Cancer - Symptom, Treatment And Causes

You already know how cigarette smoking is a leading cause of Lung Cancer. But did you know that lung cancer can also be caused by a gas called 'radon' that can well be present in the air we breathe in. This gas slowly seeps into the body and causes damage without anybody noticing, so much so, that today Radon Gas is considered to be the second leading cause of lung cancer.

The fact that radon gas remains naturally present in landforms (rocks and soil), makes its termination nearly impossible This is a radioactive gas which forms as a result of the decomposition of radioactive materials, like Uranium. The gas can remain suspended in the air and can also become waterborne. High concentration of radon gas is found in underground water. Therefore, people who drink deep tube-well water remain at a higher risk of developing lung cancer owing to exposure to this harmful gas.

Radon gas, which is often inhaled during respiration travels to the lungs and breaks down into radioactive components. As a result, radiation emission takes place in the lungs which eventually destroys the lung cells and causes cancer. A combination of smoking and exposure to Radon gas make a person more prone to developing lung cancer. However, the condition can also develop among people who do not smoke.

Radon gas can be present in your house without your knowledge. Therefore get your home tested for this detrimental gas. Low levels of it can be present in granite countertops and concrete. The gas can also enter the house through cracks, windows, pipes and wires. If the amount of gas is above 4 picocuries per liter of air, then the treatment for the elimination of radon gas should be availed. Underground water should also be avoided. People working in plants where uranium is processed can inhale a large amount of radon gas. Even people working in mines are more vulnerable to Radon Gas exposure. These people should wear masks to protect themselves.

The level of radon gas in your home can be regulated by sealing the open gaps through which the gas might enter. Apart from that, the house should be properly ventilated. Radon gas treatment is not a do it yourself regime. You should get professional help to make your house radon gas free. Some of the symptoms of lung cancer include wheezing, coughing, chest pain. If you feel that you might develop lung cancer you can see a physician and get tested.

There are many types of cancer that may affect the human body. Bladder cancer is one such cancer that is caused when there is an abnormal growth and accumulation of the cells in the bladder. This kind of growth may cause mutations which can then manifest into tumours that may or may not be malignant.

Let us find out more about the causes and risk factors of bladder cancer.

1. Transitional cell carcinoma: In this kind of bladder cancer, the transitional cells that line the inner region of the uterus and urethra will expand when the bladder is full. Further, these cells will end up contracting when the bladder is empty. This will lead to numerous complications which can cause the formation of tumours as an end result.
2. Squamous cell carcinoma: The squamous cells are those that are usually found in the bladder as a response to any kind of infection or even irritation in the area. These cells become cancerous over a certain period of time. This is also one of the most common types of bladder cancer in the US, as per various medical reports.
3. Adenocarcinoma: This kind of cancer usually starts in the cells that make mucus and form glands for the production of the same, in the bladder. This is a rather rare form of bladder cancer.
4. Risk factors: There are a number of risk factors that may affect the manifestation of the abnormal cell growth which can lead to any one of the above types of bladder cancer. Let us learn more about these risk factors.
5. Smoking: Smoking does not merely cause lung cancer, but it is also capable of causing chemicals from tobacco to accumulate in your urine and lead to several complications, including the increase of abnormal cell growth in the bladder. These chemicals may also cause widespread damage to the lining of your bladder.
6. Diabetes medication: One of the side effects of taking certain types of diabetes medication may be seen in the bladder and its cells. Pioglitazone is one such medicine which can cause these kinds of complications.
7. Chronic bladder inflammation: Repeated bladder infections may cause an unhealthy amount of persistent inflammation, which can lead to the growth of cells in an abnormal manner. This can lead to damage of the bladder’s inner lining. In such a case, bladder cancer becomes a risk for the patient.
8. Family history: A family history of the condition also leaves the person susceptible to this disease. Colorectal cancer instances or Lynch syndrome cases in the family can increase the risk of contracting bladder cancer. This is due to the fact that the faulty gene can affect the various organs of the urinary area.

The cancer which forms in the cells of the breasts is breast cancer. It is one of the most common forms of cancer to affect women after skin cancer. Support for breast cancer awareness and proper funding for research on the issue has ensured that proper awareness is created for getting it diagnosed properly and then carry out the treatment in an appropriate manner. Fortunately, due to the fact that people all around have become aware of how cancer occurs, what are symptoms which they should be aware of and then for the doctors, what should be the ideal way for exact diagnosis, so that they can treat patients and help them recover, survival rates have increased dramatically and thus number of deaths associated with it is on the decline.

Types of breast cancer
There are different types of Breast Cancer, some are more common than others. Some of the most common types are detailed below:

1. Invasive ductal carcinoma: This type of breast cancer starts in a duct of the breast and grows into the tissue surrounding it. It is one of the most common forms of breast cancer. Around 80% of invasive breast cancers are invasive ductal carcinoma.
2. Invasive lobular carcinoma: Invasive lobular carcinoma begins in the milk producing glands of the breast and spreads all around with time.

Now let’s take a look at some of the less common types of breast cancer:

1. Mucinous carcinoma: The mucus producing cancer cells generally give rise to mucinous carcinoma.
2. Inflammatory breast cancer: When a woman suffers from inflammatory breast cancer, the skin of the breast would appear red and she would feel warm. The changes occur because the cancer cells block the lymph vessels.
3. Paget’s disease of the nipple: This type of cancer begins in the ducts of the breast, getting spread to the nipple and the region surrounding the nipple. Women affected by this type of cancer can easily notice crusting and reddish tinge around the nipple.

Signs & symptoms of breast cancer
After having looked at the different types of breast cancer, let us now come to the main topic of discussion, the signs and symptoms of breast cancer.

1. The different signs and symptoms of breast cancer are discussed below:
2. A change in size or shape of the breast
3. A lump or if an area feels thicker in comparison to the rest of the breast, then it’s a clear indication of cancer.
4. A woman could feel that there is chance of breast cancer, if the texture of the skin changes.
5. There will be a reddish tinge or rash on the skin or the area around the nipple, to suggest that breast cancer is a possibility.
6. If you realize that liquid is oozing out from the nipple, even without getting it squeezed, then that is also a clear symptom for cancer.
7. If you feel that area either in the armpit or around the collarbone, is swollen, it’s a signal for breast cancer.

Though breast cancer has become very common, the good news is that more women than ever are living a healthy life to tell their survival stories. They have not just survived, but are thriving. Let us take you through a couple of survivor stories which not just gives strength and hope, but also the immense courage to stand up and fight it. The names are, however, changed to prevent identity.

Help yourself and others too: For most women, getting diagnosed with blood cancer can mean the end of life. While for the medical person, it is just another individual, for the individual, there is an entire world to think of, her world. What will happen to her family, her job, her life in total. Each person is different, and so the approach has to be different. It should not be a routine combo of surgery, chemo, and radiation. While some hospitals do it, giving a personalized touch helps. That is what happened Susan, who had a complete set of people including dietitian and psychiatrist to help her. The change that she saw with this approach led her to give a helping hand to others. She presently helps people fight and overcome breast cancer and has an extremely fulfilling life.

Shrink the tumor, not your life: For a person with two kids, Tina was aghast when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She was just 31, and her second daughter was just turning 1, she was extremely distraught. But, her family stood with her through those testing times when she would not have time to run with her daughter or walk along with her mother. With immense support from her family, she is now free of cancer and is a Zumba instructor and now spends quality time with her daughter.

An experiment that worked: At 46 years of age, Maya was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer. She found a lump in her breast, which turned out to be breast cancer. The doctor said she would need it removed, and she also opted for surgery. What worked for her, though, is the fact that she was advised to try tamoxifen, which was not so strongly recommended during the initial times. She went ahead and tried, and even after 30 years down the line, is still free of cancer.

Two lives saved: At 23, Sonia was diagnosed not just with stage 4 breast cancer, but also with pregnancy. Re-testing yielded negative results. So she went ahead with chemo and radiation, but the abdominal fullness continued, and when tested again, the tests confirmed her pregnancy. She carried it through, and delivered 4 weeks prematurely but is very healthy and cancer-free now. In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

There are several hormones that are secreted by our bodies and they can be defined as chemicals that control the different bodily functions. At times, the cells that secrete the hormones develop tumors. Some areas where these tumors are known to arise include lungs, stomach, pancreas, glands, or intestines.

If you are diagnosed with a neuroendocrine tumor, it is important to learn whether they are benign or cancerous. Neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) are neoplasms that may result from the cells of the nervous and the endocrine system. If the cells are cancerous, they can spread throughout the body. Also, they release their own hormones and you may experience the associated symptoms. On the other hand, the benign tumors do not shift from their place of origin.

However, you should note that the growth of a neuroendocrine tumor takes place at a sluggish rate; sometimes, they could take years to grow. Normally, the medical experts will advise their removal or administer varied treatments for their shrinkage. Also, some therapies to alleviate the symptoms can be practiced.

NETs are categorized into varied groups depending on their area of growth or the hormones they secrete. The different types of NETs include Carcinoid (intestinal), Pancreatic, Insulinomas, Glucagonomas, Somatostatinomas, VIPomas, Medullary, and Pheochromocytoma. The medical professionals have not been able to ascertain the exact cause for NETs as yet. However, they opine that certain illnesses that run in a family are responsible for these growths. For ascertaining whether a person has developed NETs, a medical diagnosis is required. Mostly, the patients do not display symptoms and the disorder is detected fortuitously.

There are various treatments available for NETs, including drugs, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and surgery. The patients are treated depending on the type of NETs they are affected by. Also, the doctors will try to establish whether the growths are cancerous, and have spread to other parts of the body prior to treating the patients.

Treatment Methods:

The following are some of the treatment options available for NETs:

1. Surgery: Surgical methods are employed by the doctors for removing the tumors; predominantly, if the tumors are not cancerous or have not spread to the different parts of the body. Some surgeries that are performed by the doctors as a part of the treatment of NETs include cryosurgery and radiofrequency ablation.
2. Hormonal therapy: If the doctors find it suitable, they will treat you with hormone therapy when NETs are detected in your body. In this case, they will inject hormonal drugs for preventing the cells from producing hormones or to shrink the tumor.
3. Radiation: As a part of radiation therapy, the doctors will subject the tumor site to high radiation X-rays for eliminating the cancerous cells. If cancer has spread or the specialists are not able to reach the tumors, then this treatment method is known to be effective.
4. Chemotherapy: You may be prescribed chemotherapy drugs for killing the cancerous cells, at times, after being diagnosed with NETs. However, they give birth to certain ill-effects and it is always better to adhere to your doctor’s suggestions to be on the safer side.
5. Embolization Procedures: In specific cases where the NETs have spread to the liver, the doctors will aim to obstruct the blood flow that provides nourishment to the cells. Embolization therapy is performed in such cases.

When recovering from NETs, you must make sure to consume a balanced diet to keep the body nourished and heightening the body’s ability to counter the illnesses. Eating protein-rich foods such as beans, eggs, cheese, and fish are recommended. Also, avoid the intake of fatty foods, sugar-filled beverages, and sweets.