What Is Cancer?

Written by Shabir

Outline of Cancer

Cancer is a condition when cells in some part of the body begin to grow out of control.  Unlike normal cells, the growth of all cancers is not under control and this is what makes them dangerous.  Cancer cells utilize all the body’s energy to continue to grow in endless, uncontrolled fashion.  These cells lose all normal physiological activity and do not respond to any type of control.  As the cancer cells grow and reach a certain size, they spread to other parts of the body.  This process, called metastasis, occurs as the cancer cells get into the bloodstream.

Cancer cells develop because of damage to DNA.  DNA is the very essence of life and governs all the activities of a cell.  In normal conditions when DNA is damaged, the cell has the ability to repair it.  In cancer, the DNA can not be repaired.  The damaged DNA can be acquired or can occur while smoking or from other environmental toxins.  Different types of cancer can behave very differently. They grow at different rates and respond to different treatments. That is why people with cancer need different treatments

Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States.  More than 50% of men and at least 33% of all women in the US will develop cancer during their lifetimes.  Today, millions of people are living with cancer or have had cancer.  The latest data released by the American cancer society indicates that Americans are at a lower risk of dying from cancer than 2 decades go; however, the rate of new cancers is the same as in previous decades.  The decrease in death rates has been attributed due in part to reduction in tobacco exposure, earlier detection and more effective treatment.

Among women, incidence rates have decreased for:

• colon and rectum cancers
• uterine and ovarian cancers
• head and neck cancers
• stomach cancers



Among men, incidence rates have decreased for:

• colon and rectum cancers
• stomach and lung cancers
• head and neck cancers

However, in men there has been an increased incidence of cancer of prostate, liver, kidney, esophagus, skin and multiple myeloma.  In women, lung and skin cancers are on the rise.

Common Cancer Treatments

Cancer can be treated with surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, immunotherapy or a combination of these therapies.  The choice of therapy depends on the location, grade and stage of the tumor.  In addition, the functional status of the patient is an important factor in determining the therapy.

The aim of any treatment is complete removal of the cancer, but this is rarely achieved with any therapy.

Surgery

Surgery is the ideal treatment if the cancer can be removed completely, but this is not always possible.  In many cases, the tumor has spread and thus surgery is only possible for the small localized lesions.  Surgery is also required to stage the cancer to determine if it has spread.  The prognosis of any cancer depends on staging.

Surgery is not a small undertaking and it is also associated with a fair number of complications.  However, the treatment of lung, stomach, colon and many other solid cancers is surgery-when they present early. Surgery has a minimal role in cancers which have spread.  Other associated complications of surgery include pain, large incisions, and restriction of function which may last a long time.

Radiation therapy

In most cancers, radiation therapy is used to kill the cancer cells or shrink the cancer.  Radiation therapy can be applied either via an external beam machine or small “rice sized” implants can be placed in the body where the tumors is (brachytherapy).  Although radiation damages both cancer cells and normal cells, most normal cells can recover from the effects of radiation and function properly.  The goal of radiation therapy is to damage as many cancer cells as possible, while limiting harm to nearby healthy tissue.  Hence, it is given in many fractions, allowing healthy tissue to recover between fractions.

Radiation therapy may be used to treat almost every type of solid tumor, and the dose to each site depends on a number of factors, including the radiosensitivity of each cancer type and whether there are tissues and organs nearby that may be damaged by radiation.  Thus, as with every form of treatment, radiation therapy is not without its side effects.  The side effects of radiation therapy include nausea, vomiting, hair loss, depressed immune system and sterility

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy involves the treatment of cancer with anticancer drugs. These drugs have the ability to destroy rapidly dividing cells but they are not specific only for cancer cells.  Rapidly dividing normal cells on the skin and hair can also be affected by these drugs.  However, normal cells usually have the ability to repair themselves after the chemotherapy.  In general, chemotherapeutic drugs are used in multiple combinations to prevent resistance.

Virtually all of the anticancer drugs are toxic at the applied dosages and markedly immunosuppressive, destroying a patient's natural resistance to many diseases, including cancer.  Because these drugs cannot distinguish between cancerous and normal cells, they disrupt or kill normal, healthy cells throughout the body besides attacking the tumor.  Chemotherapy has only a limited effectiveness against any tumor that is large or has spread; its successes are generally with small, very early tumors.

Targeted therapies

Targeted therapy, which first became available in the late 1990s, has had a significant impact in the treatment of some types of cancer, and is currently a very active research area.  Targeted therapy usually involves the use of some molecules as homing devices which bind to some part of the cancer cell and eventually destroy it.  Monoclonal antibodies are classic examples of targeted therapy.

Supportive therapies

Most individuals think that when it comes to cancer, the treatment is limited to the cancer.  However, the majority of individuals with cancer also develop other symptoms like pain, nausea, vomiting, bleeding, weight loss, depression and anxiety.  To improve the quality of life, most individuals need medications, herbal or nutritional therapy to help cope with these serious side effects.  Some individuals may have agonizing pain and require narcotics like morphine

Despite billions of dollars invested in research, the treatment of cancers with conventional medicine has not met with a great deal of success. For this reason, many individuals have been turning to alternative medicine.

Nutritional Therapy

Alternative medicine is fast becoming an accepted treatment for many individuals with cancer.  Even though these therapies are not accepted as part of conventional medicine, most individuals are dis-satisfied with the costs and results of current day modern medicine.

A wide range of alternative treatments have been offered for cancer over the last century.  The appeal of alternative cures arises from the daunting risks, costs, or potential side effects of many conventional treatments, or in the limited prospect for cure.  However, one has to know that no alternative therapies have been shown in any scientific study to effectively treat cancer. Estimates of success rates with alternative therapies vary widely.  What works for one patient or type of cancer may fail with another patient having the same or a different malignancy.

Alternative therapies include nutritional, herbal, metabolic, immune-enhancing, biologic, nontoxic pharmacologic and psychological-behavioral approaches.  While the alternative therapies exhibit great variation, all of them are rooted in the idea that a truly healthy body will not develop cancer.  Alternative practitioners believe the cause of cancer is often found in a disorder of the immune system or a bodily imbalance that allows the tumor to develop.

Nutrition

The goals of nutrition therapy for cancer patients as an active treatment and recovery are designed to restore nutrient deficiency, maintain nutritional health, and prevent complications.  Good nutrition continues to be important for patients who have cancer.  The goals of nutrition therapy for patients who have advanced cancer is designed to improve the quality of life.

In addition, current research has shown that nutrition may also have a preventative effect on cancer.  Daily intake of fruits, vegetables, and cereal grains may interfere with the process of developing many cancers.  There is also evidence that decreasing total fat intake can help prevent many cancers. This is especially true when total fat intake includes saturated fat and possibly polyunsaturated fat.

Although research studies are inconclusive at this time, preliminary evidence suggests that some components of food may play a role in decreasing the risk of developing cancer, including phytochemicals, antioxidants, and omega-3 fatty acids.

• Antioxidants: Antioxidants are substances that inhibit the oxidation process and act as protective agents.  They protect the body from the damaging effects of free radicals.  Free radicals can attack healthy cells, alter the DNA component, and allows for these defective cells to grow.
• Vitamin C: The classic anti oxidant is vitamin C (ascorbic acid).
  According to the National Cancer Institute (NCI); vitamin C may protect against cancers of the head and neck, stomach, and esophagus.  Some data even suggest that Vitamin C may also reduce the risk of developing cancers of the rectum, pancreas and cervix.
• Beta carotene: Beta carotene (provitamin A), may help decrease the risk of developing cancer.  According to the American Cancer Society, beta carotene helps improve the immune system and this may help prevent cancers.  The vitamin may also help in the scavenging of free radicals and thus prevent injury to normal healthy tissue.  Good sources of beta carotene are dark green leafy and brightly colored fruits and vegetables.
• Vitamin E: Vitamin E is essential for our bodies to work properly.  Vitamin E helps to build normal tissues and red blood cells, as well as working as an antioxidant.  Research data indicate that vitamin E may protect against prostate and colorectal cancer.  The recommended dietary allowance for vitamin E is 15 milligrams per day.
• Phytochemicals:  These plant chemicals have the ability to protect against bacteria, viruses, and fungi.  Eating large amounts of fruits, vegetables and cereals may decrease the risk of developing certain cancers as well as diabetes and heart disease.  The action of phytochemicals varies by color and type of the food.  They may act as antioxidants and prevent carcinogens (cancer causing agents) from forming in the body.
• Omega 3 fatty acids: Researchers are studying the effects omega-3 fatty acids and their effects on cancer.  Some Data indicate that these fatty acids may delay or reduce tumor development in breast and prostate cancer.  Since our bodies cannot make omega-3 fatty acids, we must get them from food or supplements.  These fatty acids are generally found in sea foods.                  

Herbs

Thousands of individuals seek herbal therapy for the treatment of their cancer. There are numerous reasons for this, but the primary reason is that conventional medicine has failed to lived up to its expectations of cure. Conventional medical therapy is not only expensive but also associated with serious side effects and in many cases is still considered experimental.

The one reason why herbal therapy is criticized is because it lacks scientific data to evaluate its effectiveness.  But that does not mean that herbs are not effective, infact, numerous cancer drugs have been derived from plants and are actively used in the treatment of numerous cancers.

Most popular herbs used in cancer treatment include the following:

• Astragalus may help improve the immune system and fight off blood cancers.  But it has also side effects like lowering of blood pressure, dizziness and fatigue. It is taken orally but its long term side effects are unknown
• PC SPEC is Chinese herbal cocktail consisting of saw palmetto, skullcap, licorice, and Panax pseudo-ginseng.  It can alter levels of sex hormones in the body and has been found to decrease the growth of prostate cancer.  However, the product is also associated with significant side effects such as loss of libido, development of blood clots and breast tenderness.  Recent investigations have led to the discovery of other drug contaminants in the products and it has been taken off the market
• Cat’s claw is also known as Uncaria tomentosa. This South American vine is an ancient treatment for arthritis and numerous other ailments.  Cat's Claw remains popular among cancer patients despite the fact that the National Cancer Institute recently decided that the active ingredients in the herb did not show any efficacy against cancers in the laboratory.  The herb is generally safe but it has been known to cause gastric ulcers and fatigue.
• Essiac is a herbal tea (mixture of Indian rhubarb, sheepshead sorrel, slippery elm, and burdock root) has been advertised as a cure for all cancers, but there's little evidence that it has any curative powers.  Studies at both Memorial Sloan-Kettering and the National Cancer Institute found that the tea failed to slow the growth of tumors in lab animals.  Furthermore, a Canadian study found that the herbal tea did not improve nor worsen patients with cancers.  The tea, when pure, causes few side effects except for occasional nausea, but it has often been found to be contaminated with the toxic belladonna root (which can cause mouth dryness, dilated pupils and a fast heart rate).  If you do buy Essiac, obtain it from a reputable supplier.
• Green tea is today reported to be the cure for all of man’s evils. So many myths are associated with it.  It has been reported to prevent certain cancers and slow the growth of many cancers.  Data are conflicting as some studies do show some benefit, and other studies show nothing.  The problem may be that that product is contaminated with other impurities which may make green tea less effective.  The NCI is continuing to study what effect, if any, green tea has on cancer. In the meantime, drinking a few cups of the antioxidant-rich brew each day certainly is not harmful.
• Iscador is an extract from European mistletoe and contains compounds called lectins which, are believed to destroy cancer cells.  Data on its efficacy as a cancer killer are conflicting.  But there is no doubt that when taken in high doses, the drug has serious toxicity including severe nausea, vomiting, bleeding and weight loss.

Although herbs are clearly of value, the herbal industry has been unregulated and out of control and there are a lot of charlatans promising Nirvana.  So as a last word of advice, be knowledgeable, and seek advice and if in doubt always seek a second opinion

Life Style Changes   

A diagnosis of cancer is devastating and depression is a common feature. However, one should understand that a diagnosis of cancer does not mean an imminent risk to life or complete hopelessness.  There are there are means to cope with this heart breaking diagnosis. To help cope, one should

• Learn as much as possible about your disease. Ask and read about the disorder
• Write down your daily feelings and what impact this has been on your life
• Avoid Alcohol. Recent research indicates that there may be a strong link between alcohol consumption and breast cancer. The type of alcohol consumed — wine, beer or mixed drinks — seems to make no difference. To help protect you against breast cancer, limit alcohol to less than one drink a day or avoid alcohol altogether.
• Continue your usual daily activities
• Maintain a close family relationship.
• Maintain a healthy weight. Obesity has been associated with numerous cancers- especially breast and uterine cancer. The link to obesity and these cancers is especially strong when the weight gain occurs after menopause. The excess fatty tissue is a source of circulating estrogen in your body. And breast cancer risk is linked to how much estrogen you're exposed to during your lifetime.
• Use the help of local and national support groups. Today, there are numerous cancer foundations and agencies which can easily be found via the internet
• Avoid stressful situations
• Learn and share your knowledge.
• Stay physically active. Regular exercise can help you maintain a healthy weight and, as a consequence, may aid in lowering your risk of breast cancer. Aim for at least 30 minutes of exercise on most days of the week. If you haven't been particularly active in the past, start your exercise program slowly and gradually work up to a greater intensity. Try to include weight-bearing exercises such as walking, jogging or aerobics. These have the added benefit of keeping your bones strong.

New directions in research

The search for a cancer cure is never ending and newer and promising agents are being discovered frequently.  Among the most promising agents are retinoids and flaxseed.

Retinoids. Natural or synthetic forms of vitamin A (retinoids) may have the ability to destroy or inhibit the growth of cancer cells. Unlike other experimental therapies, retinoids may be effective in premenopausal women and in those whose tumors aren't estrogen-positive. Current trials are underway to determine the efficacy of these agents in cancer.
Flaxseed. Phytoestrogens are naturally occurring compounds that lower circulating estrogens in your body. Flaxseed is particularly high in one Phytoestrogens, lignan, which appears to decrease estrogen production and which may inhibit the growth of some breast cancers.

Today, modern medicine is accepting the fact that complementary medicine as an additional component in the fight against cancer.  Currently, clinical trials are being done at the NIH to evaluate various mistletoe extracts, acupuncture, imaging and meditation to yoga which also aid in pain relief and improve mood and appetite.                      

The cancer industry is a billion dollar business and where there is money, there is always fraud.  Charlatans preying on desperately ill people are everywhere with fake promises of cure.  The following warning signs may be a clue to fraud:

• there is absolutely no data on the treatment
• promises of instant cures
• secret ingredients which are only provided by certain healers
• requires travel to another country
• money first
• Treatment discounts

Cancer is not a preventable disorder but one can greatly decrease the chance of developing cancer by maintaining a healthy lifestyle, eating a diet rich in vegetables and fruits, not smoking, praying a little and exercising- and live the rest to God.

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