Cancer: A Generic Guide to Understand The Fatal Disease
It is estimated that one in two Australian men and women will be diagnosed with cancer by 85. In 2020 alone, the number of cancer cases is estimated to go up to 150,000. While there are other diseases causing death among Australians, cancer is among the leading causes of fatalities, making it one of the most dreaded diseases.
But what is cancer?
Unlike malaria and typhoid, which have specific definitions, cancer is a broad term used to refer to cellular changes in the body. More openly, cancer is a term used to describe the disease that occurs when cellular changes cause emotional growth and cell multiplication.
Further, some cancer types lead to rapid cell growth, while others induce cells to grow and multiply at a relatively slow rate. Moreover, while some forms of cancer result in visible growths known as tumours, other types do not show.
What Are the Causes of Cancer?
The truth is, you cannot point to a direct cause of cancer. Simply put, there isn’t a single cause of cancer. Instead, many scientists believe that cancer is caused by the interaction of many factors that come together.
The factors involved here again may not be the same. They range from genetic factors to environmental conditions and the constitutional characteristics of an individual. Furthermore, the diagnosis of this monster diseases, and its treatment, differ in children and adults.
However, the main difference in this cancer menace is the survival rate and the cause of cancer. The cancer survival rate in children is higher than it is in adults. This could be attributed to the fact that childhood cancer is more responsive to therapy, and a child can withstand the more aggressive treatment.
The Most Common Types of Cancer
Just like the causes, cancer comes in different types, making it one of the most challenging diseases to deal with. Here, you get to the most common types of cancer and which age they mostly affect.
- Cervical Cancer
Ask any woman, and they will not want even to start mentioning this word- cervical cancer. Cervical cancer affects only women, and it develops in women’s cervix. However, it is equally fatal just as other types of cancer, the good news is that it can be detected early with early screening.
- Bone Cancer
Cases of primary bone cancer are sporadic. It accounts for a minute fraction of the types of cancer diseases. However, other types of cancers, such as lung and breast cancer, spread to the bones.
- Breast Cancer
Any cancer specialist will tell you that one of the most challenging cancer types to ascertain is breast cancer. This is because, in most cases, it shows as a lump on the breast tissue. However, the challenge is the many lumps in the breast, which aren’t even cancerous.
Early detection could lead to a possible recovery.
- Leukemia
Leukemia interferes with the formation of white blood cells. It has a slight recovery rate and has different types of treatments.
- Cancer of The Uterus
There are many types of gynecological cancer. However, the most common type is uterine cancer, which interferes with the uterus.
Cancer Treatment
Doctors will prescribe treatment according to the type of cancer you have. While technology has fueled the development of new medication, the most common types of approaches to cancer treatment include:
- Chemotherapy
- Immunotherapy
- Radiation therapy
- Hormone therapy
- Precision medicine
Cancer treatments have improved over the years. Although the cases continue to rise daily and more complex types of cancer are reported, the gains made by the doctors and researchers can’t be downplayed.
