Cancer – the mere mention of this word is capable of sending shivers down the spine of many, but what exactly is cancer? Is it possible to prevent its occurrence? Is it genetic in nature? What stages does it present itself in and how is it tackled at different stages? If you’re unsure about these things, we’re here to give you the answer!

What is cancer?

There are two types of abnormal growth of cells in the body – malignant and benign. Out of these two types, benign cells are not harmful, but the malignant cells are what we know as cancer. The malignant cells can form anywhere and then divide constantly and spread into the tissues around it.

How many types of cancer are there?

There are more than hundreds of types of cancer each affecting a different area and part of the body – and nearly all of them are life-threatening. The major types are – sarcoma, melanoma, carcinoma, lymphoma, and leukemia.

• Sarcoma: These are cancers that form in the bones, fats, cartilage, muscle, and other forms of connective tissue.
• Melanoma: These cancers occur in the cells that create the pigments of the skin.
• Carcinoma: These are the most common cancers and occur in the glands and organs.
• Lymphoma: These cancers occur in the lymphocytes.
• Leukemia: This is the cancer of the blood and does not occur in the form of a solid tumor.

How many stages does cancer manifest in?

Cancer is broadly classified into five stages. Each comes with its own set of symptoms and ailments. This classification is also based on how much cancer has metastasized.

• Stage 0
  This stage is merely an indicator, meaning there are abnormal cells in the body that have the potential to turn into cancer.
• Stage I:
  At this stage, the body has cancer but it’s limited to one site only.
• Stage II & III
  The cancer is much larger than stage I and has spread to the nearby lymph nodes and tissues.
• Stage IV
  The cancer has spread throughout the body.

How can we prevent or cure cancer?
The way to avoid cancer is to learn a cleaner and healthier life. Changes in the diet need to be made, and your lifestyle needs to see a major improvement. We are all familiar with this, but there are also other ways to prevent cancer.

If someone is prone to cancer due to genetics or is in stage 0, they can opt for Chemoprevention, where they will be given medicines to prevent the development of cancer. There is also the option of risk-reducing surgery.

What are the various treatment modes for cancer?
There are many modes to treat cancer – you have surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, hormone therapy, blood and marrow transplant, and immunotherapy.