Cancer & Oncology
The term ‘cancer’ is used to denote a large variety of diseases having one thing in common – abnormal growth of cells. There is an abnormally fast division of cells in a cancerous body. Such cells, far exceeding the normal limits, invade the neighboring tissues and systems, thereby destroying their respective functions as well. At one point of time, the entire body system refuses to perform their functions properly. This makes cancer such a lethal thing.
With the passage of time, cancer is becoming more of a household thing. Every other house today reports cases of cancer. The most common types of cancer that takes a huge toll are lung cancer, liver cancer, colorectal cancer, pancreatic cancer, and leukemia. Of these, lung cancer takes the highest number of lives per year. In men, prostrate cancer has been found to be the most common type of cancer. Its female counterpart is breast cancer. Adolescents and young children too suffer from cancer. Leukemia is increasingly being found to take a heavy toll on such children.
Common symptoms of Cancer
It is often too late in proper diagnosis of cancer. The symptoms of cancer, however, have broadly been divided under three categories:
• Local Symptoms – abnormal swelling or lump (tumor), pain, ulceration, hemorrhage.
• Symptoms of spreading (metastasis) – enlargement of liver or/and lymph nodes, cough, pain in bone, neurological problems, etc.
• Systemic Symptoms – loss of weight and wasting, lack of appetite, anemia, abnormal sweating, abnormal hormonal changes, etc.
What causes Cancer?
Science has not yet been able to have full grasp over this particular disease. Else, it would cease remaining as lethal as it is today. The causes of cancer too, consequently, are not totally known to us. However several carcinogens have been identified such as tobacco, several chemicals, radiations, etc. Genetic inheritance too is suspected to be a potent cause of cancer.
Fighting the menace – the branch of Oncology
Oncology is the branch that deals with the diagnosis, treatment and eradication initiatives of cancer. Thick and fast research has been going on for a long time now. There are also records of huge breakthroughs in the field. Several types of cancer today have been declared to be not life threatening, though a pancreatic cancer or lung cancer, for instance, rarely have any remedy to save the life of the patient.
CANCER & ONCOLOGY NEWS HIGHLIGHTS
- Gene domino effect behind brain, pancreatic tumors
(AP) - Health Tip: Getting Ready for Cancer Treatment
(HealthDay) - Paracetamol use may raise asthma risk in children
(Reuters) - Paracetamol use may raise asthma risk in children
(Reuters) - Proteins in blood predict early lung cancer: study
(Reuters) - Survival rates rise in childhood blood cancers
(Reuters) - Survival rates rise in childhood blood cancers
(Reuters) - Children swine flu deaths spike in US amid vaccine shortage
(AFP) - Children swine flu deaths spike in US amid vaccine shortage
(AFP) - Meet flu’s rival in kids: respiratory syncytial virus
(Reuters) - Meet flu’s rival in kids: respiratory syncytial virus
(Reuters) - Child abuse may shorten cell lifeline: study
(AFP) - Child abuse may shorten cell lifeline: study
(AFP) - Child abuse may shorten cell lifeline: study
(AFP) - Pregnancy possible after fibroid treatment
(Reuters) - Kids’ lungs benefit from longer breast feeding
(Reuters) - Infant swimming tied to lung infection, asthma
(Reuters) - Infant swimming tied to lung infection, asthma
(Reuters) - Infant swimming tied to lung infection, asthma
(Reuters) - Certain Antidepressants Ease Fibromyalgia Symptoms
(HealthDay) - Mystery of Tasmanian Devil Cancer Solved
(LiveScience.com) - Mystery of Tasmanian Devil Cancer Solved
(LiveScience.com) - Mystery of Tasmanian Devil Cancer Solved
(LiveScience.com) - Mystery of Tasmanian Devil Cancer Solved
(LiveScience.com) - Caffeine May Kill Some Cancer Cells
(LiveScience.com) - Battling Pain: Are Doctors Too Reluctant to Prescribe Opioids?
(Time.com) - Battling Pain: Are Doctors Too Reluctant to Prescribe Opioids?
(Time.com) - Battling Pain: Are Doctors Too Reluctant to Prescribe Opioids?
(Time.com) - Battling Pain: Are Doctors Too Reluctant to Prescribe Opioids?
(Time.com) - Scientists link mutations to cancer survival times
(AFP) - Scientists link mutations to cancer survival times
(AFP) - Health Tip: Warning Signs for Ovarian Cancer
(HealthDay) - Health Tip: Warning Signs for Ovarian Cancer
(HealthDay) - Health Tip: Warning Signs for Ovarian Cancer
(HealthDay) - Texas time warp? State criticized for mental care
(AP) - Gene Mutation Tied to Inherited Fatal Lung Disease
(HealthDay) - Gene Mutation Tied to Inherited Fatal Lung Disease
(HealthDay) - Social factors key to ill health
- Radiation Oncology Institute Launched, Receives $5 Million Grant
- SNM Co-Sponsors Radiation Oncology And Cancer Imaging Symposium With American Society For Therapeutic Radiation And Oncology
- Opioid Painkillers Sometimes Make Pain Worse, According To Evidence Review
- New Developments In Microscopy Discussed At Queen’s
- Treating Pediatric Voiding Dysfunction
- Discovery Of What Drives The Development Of A Fatal Form Of Malaria: The Culprit, One’s Own Immune System
- Scientists Discover What Drives The Development Of A Fatal Form Of Malaria
- Scientists Make Precancerous Cells Self-Destruct By Amplifying Cell Death Signals
- Mechanism Behind Cocaine Craving Identified
- Lessons From Yeast: A Possible Cure For Parkinson’s Disease?
- Joint Symptoms More Likely For Some Breast Cancer Patients
- Are PET Scans Beneficial During Cancer Diagnosis, Staging And Monitoring?