Cancer is nothing but a complex group of diseases leading to spread of abnormal cells in your body. It can grow anywhere in our body, from head to toe, naming it at each body part with a different name. And each cancer can be differentiated with its own set of symptoms and characteristics.
One of the leading causes of mortality worldwide, affecting tons of life each year along with their respective families, cancer is a simple alteration in your DNA that can be triggered by various factors including lifestyle factors, environmental factors or exposure, genetic predisposition or infections.
Understanding cancer, its causes, symptoms and working out a plan for early detection can significantly impact outcomes and save lives. This simple yet near-mortal disease, cancer occurs when cells in a human body start growing uncontrollably, forming lumps or tumors and spreading to other parts of the body. Certain major factors responsible for the cause of cancers are:
- Lifestyle factors: Various lifestyle factors including smoking, consuming excessive alcohol, poor dietary choices including processed foods, Red meat(as explained by WHO), processed meat, etc. can lead to cancers.
- Environmental Factors or Exposure: Extended exposure to radiation or carcinogens
like asbestos, chemicals like benzene, arsenic, vinyl chloride, radon,etc and other forms of ultraviolet radiations along with water and soil radiations can lead to multiple cancers.
- Genetics: Cancers that can be caused by genetic mutation and are generally passed
down from a parent to a kid is or can be called genetic cancer. Not a guarantee, but there are chances that a cancer may develop. Some of the genetic cancers include, Breast Cancer, Colorectal Cancers, Ovarian Cancers.
- Infections: Many viral infections including Human Papillomavirus (HPV), Hepatitis B
Virus (HBV), Epstein Bar Virus (EBV), HHV-8, Merkel Cell Polyomavirus, Helicobacter Pylori etc. can lead to cancers.
Cancers can generally be classified on basis of their appearance, like:
- Carcinomas: Those affecting the epithelial cells including lungs, breast, colon
- Sarcomas: Generally occurs in connective tissues in bones and
- Leaukemia: Generally Occurring in blood
- Lymphoma: The ones occurring in the Lumphatic system.
Symptoms to cancers may vary from type of type, stage to stage and person to person. In general, if we say, certain common symptoms may include:
- Unusual weight loss
- Persistent Fatigue
- Chronic Pain
- Unusual lumps
- Changes in Skin appearance
- Prolonged cough or hoarseness
Though there is no dedicated cure for multiple cancers, it is always prevention the way in and out. Early detection is important in improving survival rates and reducing treatment complexity. Certain ways for early detection includes:
- Know your family history for hereditary or genetic
- Go for regular screening like pap smears, mammograms, colonoscopies, etc to identify early stage cancers.
- Pay Attention: Noticing unusual Internal or External changes! Visit a doctor
- Follow certain Lifestyle habits like avoiding alcohol & tobacco (Edible or smoke), maintaining a balanced diet, exercising
NOTE: Cancer is a complex disease with various causes and manifestations that still has no proper cure, leading the majority of the patients to death. Early detection and action can improve survival rates. However, awareness about various cancers, their risk factors, symptoms, and regular health check ups are the best ways to early detect and prevent. For personalised advice and screening recommendations, kindly contact Dr. Ranajit Kar, Odishas leading Radiation Oncologist.