Cancer (first part ) بالانجليزية
Cancer is a significant global health issue and ranks as the second highest cause of death. It is a group of diseases characterized by the uncontrollable growth and spread of abnormal cells. These cancerous cells can invade surrounding tissues and can travel through the bloodstream or lymphatic system to distant parts of the body. The disease can have a profound impact on a person's physical, mental, and social well-being.
Symptoms that may indicate the presence of cancer include fatigue that doesn’t get better with rest, changes in bowel such as constipation or diarrhoea, that doesn’t go away, changes in bladder habits such as pain when passing urine, blood in the urine or needing to pass urine more or less often, unexplained pain or sore that does not heal, abnormal bleeding or discharge from the body orifices, lumps or thickening in the body, nausea and vomiting, difficulty swallowing, changes in skin or moles, persistent cough or hoarseness, shortness of breath, unexplained weight loss, fever, and headache.
There are various methods used to treat cancer, which depend on factors such as the type and stage of cancer, available treatment options, and treatment goals. Surgical and radiation therapies are considered "local" treatments that target specific areas of the body to eliminate cancer cells. Drug treatments such as chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and targeted therapy are known as "systemic" treatments as they can affect the entire body and can work anywhere in the body.
The most prevalent measures used to manage cancer are chemotherapy, radiation, hormonal therapy and surgery. Chemotherapy involves using drugs that are toxic to cells, targeting rapidly dividing cancer cells. Unfortunately, it cannot differentiate between cancer cells and healthy cells that also divide quickly. Chemotherapy is usually given at constant periods called cycles. This gives healthy cells a chance to recuperate from the side effects of drugs.
Chemotherapy can cause various side effects such as loss of appetite, hair loss, diarrhoea or constipation, nausea, vomiting, anaemia, and infection. While many of these side effects may resolve quickly, some may persist for months or even years. In rare cases, the side effects can be permanent, leading to long-term damage to organs like the kidneys, lungs, heart, and reproductive system. As a result, chemotherapy is often regarded as a frightening treatment by cancer patients and their families.
On the other side, radiation therapy involves using high doses of radiation to destroy cancer cells and reduce tumour size. It can be used on its own or in combination with other treatments like surgery, chemotherapy, hormone therapy, or targeted therapy. Hormone therapy is a method of slowing or halting the progression of hormone-dependent breast and prostate cancers. Surgery is a treatment option where a surgeon removes cancer from the body.
Other methods for treating cancer include hyperthermia, where body tissue is heated to high temperatures to kill cancer cells without harming normal tissue. Immunotherapy is another option, which boosts the immune system's ability to recognize and attack cancer cells. Additionally, photodynamic therapy involves using light-activated drugs to target and destroy cancer cells and other abnormal cells.
Targeted therapy is a form of cancer treatment that involves the use of drugs or other substances to specifically target and attack certain types of cancer cells. This treatment focuses on specific abnormalities in cancer cells that help them to survive. It can be used alone or alongside other treatments like chemotherapy, surgery, or radiation therapy. Additionally, cryoablation therapy involves killing cancer cells with cold, while radiofrequency ablation uses electrical energy to heat cancer cells and cause them to die.
However, stem cell transplants do not typically target cancer directly. Instead, they help the body recover its ability to generate new blood cells following intense chemotherapy or radiation treatment. Another advanced cancer treatment method is gene therapy, in which genetic defects are corrected or genes are manipulated to trigger the destruction of tumour cells in an effort to prevent or fight disease. This therapy involves inserting specific genes into the cells being targeted.
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