The Origin and Treatment of Cancer - Essay Example

Cancer: Informative Essay. The word cancer has its roots in the Greek words carcinos and carcinoma, used by Hippocrates (460-370 BC), the ‘Father of Medicine,’ to describe non-ulcer forming and ulcer-forming tumors. This was translated into the Latin word cancer by the Roman physician, Celsus (28-50 BC). Cancer has been a part of the human condition since recorded history. The earliest evidence of cancer is found among fossilized bone tumors, human mummies and manuscripts in ancient Egypt, dating to about 3000 B.C. The cause of cancer was variously attributed to the Gods, to imbalance in the humors, fermented lymph, blastema, chronic irritation, trauma and infectious diseases. Cancer was initially completely untreatable. With medical advances, such as autopsies, anesthesia and the microscope, scientific oncology was born. Finally, in the eighteenth century, the understanding of molecular epidemiology led to the modern study and treatment of cancer (American Cancer Society). The origin of cancer lies in abnormal cell division. In normal cell division, new cells are produced as and when needed for a healthy body and when cells become old or damaged, they die and are replaced with new cells. Sometimes, there is damage to the cell DNA, the basic material in genes. These defective genes may be caused by mutations or may also be inherited. Instead of dying, these damaged cells lead to the formation of groups of malignant clones, or duplicates of the abnormal cells. These groups form a mass of tissue called a tumor. A benign tumor is harmless and its cells do not spread to other parts of the body. A malignant tumor is cancerous. Its cells invade adjoining tissues and spread to other parts of the body in a process called metastasis. Cancer cells spread through the blood and lymph systems. There are more than 100 different types of cancer. The main types of cancer are: Carcinoma - cancer which originates in the skin or the lining of tissues; Sarcoma – cancer which begins in in bone, cartilage, fat, muscle, blood vessels, or other connective or supportive tissue; Leukemia – cancer in the blood and bone marrow; Lymphoma and myeloma - cancers that begin in the cells of the immune system; Central nervous system cancers - cancers that begin in the tissues of the brain and spinal cord (National Cancer Institute). The types of cancer are named according to the name of the organ or tissue in which they originate. The main types are: Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma, Adrenal Gland Tumor, Amyloidosis (blood), Anal Cancer, Appendix Cancer, Astrocytoma (brain) , Ataxia-Telangiectasia (inherited gene mutation), Attenuated Familial Adenomatous Polyposis (colon), Beckwith-Wiedemann Syndrome (growth regulation disorder), Bile Duct Cancer, Birt-Hogg-Dubé Syndrome (inherited gene mutation), Bladder Cancer, Bone Cancer, Brain Stem Glioma , Brain Tumor, Breast Cancer, Carcinoid Tumor, Carney Complex, Cervical Cancer, Colorectal Cancer, Cowden Syndrome (hamartoma tumor) and Craniopharyngioma (central nervous system) (American Society of Clinical Oncology). Cancer is largely caused by chemical and viral carcinogens (a substance known or believed to cause cancer in humans).  Chemical carcinogens include coal tars and their derivatives (like benzene), some hydrocarbons, aniline (a substance used to make dyes) and asbestos. Ionizing radiation from a variety of sources, including the sun, is also known to cause cancers. Viral carcinogens include chronic hepatitis B or C viruses, the Epstein-Barr herpes virus, the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and the human papilloma viruses (HPVs). A smaller proportion of cancers – 15 %, are linked to inherited genes, and run in families (ACS). The symptoms of cancer vary according to the types and are usually specific to a particular type of cancer: for example, difficult urination for prostate cancer, or flu-like symptoms for acute leukemia. The danger of cancer is greatly increased by the fact that most types of cancer do not show any evident symptoms or cause pain. Due to this, cancer is often mistaken for other, less-threatening diseases and inaccurate prognosis are common. This is particularly tragic as the chances of a cure for a cancer are greatest with early detection. However, as a general rule, these are the warning signs of cancer: changes in bowel or bladder habits, a sore that does not heal; unusual bleeding or discharge, thickening or lump in the breast or any other part of the body, indigestion or difficulty swallowing, an obvious change in a wart or mole and a nagging cough or hoarseness (MD Anderson Cancer Center). The treatment of cancer varies according to the type of cancer. Surgery offers the greatest chance for cure for many types of cancer, especially those that have not spread to other parts of the body. Chemotherapy (chemo) is the use of medicines or drugs to treat cancer. Radiation therapy uses high-energy particles or waves to destroy or damage cancer cells. Targeted therapy is an innovative type of cancer treatment that uses drugs or other substances to more precisely identify and attack cancer cells, usually while doing little damage to normal cells. Immunotherapy stimulates or uses certain parts of the immune system to fight cancer. Stem cell transplants - bone marrow, cord blood and peripheral blood - are used to treat cancer. Blood and blood products transfusion is used when a person’s body fails to makes its own blood. Lasers, Hyperthermia (using heat), Cryosurgery (using liquid nitrogen), Nanotechnology, Robotic surgery, Expression profiling and proteomics (profiling proteins and other molecules) and photodynamic therapy are the latest cutting-edge tools in the fight against cancer (ACS). Alternative treatments, such as acupuncture, mind-body healing and special diets are sometimes used in conjunction with conventional cancer treatment, but the efficacy of these methods is not scientifically conclusive. Clinical research trials incorporate volunteers who receive drugs or procedures that already have been researched in successful laboratory and/or animal studies. The patients who participate in these trials may benefit from new treatment options and help future cancer patients in their fight against this disease. Cancer screening and early detection remain the best path to effective cancer prevention and cure. Cancer treatment has several side effects, such as hair loss, diarrhea, fatigue, nausea and weight loss or gain (ASCO). It is indisputably proved that cancer is not contagious (ACS). While cancer is largely not preventable, it is accepted that certain lifestyle changes can reduce the risk of developing the disease. The use of tobacco products, including cigarettes, cigars, and smokeless tobacco, is the number one cause of cancer worldwide. Tobacco contains the most destructive chemical carcinogens which cause almost all kinds of cancers. Maintaining an ideal body weight and eating a healthy diet containing lots of fruits, vegetables and whole grains increases health and immunity and acts as a barrier to cancer. Obesity is related to the development of certain cancers. Excess alcohol intake also increases the risk of some types of cancers. Protecting the skin from exposure to damaging ultraviolet radiation from the sun protects against skin cancer. Practicing safe sex is a defense against the HPV (Vachani). The National Cancer Institute estimates 1,665,540 new cases of cancer in 2014 and 585,720 cancer-related deaths (NCI). Breast cancer, prostate cancer, and cancer of the colon and rectum remain the leading types of prevalent cancers. At the same time, there are now more than 13.7 million cancer survivors in the United States (ACS). With tremendous advances in the treatment of cancer, the disease is no longer the dreaded killer it was up to the last century. It can be categorically said that mankind is definitely gaining the upper hand in the fight against cancer. Works Cited. American Cancer Society. (ACS). “The History of Cancer.” Aug. 2012. Web. 17 Mar. 2014. http://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancerbasics/thehistoryofcancer/the-history-of-cancer-modern-knowledge-and-cancer-causes American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO). 2014. Web. 17 Mar. 2014. http://www.cancer.net/cancer-types National Cancer Institute. (NCI). “Defining Cancer.” N.d. Web. 17 Mar. 2014. http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/cancerlibrary/what-is-cancer The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. “Recognizing Cancer Symptoms.” 2014. Web. 17 Mar. 2014. http://www.mdanderson.org/patient-and-cancer-information/cancer-information/cancer-topics/detection-and-diagnosis/recognizing-cancer-symptoms/index.html Vachani, Carolyn. The Abramson Cancer Center of the University of Pennsylvania. “Did You Know... The Facts About Cancer Prevention?” Mar. 2012. Web. 17 Mar. 2014. http://www.oncolink.org/risk/article.cfm?aid=2071&id=41&c=24 Read More