

. Vulvar Cancer

. Waldenstrom's Macroglobulinemia

. Werner Syndrome

. Wilms Tumor - Childhood

. Xeroderma Pigmentosa

As you can see by the list cancer come in many ways and can grow in women as well as men.

Are there cancer symptoms? Yes, but not all symptoms are the same for every form of cancer nor for every person. Symptoms also depend on the location of the cancer as well as how sever the cancer is. Though cancer symptoms are not specific it is important to know possible symptoms so that you are aware of them in case you or someone you know experience these symptoms. These symptoms do not necessarily indicate that you have cancer, it can be a number of other things with related symptoms, but if you tell your doctor your symptoms it can help him know what to check for.

Some cancers can be felt as lumps on the body. Other cancers can appear as white patches on the mouth and tongue (this was amazing to find out). Some cancers effect brain function, cause physical fatigue, seizures, coughing, and so on.

No matter what LISTEN to your body. If you really think you may have cancer or you feel something abnormal on or in your body go to the doctor. Tell your doctor your symptoms and what you think of them.

What happens if you can't afford to go to go to the doctor for a yearly check up or worse cannot afford the treatment you need for cancer? Unfortunately there are people in this exact situation. So who can someone with cancer or potential cancer turn to? According to a CBS news article, More Cancer Patients Can't Afford Care (http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/02/05/eveningnews/main4778543.shtml?tag=contentMain;contentBody), more and more patients (more than 1 million) cannot afford cancer treatment, are dropped from their health insurance or have to choose between food and shelter or cancer treatment.

It is a sad state of affairs and something that makes me very angry. No one should be made to suffer in this manner. It is unjust and in my eyes unlawful on the insurances who drop their now cancerous clients.

To learn more about what cancer patients can do to afford treatment visit the American Cancer Society. Visit www.cancer.org or call 1-800-227-2345. Also, please put your politics aside and seriously look at the health care reform. Email the president and help him and everyone come up with a solution that will work for everyone, so that cancer patience and many others don't have to suffer without treatment or care.

Below you will find section after section of valuable cancers links for your use. Bookmark this page so you can come back to look at all of them when ever you need. I will be adding more information and improving this lens as often so that you and I can stay updated on cancer information. Don't forget to sign the Guest Book and share your cancer experience with us. The more we talk about it the more we know about cancer. The more we know about cancer the better prepared we will be to fight against it. WE CAN BEAT CANCER. May you and the ones you love live cancer free.