Cancer

No word in the English language invokes such fear and dread as the word Cancer.  When the control system that governs a cell's reproduction is damaged Cancer may   be the result.  It is the job of the immune system to detect and then kill them.

A mutation of the cell is the first step in the development of a tumor cell and is usually a small change in the DNA, which leads to a genetic instability of the cell.  During Mitosis (cell division) the cell mutation is passed on to the daughter cells.  Cancer cells continue to multiply in an unregulated manner.  A single cancer cell is invisible to the naked eye but can continue to divide until a tumor is formed.  Cancer is, ultimately, a disease of genes.

Tumors develop when uncontrolled cell division occurs and then spreads by direct growth into adjacent tissue through invasion, or by implantation into distant sites by metastasis (where cancer cells are transported through the bloodstream or lymphatic system).

Among the distinguishing traits of tumors is a large number of dividing cells, variation in nuclear size and shape, variation in cell size and shape, loss of specialized cell features, loss of normal tissue organization, and a poorly defined tumor boundary.

Although advanced cancer may cause pain, it is often not the first symptom.  A cancer may be suspected for a variety of reasons, but the definitive diagnosis of most malignancies must be confirmed by histological examination of the cancerous cells by a pathologist.

Because "cancer" refers to a class of diseases, it is unlikely that there will ever be a single "cure for cancer" any more than there will be a single treatment for all infectious diseases.

Benign tumors do not spread to other parts of the body or invade other tissues, and they are rarely a threat to life unless they affect some other vital structures of the human body.

Cancer can be treated by surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, immunotherapy, monoclonal antibody therapy or other methods.  Although radiation damages both cancer cells and normal cells, most normal cells can recover from the effects of radiation and function properly.  Studies have shown that high body temperatures can affect and often kill cancer cells.  Perhaps taking aspirin to reduces the body temperatures at the first sign if an illness is not the wises course of action.  More studies in this area are needed.

Based on epidemiological evidence, it is now thought that avoiding excessive alcohol consumption, being physically active, and maintaining recommended body weight may all contribute to reductions in risk of certain cancers.  Most cancers are thought to be linked to known lifestyle factors.

We can greatly improve the effectiveness of our immune system to detect and then destroy these cancerous cells by taking the right nutrients.  The correct nutrients can both reduce our chances of getting cancer and improve our chances of recovery if we have already contracted it.... Cancer Treatment ...Continue