All cancer is a malignant disease that can affect any organ or tissue in the body. It arises from an error that occurs in the division of cells in the body, which gives rise to abnormal cells, but can be treated with good chances of cure, especially when it is discovered in its initial phase, through surgery, immunotherapy, radiotherapy or chemotherapy, depending on the type of tumor the person has.
Generally, healthy cells in the human organism live, divide and die, however, cancer cells, which are those that are altered and cause cancer, divide in an uncontrolled manner, giving rise to a neoplasm, which it is usually called a tumor that is always malignant.
How cancer forms
In a healthy organism, cells multiply, and normally "daughter" cells must always be exactly the same as "mother" cells, with no changes. However, when a "daughter" cell becomes different from the "mother" cell, it means that a genetic mutation has occurred, which indicates the onset of cancer.
These malignant cells multiply uncontrollably, leading to the formation of malignant tumors, which can spread and reach other areas of the body, a situation called metastasis.
Cancer forms slowly and goes through different stages:
- Initiation stage: it is the first stage of cancer, where cells suffer the effect of carcinogens, causing changes in some of their genes, however, it is not yet possible to identify malignant cells; Promotion stage: the cells gradually become malignant cells through constant contact with the causative agent, forming a tumor that begins to increase in size; Progression stage: it is the phase in which the uncontrolled multiplication of altered cells occurs, until the onset of symptoms. Check out a complete list of Symptoms that may indicate cancer.
The factors that can cause cancer are those that cause changes in healthy cells, and when exposure is prolonged there is a greater chance of developing cancer. However, in most cases it is not possible to identify what gave rise to the 1st cell mutation that gave rise to cancer in the person.
How cancer diagnosis is made
The doctor may suspect that the person has cancer due to the symptoms that he presents, and depending on the results of blood tests and imaging, such as ultrasound and MRI. However, it is only possible to know if a nodule is really malignant through biopsy, where small pieces of nodular tissue are removed, which, when observed in the laboratory, show cellular changes that are malignant.
Not every lump or cyst is cancer, because some formations are benign, so it is important to have a biopsy if suspected. Who diagnoses cancer is the doctor based on the tests, but some words that may be in the test results, and that may indicate that it is cancer are:
- Malignant nodule; Malignant tumor; Carcinoma; Malignant neoplasm; Malignant neoplasm; Adenocarcinoma; Cancer; Sarcoma.
Some words that may be present in the laboratory report and that do not indicate cancer are: Benign changes and nodular hyperplasia, for example.
Possible causes of cancer
Genetic mutations can be caused by internal reasons, such as diseases, or by external reasons, such as the environment. Thus, cancer can arise due to:
- Intense radiation: through sun exposure, devices for magnetic resonance imaging or solarium, for example, which can cause skin cancer; Chronic inflammation: inflammation of an organ, such as the intestine, may occur, with a greater chance of developing cancer; Smoking: cigarette, for example, is a source that enhances lung cancer; Viruses: such as hepatitis B or C or human papilloma, are in some cases responsible for uterine or liver cancer, for example.
In many cases, the cause of cancer is still unknown and the disease can develop in any tissue or organ and spread to other regions of the body through the blood. Thus, each type of cancer is named after the location where it is found.
Cancer can also develop in children and even in babies, being a change in the genes that starts during the development of the body, and in children it tends to be more serious because in this stage of life the cells proliferate faster, intensely and steadily, which leads to a rapid increase in malignant cells. Read more at: Childhood cancer.
