Cancer has become one of the most prominent non-infectious diseases present in the world today. Almost everyone has either a family member or knows someone closely who has been affected by cancer. Cancer is not a new disease, with writing of Hippocrates documenting cancer as far back as 460 BC.

The prognosis for cancer is not always grim, with survival rates varying depending on the type of cancer and stage it is caught at. Also important to consider is the patient’s condition. Older or frailer patients have more difficulty fighting cancer than patients who are younger and stronger.

What is cancer?

Cancer is a disease in which a group of type of cells begins to grow uncontrollably. The rapid growth destroys surrounding tissues. Cancer can also spread to other cells in other parts of the body through the blood or lymph nodes.

The most common types of cancer in 2008 were lung cancer, stomach cancer, colorectal cancer, liver cancer and breast cancer.

What causes cancer?

Although it can be hard to isolate the specific cause of a given cancer, scientists and medical researchers have determined two general causes.  The first is hereditary. These are cancers that you have a predisposition to get, because others in your family have had them in the past. This means that there is an underlying genetic cause. An example of this type of cancer would be breast cancer. The more common cause of cancer is environmental. This means that the person has come into brief or repeated contact with an agent that can cause cancer. An example of this type of cancer would be lung cancer caused by smoking.

The largest risk for developing cancer is that of old age. Those over the age of 65 have a dramatically increased chance of developing some form of cancer. This is due in part to the greater accumulated exposure to carcinogens over the course of a lifetime, as well as general deterioration of the body which occurs with old age. However, some forms of cancer can also occur in children such as leukemia or brain tumours.

How is cancer detected?

Sadly, most cancers are very hard to detect, and have few if any symptoms. Most often, cancer is not detected until its later stages, when it is too late to control or eliminate. Certain symptoms may alert doctors as to the presence of cancer, however these symptoms will vary greatly depending on the specific type of cancer. The definitive way of detecting cancer is through actually testing a sample of the affected tissue, known as taking a biopsy.

How is cancer treated?

If detected at an early enough stage, most cancers re treatable. There are a few different ways that cancer can be treated including chemotherapy or surgery. Chemotherapy takes a high toll on the human body, and the goal of most treatment programs is to eliminate the cancer completely with as minimal other damage as possible. For this reason, surgery is preferred if the cancer area can be completely removed and daily function for the person can resume relatively normally.

How can cancer be prevented?

With cancer causing about 13% of all human deaths worldwide in 2007, many people are interested in learning how cancer can be prevented. In general, leading a healthy lifestyle is considered the best way to avoid many cancers. This includes a well-balanced diet and exercise. If you know you may be at risk for a genetic cancer because of family history, then you should also include regular screenings to check for cancerous growth. Screenings can be expensive so many choose to avoid them, however, screenings are one of the leading causes of early detection of cancer.