What You Should Know About Cancer

Cancer is the irregular division and proliferation of cells. It is caused by the clonal spread of malformed cells. It spreads to tissues and organs by rapid and uncontrolled division as a result of different shaping of healthy cells.

Cancer is a malignant disease caused by the abnormal and uncontrolled growth and spread of cells in an organ or tissue of the body. Masses of cancer cells that appear in various parts of the body are called tumors or tumors.

The term cancer was introduced into the medical literature by the Greek physician Hippocrates (460-570 BC). Hippocrates used the terms carcinos (a tumor) and carcinoma (a malignant tumor) to describe ulcerating and non-ulcerating tumors. Galen (2nd century BC), on the other hand, compared the appearance of tumors to that of a crab, hence the name cancer.

What is a Cancer Cell?

Cancer is a group of diseases that can affect every organ and tissue of our body. Cancerous tissue cells show their effects at both genotype and phenotype levels. Although body cells send signals to stop the growth of cancerous tissues, they multiply rapidly. In cancer formation, the genetic structure is disrupted by congenital or environmental factors. The probability of occurrence through hereditary transmission is much lower than environmental factors.

How does a normal cell transform into a cancer cell?

Cancerous cells are the result of damage to the genetic material. Normal body cells develop in a certain order, any damage to the DNA is repaired and if it cannot be repaired, the cell dies. However, the cancerous cell continues to divide and multiply without repairing the damage. In this way, the damaged structure spreads to other tissues of the body.

Tumors that develop as a result of congenital or acquired factors damage the DNA, leading to an abnormal increase. This increase creates various mutations in the cells. This change in the biological structure becomes metastatic and continues to spread to other organs. Carcinogenesis is the process by which healthy cells evolve into cancerous cells. Basically, it shows its effects by the combination of mutations that affect the control of the cell.

What is metastasis (spread of disease)?

Metastasis is the spread and development of cancer cells that develop in a specific tissue and spread to a different tissue. Tumors first invade the nearest neighboring tissues and then spread to distant tissues by entering the bloodstream. These cells, which cause destruction in the tissue where they are located, can multiply and become lethal if not prevented. As a result of metastasis, various signs and symptoms develop in the affected tissue. So, what are these symptoms?

What are the Symptoms of Cancer?

There are various symptoms that occur when a type of cancer develops. The symptoms vary greatly depending on the type of disease. However, the fact that a person has one or more of these symptoms does not mean that they have cancer. Knowing these symptoms is very important for early diagnosis. The most common symptoms that can be considered cancer symptoms, although not specific to cancer alone, are as follows;

• Abnormal weight loss or weight gain
• Swelling felt anywhere in the body
• Difficulty swallowing
• Unhealing wounds or changes in moles
• Fatigue and weakness
• Severe muscle and joint pain
• Differences in bladder habits
• Unexplained bruising and bleeding
• Chest pain or shortness of breath
• Spitting up blood when coughing
• Quick satiety or indigestion

What are the Types of Cancer?

Cancers are classified according to the cells or organs in which they start. The main types of cancers that start in certain cell types and persist are as follows:

Carcinoma: A type of cancer that arises from epithelial cells that help protect organs by lining the inside and outside of the body. Carcinomas are tumoral masses that form in tissue. The most common types of cancer in this group include prostate cancer, breast cancer and lung cancer.

Sarcoma: Cancerous cells that arise in bone or soft tissue. Osteosarcoma, liposarcoma and leiomyosarcoma are the most common forms of sarcoma.

Leukemia: A type of cancer caused by irregular proliferation of blood cells. It affects white blood cells and bone marrow.

Lymphoma and Myeloma: These are types of cancer that start in the cells of the immune system. Lymphoma develops in the lymph nodes and lymph ducts and can occur anywhere in the body. Myeloma is caused by plasma cells, which are white blood cells. It starts in the bone marrow and spreads to other bones.

Melanoma: A type of cancer that occurs in the melanocyte cells that give the skin its color.

Cancers of the Brain and Spinal Cord: These cancer cells affecting the central nervous system can be benign or malignant. An initially benign cell can turn into a malignant cell if it progresses.

Considering the multifactorial causes of cancer in the body, it can result in death if the necessary prevention methods are not followed. Changes that occur both in the tissue where the cancer occurs and in the damaged cell that continues its spread provide important information about the course of the disease. Not every cancer cell has the same formation mechanism, and not every swelling in our body is cancerous tissue. Therefore, it is very important to determine the correct diagnosis and treatment method.

To learn more about cancer and its treatments, check out CAR-T Cell Therapy: Could our own cells be the cure for cancer?".