cancer Signs and symptoms

                                           Cancer

A set of illnesses known as cancer includes abnormal cell proliferation and has the ability to infiltrate or spread to different bodily regions. These stand in contrast to benign tumors, which remain stationary. A lump, unusual bleeding, a persistent cough, unexplained weight loss, and a change in bowel habits are all potential warning signs and symptoms. 

These signs of cancer may be present, but there may be other reasons as well. Humans are susceptible to over 100 different malignancies.

About 22% of cancer fatalities are related to tobacco usage. Another 10% of cases are brought on by obesity, a bad diet, inactivity, or overindulgence in alcohol. Other concerns include exposure to ionizing radiation, certain diseases, and environmental contaminants. 

Infections include Helicobacter pylori, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, human papillomavirus infection, Epstein-Barr virus, and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are to blame for 15% of malignancies in the poor world. 

These elements influence a cell's genes, at least in part. Before cancer manifests, several genetic alterations are often necessary. 5–10%–of malignancies are brought on by inherited genetic flaws. A few warning signs and symptoms as well as screening tests can help diagnose cancer. Medical imaging is often used to do more research, followed by biopsy for confirmation.

By abstaining from smoking, maintaining a healthy weight, limiting alcohol consumption, eating lots of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, getting immunized against specific infectious diseases, limiting consumption of processed meat and red meat, and limiting exposure to direct sunlight, the risk of developing certain cancers can be decreased. Screening is helpful for cervical and colorectal cancer early detection. 

There is debate concerning the advantages of breast cancer screening. Radiation treatment, surgery, chemotherapy, and targeted therapy are frequently used to treat cancer. 

An essential component of treatment is the control of pain and symptoms. People with advanced sickness should prioritize palliative care. The kind of cancer and the severity of the condition at the beginning of treatment determine the likelihood of survival. 

In the industrialized world, the five-year survival percentage for children under 15 at the time of diagnosis is about 80%. The average five-year survival rate for cancer in the United States is 66% for people of all ages.

Around 90.5 million individuals worldwide had cancer in 2015. Globally, there were 10 million cancer-related fatalities in 2019 and 23.6 million new instances of the disease per year, suggesting rises of 26% and 21% over the preceding ten years, respectively.

Lung, prostate, colorectal, and stomach cancer are the most prevalent forms of cancer in men. Breast cancer, colorectal cancer, lung cancer, and cervical cancer are the most prevalent forms among females.

In terms of the overall number of new instances of cancer each year, skin cancers other than melanoma would make up around 40% of the cases. Except in Africa, where non-Hodgkin lymphoma is more prevalent, acute lymphoblastic leukemia and brain tumors are the most frequent cancers in children. Around 165,000 kids under the age of 15 had cancer diagnoses in 2012. 

Age considerably raises the risk of cancer, and several malignancies are more prevalent in industrialized nations. As more individuals survive to old age and as lifestyle changes take place in developing countries, rates are rising. As of 2010, the annual worldwide economic expenses of cancer were expected to be US$1.16 trillion (or $1.56 trillion in 2022). 

Cancer History

Since the beginning of time, there has been cancer. The Egyptian Edwin Smith Papyrus has the first known written account of cancer, which depicts breast cancer and dates to around 1600 BC. Hippocrates (c. 460 BC – c. 370 BC) characterized many cancers and called them "o markings" (crab or crayfish) in Greek. 

This term arises from how a solid malignant tumor's sliced surface appears, which has "veins stretched on all sides as the animal the crab has its feet, from which it derives its name." According to Galen, the name "breast cancer" comes from the imagined crab-like appearance that the tumor's lateral prolongations and the surrounding swollen veins provide. When translating marks into the Latin word cancer, which also means crab, in 738, Celsus (c. 25 BC – 50 AD), suggested surgery as a remedy. Galen (c. 2nd century AD) opposed surgery and advocated purgatives in its place. These guidelines generally held true for a thousand years.

It became acceptable for doctors to dissect bodies to ascertain the reason for death in the 15th, 16th, and 17th centuries. According to the German researcher Wilhelm Fabry, a milk clot in a mammary duct is what causes breast cancer. 

Francois de la Boe Sylvius, a Dutch scholar, and adherent of Descartes, thought that cancer was brought on by acidic lymph fluid and that all sickness was the result of chemical processes. Nicolaes Tulp, a contemporary, determined that cancer was infectious and viewed it as a toxin that spread slowly.

In 1761, the doctor John Hill identified tobacco sniffing as the root cause of nose cancer. Following this, British surgeon Percivall Pott reported that chimney sweeps' carcinoma, a scrotal cancer, was a frequent condition among chimney sweeps in 1775.

The discovery of "metastasis"—the process by which cancer moved from the initial tumor through the lymph nodes to various sites—came about with the widespread use of the microscope in the 18th century. Between 1871 and 1874, the English physician Campbell De Morgan developed this theory of the illness.

Cancer Symptoms and signs

The location of the tumor determines the symptoms of cancer metastasis.

Cancer has no symptoms when it first develops. As the tumor enlarges or ulcerates, signs and symptoms develop. The type and location of the malignancy will determine the results. Specific symptoms are rare. Many typically develop in people who also have other illnesses. Cancer is sometimes hard to identify and is known as a "great imitator."

Following a diagnosis, people may experience anxiety or depression. Suicide risk is almost twice as high in cancer patients.

regional signs

The tumor's bulk or its ulceration may cause local symptoms. For instance, the widespread effects of lung cancer may obstruct the bronchus, causing cough or pneumonia; esophageal cancer may induce esophageal constriction, making swallowing uncomfortable or difficult; and colorectal cancer may result in bowel narrowing or blockages, disrupting bowel habits.

Breast or testicular masses may cause visible lumps. Blood in the urine (bladder cancer), anemia or rectal bleeding (lung cancer), irregular vaginal bleeding (endometrial or cervical cancer), and spitting up blood (lung cancer) are just a few of the symptoms that an ulcer can produce. Although advanced cancer may cause localized discomfort, the first tumor is often painless. There may be a fluid accumulation in the chest or belly as a result of certain malignancies.

systemic signs

Systemic symptoms might develop as a result of the body's defense against the malignancy. This might involve skin changes, tiredness, or unintended weight loss. Cachexia, a condition where there is a persistent loss of muscle mass and frailty, is brought on by several malignancies.

A persistent fever can be brought on by some tumors, including Hodgkin's disease, leukemias, liver cancer, and kidney cancer.

Known as paraneoplastic syndromes, several systemic signs and symptoms of cancer are brought on by hormones or other chemicals generated by the tumor. Hypercalcemia, which can result in changed mental status, constipation, and dehydration, and hyponatremia, which can result in altered mental status, vomiting, migraines, or seizures, are two common paraneoplastic disorders.

Metastasis

The spread of cancer to further parts of the body is known as metastasis. While the main tumor is the original, the disseminated tumors are known as metastatic tumors. Most malignancies have the potential to spread. Cancer that has spread is what causes the majority of cancer fatalities.

In the advanced stages of cancer, metastasis is a frequent occurrence and can happen through the lymphatic system, blood, or both. Local invasion, intravasation into the blood or lymph, circulation throughout the body, extravasation into new tissue, proliferation, and angiogenesis are typical phases of metastasis. Although certain tumors have a tendency to spread to specific organs, the lungs, liver, brain, and bones are the most often affected organs overall.

Although certain tumors are curable if found early, metastatic cancer is more challenging to treat and manage. However, several modern therapies are showing promising outcomes.

cancer causes

percentage of cancer deaths in 2016 that were caused by tobacco

About 90–95% of cancer cases are caused by genetic abnormalities brought on by environmental and lifestyle factors. Inherited genetics are responsible for the remaining 5–10%. Environmental causes include all non-inherited elements, not only pollution, including lifestyle, economic, and behavioral issues. 

Smoking (25–30%), food and obesity (30–35%), infections (15–20%), radiation (both ionizing and non-ionizing, up to 10%), inactivity (10%), and pollution are typical environmental variables that lead to cancer mortality. Although it may impair results for people who already have cancer, psychological stress does not seem to be a risk factor for the disease's genesis.

Due to the fact that each of the potential causes lacks a distinct fingerprint, it is typically impossible to determine what specifically caused a certain cancer. For instance, if a heavy smoker gets lung cancer, it is definitely brought on by smoking, but since everyone has a slight possibility of getting lung cancer from exposure to radiation or air pollution, it's possible that the cancer originated from one of those factors. Cancer is often not a transmissible illness, with the exception of the few transmissions associated with pregnancy and occasional organ donors. However, some factors, such as oncoviruses including hepatitis B, Epstein-Barr virus, and HIV, may have contributed to the development of cancer.

Nutrition and exercise

Up to 30–35% of cancer fatalities are attributed to diet, inactivity, and obesity. Excess body weight contributes to 14–20% of cancer deaths in the US and is linked to the emergence of many different cancer forms. According to UK research with information on more than 5 million people, a higher body mass index is linked to at least 10 different forms of cancer and is thought to be the cause of 12,000 new cases there each year. 

Physical inactivity is thought to increase the risk of cancer, not only by affecting body weight but also by having a deleterious impact on the immunological and endocrine systems. Instead of being caused by eating too few vegetables or other wholesome foods, overnutrition (eating too much) accounts for more than half of the diet's effects.

Some particular foods have been related to certain malignancies. Gastric cancer is associated with a high-salt diet. Liver cancer is brought on by the common dietary contaminant aflatoxin B1. Chewing betel nuts can result in oral cancer. 

Cancer incidence variations might be partially explained by regional variations in food habits. For instance, colon cancer is more prevalent in the United States whereas stomach cancer is more prevalent in Japan as a result of the country's high salt diet. Within a generation, immigrant cancer characteristics frequently resemble those of their new nation.

Cancer Management

Cancer can be treated in a variety of ways. The main ones include palliative care, surgery, chemotherapy, radiation treatment, hormone therapy, and targeted therapy. The kind, location, and grade of the cancer, as well as the patient's health and preferences, all influence which therapies are chosen. The goal of the treatment may or may not be to cure.

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is the use of one or more cytotoxic anti-neoplastic medications (also known as "chemotherapeutic agents") as part of a prescribed treatment plan to cure cancer. The phrase covers a wide range of medications that are broken down into major groups like alkylating agents and antimetabolites. Traditional chemotherapeutic drugs work by destroying rapidly dividing cells, a crucial characteristic of the majority of cancer cells.

Combination treatment, which provides many cytotoxic medications, was proven to be superior to a single drug and to have benefits for both the progression of the disease and the statistics of survival and tumor response. 

Combination therapy was shown to be more successful in treating breast cancer that had spread, according to a Cochrane study. When toxicity and survival are taken into account, it is unclear, however, whether combination chemotherapy produces improved health results.

A type of chemotherapy known as targeted treatment focuses on certain biochemical distinctions between cancer and healthy cells. The development of breast cancer was slowed by the first targeted medicines that inhibited the estrogen receptor molecule. The family of Bcr-Abl inhibitors, which are used to treat chronic myelogenous leukemia, is another prevalent example.

Targeted treatments are currently available for many of the most prevalent cancer types, including thyroid cancer, bladder cancer, breast cancer, colorectal cancer, kidney cancer, leukemia, liver cancer, lung cancer, lymphoma, pancreatic cancer, and other cancer types.

Chemotherapy's effectiveness is influenced by the kind and stage of the cancer. Breast cancer, colorectal cancer, pancreatic cancer, osteogenic sarcoma, testicular cancer, ovarian cancer, and certain lung malignancies have all shown benefits from chemotherapy when combined with surgery.

Chemotherapy is curative for certain cancers, such as some leukemias, useless for others, such as the majority of non-melanoma skin cancers, and ineffectual for some brain tumors. Chemotherapy's toxicity to other human tissues frequently limits its ability to treat cancer. Even if chemotherapy doesn't offer a lasting cure, it may be helpful to lessen symptoms like discomfort or shrink an untreatable tumor in the hopes that surgery will one day be doable.

Radiation

Ionizing radiation is used in radiation treatment in an effort to treat or lessen symptoms. It causes a mitotic catastrophe, which results in the death of the cancer cells, by destroying the DNA of malignant tissue. Shaped radiation beams are directed from several exposure angles to meet at the tumor, producing a considerably higher dose there than in the surrounding, healthy tissue, sparing normal tissues (such as skin or organs, which radiation must pass through to treat the tumor). Cancers respond differently to radiation therapy, just like they do to chemotherapy.

In nearly half of instances, radiation treatment is employed. Brachytherapy is one internal source of radiation, but there are other external sources. For treating skin malignancies, lower-intensity X-rays are often employed, whereas higher-energy X-rays are used for cancers inside the body. Usually, radiation is used in conjunction with surgery, chemotherapy, or both. It may be used alone for some cancers, such as early head and neck cancer. It has been discovered to be beneficial in roughly 70% of individuals with painful bone metastases.

Cancer Surgery

The majority of solitary, solid tumors are treated primarily with surgery, which may also contribute to palliation and life extension. Given that biopsies are frequently necessary, it is normally a significant component of the accurate diagnosis and staging of malignancies. Surgery for localized cancer normally aims to eliminate the whole tumor and, in certain circumstances, the nearby lymph nodes. This is enough to completely eradicate some forms of cancer.

Immunotherapy

Since 1997, a number of medicines have been developed that employ immunotherapy to either activate or support the immune system's ability to combat cancer. Antibodies, checkpoint treatment, and adoptive cell transfer are methods.

Laser treatment

High-intensity light is used in laser therapy to reduce or kill tumors and other precancerous growths, which helps treat cancer. The majority of the time, superficial tumors that are on the body's surface or the lining of internal organs are treated using lasers. It is used to treat basal cell skin cancer as well as the very early stages of non-small cell lung cancer, cervical, penile, vaginal, and vulvar cancer. 

It frequently goes in conjunction with other therapies including surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation therapy. In interstitial laser photocoagulation, also known as laser-induced interstitial thermotherapy (LITT), lasers are used to decrease tumors by injuring or killing cancer cells. 

Compared to surgery, a laser is more accurate and results in less damage, discomfort, bleeding, edema, and scarring. The fact that surgeons must have specialized training is a drawback. It might cost more than alternative therapies.

substitute medical care

Cancer therapies that are complementary and alternative to traditional care include a wide range of techniques, products, and therapies. While "alternative medicine" refers to drugs used in place of traditional medicine, "complementary medicine" refers to techniques and substances used in addition to conventional medicine. 

The majority of complementary and alternative cancer treatments have not been researched or tested using traditional methods like clinical trials. Although certain alternative therapies have been researched and found to be useless, they are nevertheless advertised and promoted. According to cancer researcher Andrew J. Vickers, "The label 'unproven' is inadequate for such medicines; it is time to argue that many alternative cancer therapies have been 'disproven'.

other link: Click hear