Understanding Cancer: A Comprehensive Overview

Last blog I talked about the most common types of cancer, but what exactly is cancer? Let's dive deep and get right into it.

Cancer is a disease where cells start to grow uncontrollably and spread to other parts of the body. Cancer can start anywhere in the human body. Normally, human cells grow and divide to form new cells. The body contains specific types of substances that regulate the amount of cells being produced. When cells grow old or become damaged, they die through the process of apoptosis, and are replaced by new cells.

Sometimes the regulators get damaged, and abnormal cells grow and multiple when they shouldn't. These cells can form tumors, which are lumps of tissue. There are two types of tumors: cancerous (malignant) or non cancerous (benign).

Malignant tumors spread and invade neighboring tissues and can travel to other places to form new tumors. They invade other tissues through a process called metastasis. Benign tumors do no spread into nearby tissues. When they are removed, typically through surgeries, benign tumors usually don't grow back, whereas malignant tumors sometimes do.

Cancer is caused by changes to genes that control the way our cells function, especially how they grow and divide. Genetic changes may occur due to:

• Errors that occur as cells divide

• Harmful substances that caused harm to DNA

• Inheritance from parents

Every individual's cancer is a unique combination of genetic changes. As cancer continues to grow, new genetic changes may occur, causing cancer hard to treat.

References:

https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/understanding/what-is-cancer