What Exactly is Cancer?

f someone asked you to define cancer, could you do it? We all have heard the word "cancer" many times, however very few people understand the disease and how it develops. Knowing exactly what cancer is and how its develops is the first step in understanding the disease! In this article, we will explore what cancer is and how it develops!

Defining Cancer

Cancer is a term for diseases in which abnormal cells divide without control and can invade other tissues. Cancer cells can spread to other parts of the body through the blood and lymph systems. Cancer is not just one disease but many diseases. There are more than 100 different types of cancer. The main categories of cancer include:

• Carcinoma - cancer that begins in the skin or in tissues that line or cover internal organs.
• Sarcoma - cancer that begins in bone, cartilage, fat, muscle, blood vessels, or other connective or supportive tissue.
• Leukemia - cancer that starts in blood-forming tissue such as the bone marrow and causes large numbers of abnormal blood cells to be produced and enter the blood.
• 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.

How Does Cancer Develop?

The organs in our body are made up of cells. Cells divide and multiply as the body needs them. When these cells continue multiplying when the body doesn't need them, the result is a mass or growth, also called a tumor.

These growths are consider either benign or malignant. Benign is considered non-cancerous and malignant is cancerous.

Benign tumors rarely are life threatening and do not spread to other parts of the body. They can often be removed.

How Does Cancer Spread to Other Parts of the Body?

The cells within malignant tumors have the ability to invade neighboring tissues and organs, thus spreading the disease. It is also possible for cancerous cells to break free from the tumor and enter the blood stream, and spreading the disease to other organs. This process of spreading is called metastasis.

When cancer has metastasized and has affected other areas of the body, the disease is still referred to the organ of origination. For instance, if cervical cancer spreads to the lungs, it is still called cervical cancer, not lung cancer.

Although most cancers develop this way, diseases like leukemia do not. They affect the blood and the organs that form blood and then invade nearby tissues.

All cancers are different, and require different treatment. What may be effective for prostate cancer, probably will not be for bladder cancer. Diagnosing cancer will vary as well, depending on the organ affected.

Fast Facts About Cancer

• One in three people will develop cancer.
• One in four people will die of cancer.
• In 2005, about 1.4 million new cases of cancer were diagnosed.
• More than 1500 Americans died each day of cancer this year.
• Over 1,000,000 cases of skin cancer will be diagnosed this year.
• Cancer is the leading cause of death among Americans under the age of 85.

"Let's prevent and against cancer"