Major Facts about Cancer - Essay Example

?Cancer Thesis ment: Cancer is a painful, progressive disease with a high rate of mortality, when undetected and/or not administered the right chemotherapeutic agent(s). Keeping in mind its severity, the costs involved in therapy, and unpleasant adverse effects, it would beneficial to adapt to a healthy diet and get periodically evaluated for the common cancer biomarkers. Introduction: Cancer can be described as an uncontrolled multiplication of cells in a given organ or tissue. Normal cells follow a general pattern of division, which is termed as mitosis or meiosis. Due to environmental, chemical, or genetic factors, these cells begin to behave in an abnormal manner by repeated division. This often typically leads to a lump or a mass called a tumor, which are usually benign. Malignant cancers are capable of spreading to other organs as in the case of lymphoid vessels. In blood tissue, cells such as the erythrocytes or leucocytes get affected and cause leukemia. This is often characterized by an increase in the viscosity of blood. In this paper, I would like to discuss the commonly occurring types of cancers, causative factors, chemotherapy and radiation as treatment options, expenses and adverse effects associated with these treatment regimens, and the role of a healthy diet to minimize the occurrences of this disorder. Common types of cancers: As stated in the thesis outline, the most frequently observed sarcomas or cancers are those of the liver, breast, colon, prostate and lung, and has been the leading cause of death in the past five decades. Breast cancers are typically observed in post-menopausal women, and thus, it is extremely essential for periodic screening. Mammography is the technique used in this case and is usually recommended annually. Recent trends include biopsy of the breast tissue, followed by analysis for RNA content, as this biotechnology procedure sheds light on the expression of the gene responsible for cancer. A subtle marginal increase in these biological indicators, could suggest the initial phases of breast cancer. (1Popat and Smith, 2006) Prostate cancer, which is exclusive to men, is observed beyond the age of 50. Early detection is key, as the cancer could be prevented from metastasizing by surgical removal of the gland. Diagnostic procedures for liver, lung or pancreatic cancers usually entail a measurement of enzymatic levels in the body, by biochemical assays. For example, the presence of serum based prostate specific antigen (PSA) or Kallikrein indicates the possibility of prostate cancer in men or ovarian cancer in women. Or, elevated levels of alpha-fetoprotein are typical in liver cancers due to cirrhosis. (Ullah and Aatif, 2009) Thus, biomarkers are excellent tools in the early diagnosis of various types of cancers, which help the clinician in designing the appropriate treatment protocol. Chemotherapy and radiation: The management of cancers by the administration of cytotoxic chemical agents is termed as chemotherapy. There has been a surge in the discovery of various chemical classes of cytotoxic compounds in the past few decades. Recent methods of treatment for certain rare forms of cancers include administration of a novel category of biological drugs called monoclonal antibodies. In some conditions, chemotherapy alone cannot control rapidly growing tumors and cancers. In such cases, radiation therapy is often used, either standalone, or in combination with chemotherapy. (Verweij and de Jonge, 2000) Radiation, as the name suggests involves targeting the affected tissue with high-energy electromagnetic rays (beta or gamma rays), which, on account of their short wavelength, have high penetrating powers. The energy associated with this radiation kills cells on contact. A major drawback of chemotherapeutic agents and radiation is their non-selectivity. They cannot differentiate the cancerous from the healthy cells, which results in damage to viable cells, although precision techniques such as the gamma knife are employed. Other unpleasant effects such as hair loss, nausea, and a loss of taste and appetite are not uncommon during and after the course of treatment. Drug discovery has resulted in opening up avenues where targeted drug delivery processes are employed to selectively destroy the damaged cell. Needless to say, these ultra highly specialized precision techniques and delivery mechanisms can be afforded only by a few. Causative factors: Excessive smoking or chewing of tobacco is a common causative factor. The polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, nitrosamines and a multitude of other chemicals in tobacco are well-established carcinogens. (Verweij and de Jonge, 2000) Although alcohol (ethyl alcohol) does not qualify as a carcinogen, it could have a potentiating effect when co-administered with tobacco. The plausible causes could be attributed to its effect of promoting cell division and an inhibition of the natural course of apoptosis (programmed cell death) that cells undergo. In some cases, an overexposure to radiation- either UV rays of the sun, or a frequent exposure to ionizing X-rays in a diagnostic environment could be a potential cause for genetic mutation induced sarcomas. Certain chemical compounds such as benzene derivatives, organochlorines, lead, pesticides, finely divided carbon particles and asbestos, are environment pollutants and on constant contact, inhalation or exposure could trigger the beginning of malignancy. Such incidences are observed in workers employed in mills, which manufacturing these chemicals, or in industrial establishments utilizing these toxic substances. (Irigaray et al., 2007) (Greenwald, 1999) Prevention A healthy diet and abstinence from alcohol and tobacco could almost eliminate incidences of oral cancer and liver cirrhosis. Polyphenols and vitamins play a very major role in our diet. The free radical scavenging and DNA protecting effects of polyphenols such as flavonoids, tannins and isoflavones has been very well studied and documented. Omega-6-fatty acids, a major component of fish liver, sunflower and corn oils are healthy supplements to the diet. An enrichment of foods with these oils rich in the healthy fatty and linoleic acids are extremely beneficial. In addition to this, maintaining healthy microflora levels in the intestine by the use of chemoprotective probiotics, which regulate the mucus barriers and aid in digestion of foods, can help proactively reduce the onset of cancer. (Greenwald et al., 2001) (Nobili et al., 2009) A nutritive diet, without adequate exercise is a job half done. Routine physical exercise actively increases the metabolic and catabolic processes in the body, ensures detoxification and keeps an individual fit and active. Genetic factors do play a role in the occurrences of cancers in offspring. In individuals having a familial history of a certain type of cancers, it is always advisable to periodically screen oneself to eliminate the possibility of the beginning of cancers. (Philpott and Ferguson, 2004) Conclusion: Although not always completely curable, timely diagnosis and prompt treatment could ease the trauma associated with cancer. Abstinence from alcohol, cosmetic chemicals and smoking, while maintaining a nutritious well balanced diet with adequate exercise could keep this deadly disorder at bay. With advances in affordable healthcare, an annual scan for commonly occurring cancer indicative biomarkers could help detect early abnormalities and reduce the pain and high costs associated with the management therapy. References: 1) GREENWALD, P. 1999. Diet and cancer. Perspectives of prevention. Adv Exp Med Biol, 472, 1-19. 2) GREENWALD, P., CLIFFORD, C. K. & MILNER, J. A. 2001. Diet and cancer prevention. Eur J Cancer, 37, 948-65. 3) IRIGARAY, P., NEWBY, J. A., CLAPP, R., HARDELL, L., HOWARD, V., MONTAGNIER, L., EPSTEIN, S. & BELPOMME, D. 2007. Lifestyle-related factors and environmental agents causing cancer: an overview. Biomed Pharmacother, 61, 640-58. 4) NOBILI, S., LIPPI, D., WITORT, E., DONNINI, M., BAUSI, L., MINI, E. & CAPACCIOLI, S. 2009. Natural compounds for cancer treatment and prevention. Pharmacol Res, 59, 365-78. 5) PHILPOTT, M. & FERGUSON, L. R. 2004. Immunonutrition and cancer. Mutat Res, 551, 29-42. 6) POPAT, S. & SMITH, I. 2006. Breast Cancer. Update on Cancer Therapeutics, 1, 187-210. 7) ULLAH, M. F. & AATIF, M. 2009. The footprints of cancer development: Cancer biomarkers. Cancer Treat Rev, 35, 193-200. 8) VERWEIJ, J. & DE JONGE, M. J. 2000. Achievements and future of chemotherapy. Eur J Cancer, 36, 1479-87. Read More