10 FAQ's About Cancer

1
10 FAQs About Cancer

• Cancer is a condition in which the bodys
  cells begin to divide and spread into the
  surrounding tissues. An accumulation of cancer
  cells leads to the formation of a tumor which can
  possibly be malignant.
• The human body is made up of trillions of cells
  and cancer can start anywhere within this area.
  When cancer tumor develops, the cell cycle starts
  to change. Old, abnormal, and damaged cells begin
  to survive and new cells multiply uncontrollably.
• There have been 14.1 million new cases of cancer
  worldwide as of 2012, leading to 8.2 million
  deaths. It is estimated that around 23.6
  million new cases of cancer will come to the
  fore each year until 2030. In India alone,
  there are 2.5 million new cases of cancer every
  year with nearly 500 thousand deaths during the
  same period of time.
• How does Cancer spread?
• Cancer often spreads through the vessels and
  channels of the body. In the case of certain
  cancers like soft tissue sarcomas, they spread
  through the blood vessels. The lymph nodes are
  also a medium of spreading for certain cancer
  types such as breast cancer. Cancer can also
  spread to areas contingent to the organ or tissue
  of origin.
• How many different types of cancer are there?
• There are more than 100 types of cancer. The most
  common types of cancer are cancers of the
  brain, vocal cord cancer or lung cancer due to
  smoking, and liver or stomach cancer. Women also
  commonly suffer from breast or cervix cancer.

2

• Why are older people more prone to cancer?
• Old people are more susceptible to cancer
  for the simple reason that a lifetime of
  accumulated unhealthy lifestyle choices
  (tobacco, cigarettes, excessive alcohol) finally
  starts presenting in the form of cancer. There
  are certain people for whom there may be genetic
  susceptibility and cancer does not always wait
  until old age to develop.
• Are all forms of cancer curable?
• Cancers, if detected in the early stage are
  usually curable. However certain types like
  leukemia and other cancers have a lower
  curability rate. Also, certain brain tumours
  have a high growth rate which means the
  diagnosis usually comes too late for the patient
  to launch an effective treatment for the disease.
• What are urgent symptoms of cancer?
• There are 7 danger signals of cancer
• A soreness in the mouth or ulcers that do not
  heal.
• Abnormal painless swelling in the lymph areas,
  such as the neck or armpit.
• Sudden change in the appearance of any moles and
  bleeding from that area.
• A chronic hoarseness of the voice, particularly
  in smokers.
• A persistent cough that does not go away even
  after treatment.
• Abnormal bleeding such as post-menopausal
  bleeding in women as well as bleeding from the
  rectum while passing stool.
• Fatigue and loss of weight.

3
10.What process does a doctor use to scan for
tumours? The first step for a doctor is to
conduct a basic physical check for swellings or
lumps. This includes a breast examination for
women and a tutorial on how to
self-examine breasts. Also a basic mammogram
and pap smear can be done. An oral cavity
examination is often done for men. CT Scan is
not always prescribed because it exposes
the individual to radiation. It is usually
recommended after something suspicious turns up
during a physical examination. As Dr. Vardhiraja
stresses, lifestyle choices and awareness of
cancer, as well as an early stage diagnosis are
very important towards preventing or beating this
disease.