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Signs And Symptoms Of Cancer

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Cancer is known to be a silent killer. Cancer basically is abnormal growth of cells with the ability to spread or invade into other parts of body. There are two major types of cancer. Benign and malignant.

  • Benign tumour: It is a type of cancer that does not spread in other parts of body. It is a localised cancer.
  • Malignant tumour: Malignant tumour is a type of cancer that spreads in other parts of the body. It is not localised.
  • Signs and Symptoms of cancer:
  • Hoarseness
  • Lumps or swelling in glands.
  • Changes in a mole.
  • Difficulty in swallowing
  • Indigestion
  • Vaginal bleeding
  • Constant pain in any part of body
  • Weight loss.
  • Warning signs of cancer:
  • Change in bowel or bladder
  • Sore that does not heal.
  • Nagging cough.
  • Unusual discharge.
  • Types of cancers:
  • Melanoma
  • Carcinoma
  • Melanoma: Melanoma is a type of cancer that comes through pigment cells called as melanocytes. It occurs typically in the skin but rarely in mouth, eye or intestine.
  • Symptoms: The most common sign of melanoma is a mole that starts to grow, has irregular edges or different in colour.
  • Causes: Ultraviolet rays, many moles.
  • Carcinoma: It is a type of cancer that makes the skin or tissue lining of the organs for example kidneys or liver. These are also abnormal cells like all other cancer cells that divide without any control. This is a malignant cancer that spreads in other parts of the body.
  • Symptoms: Its symptoms include hoarseness, lumps, indigestion etc.
  • Causes:
  • Sarcoma: It is also a malignant tumour of connective tissues or non-epithelial tissues.
  • Symptoms: Pain in the bone that is affected and it may worsen at night, swelling.
  • Causes: Exposure to chemicals. Radiations.
  • Lymphoma: It is a cancer that start in the cells that fight against infection called lymphocytes. This is also a malignant cancer that grows out of control.
  • Symptoms: Swelling of lymph nodes. Constant fatigue, fever, night sweats etc.
  • Causes: It develops when lymphocytes grow out of control. It is caused also by genetic changes in cells that are not responding to the signal which controls its growth.
  • Leukaemia: It is a cancer that starts in the cells that form blood most commonly the bone marrow. It further over produces the white blood cells.
  • Symptoms: Fever, chills, weight loss, bleeding or bruising.
  • Causes: It is usually caused by the mutation of DNA (Deoxyribonucleic acid) in the stem cells of bone marrow that produces the red blood cells.

            Different Cancers:

  • Breast cancer: It is a cancer that develops in the breast cells. It typically forms in the lobules or the ducts of breast. Lobules are actually those glands that produce milk and ducts are the pathways that transfer milk. It can also occur in fatty acids or the fibrous tissues within the breast. These uncontrolled cancer cells invade the other healthy breast tissues and can travel to lymph nodes under the arms. Lymph nodes are the main pathways that hep cancer cells to move into other parts of the body.
  • Causes: Increasing age, Inherited genes or exposure to radiations.
  • Symptoms: Symptoms for most common breast cancer include:
  • A lump in the breast.
  • Breast pain.
  • Red skin.
  • Bloody discharge.
  • Peeling or scaling of skin.
  • Lump or swelling under your arm.
  • Diagnosis:

Mammogram: It is an imaging technique to find the breast cancer.

Ultrasound: It uses sound waves to create picture of the tissues that are deep in the breast.

Biopsy: It is a final test in which the doctor takes the tissue as a sample to make sure if it is cancer or not.

  • Uterine cancer: We should always keep a check on cancers but especially when you get the first signs of pregnancy you should monitor your uterus properly and regularly. It is a type of cancer that starts in the uterus. Uterus is a hollow pelvic organ where the development of the foetus occurs. It starts in the layer of uterus that form uterus lining. This cancer is detected in the beginning stage because there is unusual vaginal bleeding.
  • Symptoms: Signs and symptoms of uterine cancer include vaginal bleeding and cramps in the pelvis.
  • Causes: It can be caused due to increased level of oestrogen after your menopause, being overweight, increased level of insulin and any reproductive history.
  • Diagnosis: The diagnosis includes ultrasound and proper examination of the uterus lining.
  • Blood cancer: It is a type of blood cancer that affects the blood cells, bone marrow and spongy tissues inside bones where blood cells are formed.
  • Types of blood cancer:
  • Multiple myeloma.
  • Leukaemia: There is excessive formation of white blood cells in this cancer that are not able to fight against cancers. Sometimes it grows quickly and is called as acute and sometimes it grows slowly and is called as chronic.
  • Lymphoma: This is a type of blood cancer that grows in the lymphatic system. It consists of spleen, lymph nodes and a gland known as thymus. Vessels carry and store white blood cells to help fight against the infections.
  • Myeloma: It is a type of blood cancer that grows in the plasma cells in bone marrow. These are the white blood cells that make the antibodies. It spreads through the bone marrow and attacks your healthy cells. These cells make antibodies that can’t fight infections.
  • Symptoms: Its symptoms include coughing, pain in the chest, infections, rashes or itchy skin, nausea, loss of appetite, weakness, fatigue and shortness of breath.
  • Causes: In cancer the production of blood is interrupted because of growth of the abnormal cells.
  • Diagnosis: The blood test that is used to diagnose the blood cancer is:
  • CBC (complete blood count)
  • Treatment for all cancers: The treatment for all cancers include Chemotherapy, radiotherapy and transplant.
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