Life scienceCANCER

What is cancer? (The BASICS)

The word cancer in the South African Oxford School Dictionary is described as a disease in which harmful growths form in the body for example a tumour for one is a harmful growth and this growth continuous to grow and may spread to other body parts if not treated.

How does Cancer develop?

Our bodies are made up of billions of cells that form organs and tissues of the body. Cells in the body that make up the heart, lungs, kidneys, muscles and skin are all very unique and perform different functions in the body. Cells grow in a very controlled way and are continuously and consistently renewing themselves. Each day cells die and are then replaced by new cells.

Cancer begins with changes in the body cell when a cell doesn’t follow the normal pattern of growth and death and this results in it grows uncontrollably forming tumours. As cancer cells multiply, they invade and damage normal cells and move into different parts of the body. If this is not controlled cancer cells can override the immune system.

Diagram of the development of Cancer cells

Cancer begins as one single normal cell that changes into an

abnormal one, these cells then multiply to form tumours.

(Not all cancers form tumours)

The three most common Cancer treatments are:

Surgical treatment:

This refers to an operation to repair or remove parts of the body that have been diagnosed with Cancer. Doctors or surgeons use this for diagnosing and treating Cancer or for the relieving of symptoms that the cancer is causing.

Side-effects: The intensity of side-effects differs from person to person and also depends on where the Cancer is the type of surgery as well as the person’s health. Some side effects to mention a few include; pain after surgery, fatigue, loss of appetite, can cause infections and organ dysfunction.

Radiation Therapy:

This is treatment that uses beams of intense energy to kill off Cancer cells. Radiation therapy damages cancer cells by destroying the genetic material which controls how cells grow and divide (mitosis).

Side-effects- Depending on where the cancer is located the following are common side effects of radiation Therapy; skin changes like drying, itching, peeling and blisters, fatigue, Diarihea, loss of hair in that area, nausea and vomiting, trouble swallowing and infertility.

Chemotherapy:

This treatment uses medicine to weaken and destroy cancer cells in the body. Chemotherapy is a ‘systematic therapy’ meaning it affects the entire body by going through the blood stream. Sometimes given before surgery in order to shrink the cancer. Chemo kills fast growing cells which also affect normal, healthy cells that are growing fast as well as the drugs travel through the entire body and this can cause major side effects.

Side-effects: Cells damaged by Chemo are; blood forming cells in bone marrow, cells in mouth, digestive tracts as well as the reproductive system. Some drugs damage cells in the heart, kidneys, bladder, lungs and the nervous system which might could have major effects on one’s body.

END