A human body consists of millions of cells; they work as the building block of the institution which is our body. Each healthy cell has a life of its own, it grows and it dies. But this harmonic process gets hindered by cancer in our body. Cancer leads to abnormal growth in cells; it can be caused by changes or DNA mutations.
DNA exists in the individual genes of every cell. It has instructions that tell the cell what functions to perform and how to grow and divide. Mutations occur frequently in DNA, but usually, cells correct these mistakes. When a mistake is not corrected, a cell can become cancerous.
Mutations cause changes in the process of a life cycle of a cell. It can kill a perfectly healthy cell or could stop damaged cells from dying or can cause rapid growth of cells. The extra cells formed in the body can divide uncontrollably building tumors. Tumors are responsible for a variety of health problems depending upon where they are formed.
It is a myth that all tumors cause cancer, perhaps they do not. Benign tumors are not cancerous and they do not spread to the nearby tissues. Benign tumors can be harmful when they grow large and they start pressing nearby organs making room for themselves. Malignant tumors, on the other hand, are cancerous and they spread to the tissues close to them and can cause fatal problems.
Types of Cancer:
Cancer is named according to the area it originates and the cell it is made of. A few general types of cancer-
- Carcinoma is cancer that starts in the skin or the tissues that line other organs.
- Sarcoma is a cancer of connective tissues such as bones, muscles, cartilage, and blood vessels.
- Leukemia is a cancer of bone marrow, which creates blood cells.
- Lymphoma and myeloma are cancers of the immune system.
