Cancer is uncontrolled malignant growth of cells due to malfunction, resulting in abnormal cell growth and the development of a lump, mass, or tumor. Some cancers involving the blood and blood-forming organs do not form tumors but circulate through other tissues where they grow.
Cells from cancerous tumors can spread throughout the body, process, called metastasis, which occurs when cancer cells break away from the original tumor and travel in the circulatory or lymphatic systems until they are lodged in a small capillary network in another area of the body. Common locations of metastasis are the bones, lungs, liver, and central nervous system.
Cancer is referred to the organ or area of the body where the cancer first occurred. Cancer that has metastasized to other areas of the body is named for the part of the body where it originated. For example, if breast cancer has spread to the bones, it is called "metastatic breast cancer" not bone cancer. |
Most of cancer treatments today are inching towards cure or at least provide comfortable productive life due its early diagnosis and advanced surgical and medical intervention. The dread of diagnosis may no longer be carried if sufficient care is taken. There are numerous treatments available for cancer patients, depending largely on the location, scope and severity of the cancer, as well as on the overall health of the patient. Research for new, groundbreaking treatments is currently underway.
Surgery Surgery is the most basic form of treatment. When the tumor is self-contained and does not appear to have metastasized, surgery can successfully remove it from the body. Surgery is also an important diagnostic tool, revealing the severity of the disease.
Cancer surgeon treats cancer by resection and radical surgery of tumors, leaving the management of the disease and the patient to other medical specialists. Not all types of cancerous tumors can be managed by surgery, and the removal of tumors does not always lead to a cure. Cancer surgeon determines if risks inherent in the excision of the tumor are justified given the possible results. These risks and benefits are considered with the specialist’s knowledge about the management of the patient’s condition using procedures which are more conservative than surgical intervention. Whole picture is discussed with patient before planning the approach.
Radiation Radiotherapy is the treatment of cancer by the use of ionizing radiation to liquidate malignant tissue. Radiation Therapy is used to either cure the disease or to provide therapy and relief when a cure is not possible. In the treatment of malignant tumors, radiation therapy may be employed as the primary treatment, or combined with surgery, chemotherapy and hormone therapy. Many common forms of cancer respond positively to radiotherapy as at least part of the treatment. The actual intent of the treatment will depend on the type of tumor, its location, and stage – as well as the patient’s overall health.
Radiotherapy is typically applied directly to the tumor depending on the location of the tumor; the field of radiation may include the surrounding lymph nodes, if they are involved - or if there is a risk of malignant spread. Radiotherapy treatments includes a field of normal tissue surrounding the tumor is included. The reason for this is that the tumor’s position can be altered by internal and external factors, and it is important that the entire malignancy is treated.
Beams of radiation are aimed at the tumor from several angles to delver significantly larger dose to the tumor itself, rather than to the adjacent, healthy tissue.
External beam radiotherapy, sealed source radiotherapy and unsealed source radiotherapy are three main types of radiation oncology currently in use. External beam radiotherapy is the most commonly used method where x-rays are used to bombard the treatment area such as the skin. Deep-lying tumors are treated with megavoltage x-rays such as those in the bowel or lung.
Radioactive material is placed in or next to the cancer site in sealed source radiotherapy and is useful in treating prostate cancer, whereas unsealed treatment involves the injection or ingestion of soluble radioactive material, a procedure often used to treat thyroid cancer.
Intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) is used for treating smaller, stationary tumors surrounded by normal tissue - or by critical structures, such as organs or blood vessels. IMRT is commonly used to treat cancers involving the brain, head, and neck, the prostate, spinal cord and tumors that are quite close to normal tissues that are radiosensitive, such as the optic nerve. Radiation therapy is used to deliver a targeted dose of radiation to the tumor while limiting the amount received by the area surrounding it. IMRT calculates the dose and the delivery in a sophisticated manner so that the tumor is irradiated precisely. This precision is achieved using a linear accelerator with computer-controlled radiation shields.
Chemotherapy Chemotherapy treats cancer with aggressive drugs that either destroy existing cells or block replication of further cancerous cells. Most cancers cannot repair damage to DNA, and certain forms of chemotherapy inflict DNA damage. Medications played an effective and important role in the treatment of certain cancer. It may be the only form of treatment a patient receives or it may be accompanied by other therapies, such as surgery or radiation therapy. These drugs destroy rapidly-dividing cells but normal cells are also affected. The healthy cells normally recover when the series of chemotherapy treatments has been completed.
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