WHAT IS CANCER?

Cancer is the name given to a collection of related diseases. In all types of cancer,
some of the body’s cells begin to divide without stopping and spread into
surrounding tissues.

Cancer can start almost anywhere in the human body, which is made up of
trillions of cells. Normally, human cells grow and divide to form new cells as the
body needs them. When cells grow old or become damaged, they die, and new
cells take their place.

When cancer develops, however, this orderly

process breaks down. As cells become more and
more abnormal, old or damaged cells survive
when they should die, and new cells form when
they are not needed. These extra cells can divide
without stopping and may form growths called
tumors.

Many cancers form solid tumors, which are masses of tissue. Cancers of the
blood, such as leukemias, generally do not form solid tumors.

Cancerous tumors are malignant, which means they can spread into, or invade,
nearby tissues. In addition, as these tumors grow, some cancer cells can break off
and travel to distant places in the body through the blood or the lymph system
and form new tumors far from the original tumor.

Unlike malignant tumors, benign tumors do not spread into, or invade, nearby
tissues. Benign tumors can sometimes be quite large, however. When removed,
they usually don’t grow back, whereas malignant tumors sometimes do. Unlike
most benign tumors elsewhere in the body, benign brain tumors can be life
threatening.
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF CANCER
Symptoms and signs of cancer depend on the type of cancer, where it is located,
and/or where the cancer cells have spread. For example, breast cancer may
present as a lump in the breast or as nipple discharge while metastatic breast
cancer may present with symptoms of pain (if spread to bones),
extreme fatigue (lungs), or seizures (brain). A few patients show no signs or
symptoms until the cancer is far advanced.

The American Cancer Society describes seven warning signs and/or symptoms
that a cancer may be present, and
which should prompt a person to
seek medical attention. The word
CAUTION can help you remember
these.
 Change in bowel or bladder
habits
 A sore throat that does not
heal
 Unusual bleeding or
discharge (for
example, nipple secretions or a "sore" that will not heal that oozes
material)
 Thickening or lump in the breast, testicles, or elsewhere
 Indigestion (usually chronic) or difficulty swallowing
 Obvious change in the size, color, shape, or thickness of a wart or mole
 Nagging cough or hoarseness
 Unexplained loss of weight or loss of appetite
 A new type of pain in the bones or other parts of the body that may be
steadily worsening, or come and go, but is unlike previous pains one has
had before
 Persistent fatigue, nausea, or vomiting
 Unexplained low-grade fevers with may be either persistent or come and
go
 Recurring infections which will not clear with usual treatment
 TYPES OF CANCER
Doctors divide cancer into types based on where it begins. Four main types of
cancer are:

 Carcinomas. A carcinoma begins in the skin or the tissue that covers the
surface of internal organs and glands. Carcinomas usually form solid
tumors. They are the most common type of cancer. Examples of
carcinomas include prostate cancer, breast cancer, lung cancer,
and colorectal cancer.

 Sarcomas. A sarcoma begins in the tissues that support and connect the

body. A sarcoma can develop in fat, muscles, nerves, tendons, joints, blood
vessels, lymph vessels, cartilage, or bone. 

 Leukemias. Leukemia is a cancer of the blood. Leukemia begins when

healthy blood cells change and grow uncontrollably. The 4 main types of
leukemia are acute lymphocytic leukemia, chronic lymphocytic
leukemia, acute myeloid leukemia, and chronic myeloid leukemia.

 Lymphomas. Lymphoma is a cancer that begins in the lymphatic system.

The lymphatic system is a network of vessels and glands that help fight
infection. There are 2 main types of lymphomas: Hodgkin
lymphoma and non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

WHAT CAUSES CANCER?

 biological or internal factors,
such as age, gender, inherited
genetic defects and skin type.
 environmental exposure, for
instance to radon and UV radiation,
and fine particulate matter.
 occupational risk factors,
including carcinogens such as many
chemicals, radioactive materials and asbestos.
 lifestyle-related factors.
HOW CANCER SPREADS
As a cancerous tumor grows, the bloodstream or lymphatic system may carry
cancer cells to other parts of the body. During this process, the cancer cells grow
and may develop into new tumors. This is
known as metastasis.

One of the first places a cancer often spreads is

to the lymph nodes. Lymph nodes are tiny,
bean-shaped organs that help fight infection.
They are located in clusters in different parts of
the body, such as the neck, groin area, and
under the arms.

Cancer may also spread through the

bloodstream to distant parts of the body.
These parts may include the bones, liver, lungs,
or brain. Even if the cancer spreads, it is still named for the area where it began.
For example, if breast cancer spreads to the lungs, it is called metastatic breast
cancer, not lung cancer.

DIAGNOSING CANCER
Often, a diagnosis begins when a person visits a doctor about an unusual
symptom. The doctor will talk with the person about his or her medical history
and symptoms. Then the doctor will do various tests to find out the cause of these
symptoms.

But many people with cancer have no symptoms. For these people, cancer is
diagnosed during a medical test for another issue or condition.

Sometimes a doctor finds cancer after a screening test in an otherwise healthy

person. Examples of screening tests include colonoscopy, mammography, and
a Pap test. A person may need more tests to confirm or disprove the result of the
screening test.

For most cancers, a biopsy is the only way to make a definite diagnosis. A biopsy is
the removal of a small amount of tissue for further study. 

STAGING CANCER
TNM descriptions

Listed below
are the general
descriptions of
the TNM
staging system.
However, the
specific
definitions for
each category
are different for
each type of cancer that is staged using this system.

Tumor (T). The letter "T" plus a number (0 to 4) describes the size and location of
the tumor, including how much the tumor has grown into nearby tissues. Tumor
size is measured in centimeters (cm). A centimeter is roughly equal to the width
of a standard pen or pencil. A larger tumor or a tumor that has grown more
deeply into the surrounding tissue receives a higher number. For some types of
cancer, lowercase letters, such as “a,” “b,” or "m" (for multiple), are added to the
“T” category to provide more detail.

 Node (N). The
letter "N" plus a
number (0 to 3)
stands for lymph
nodes. These
tiny, bean-shaped organs help fight infection. Lymph nodes near where the
cancer started are called regional lymph nodes. Lymph nodes in other parts
of the body are called distant lymph nodes. Most often, the more lymph
nodes with cancer, the larger the number assigned. However, for some
 tumors, the location of the lymph nodes with cancer may determine the
“N” category.

 Metastasis (M). The letter "M" indicates whether the cancer has spread
to other parts of the body, called distant metastasis. If the cancer has not
spread, it is labeled M0. If the cancer has spread, it is considered M1.
TREATMENT OF CANCER
Treatment options depend on the type of cancer, its stage, if the cancer has
spread and your general health. The goal of treatment is to kill as many cancerous
cells while reducing damage to normal cells nearby. Advances in technology make
this possible.

The three main treatments are:

 Surgery: directly removing the tumor

 Chemotherapy: using chemicals to kill cancer cells
 Radiation therapy: using X-rays to kill cancer cells

Are there home remedies or alternative treatments for cancer?

There are many claims on the Internet and in publications about substances that
treat cancer (for example, broccoli, grapes, ginseng, soybeans, green tea, aloe
vera, and lycopene and treatments like acupuncture, vitamins, and dietary
supplements). Almost every physician suggests that a balanced diet and
good nutrition will help an individual combat cancer. Although some of these
treatments may help reduce symptoms, there is no good evidence they can cure
any cancers. Patients are strongly recommended to discuss any home remedies or
alternative treatments with their cancer doctors before beginning any of these.

WHAT IS ONCOLOGY?
The branch of medicine dedicated to
diagnosing, treating and researching
cancer is known as oncology, while a
physician who works in the field is
called an oncologist. The field of oncology has three main specialties—medical,
surgical and radiation—and numerous sub-specialties.

PROGNOSIS
The prognosis for cancer patients may range from excellent to poor. The
prognosis is directly related to both the type and stage of the cancer. For
example, many skin cancers can be completely cured by removing the skin
cancer tissue; similarly, even a patient with a large tumor may be cured after
surgery and other treatments like
chemotherapy. However, as the cancer type
either is or becomes aggressive, with spread
to lymph nodes or is metastatic to other
organs, the prognosis decreases.
Depending on the type of the cancer, as the
stage of cancer increases, the prognosis decreases, and so does life expectancy.
On the positive side, cancers that are treated and do not recur within a five-year
period in general suggest that the patient will have a normal life expectancy.
Some general complications that may occur with both cancer and its treatment
protocols are fatigue, anemia, loss of appetite, insomnia, hair loss, nausea,
lymphedema, pain, immune system depression.

PREVENTION OF CANCER
Most experts are convinced that many cancers can either be prevented or the risk
of developing cancers can be markedly reduced. Some of the cancer
prevention methods are simple; others are relatively extreme, depending on an
individual's view. Some preventive measures can be:
 Don’t smoke tobacco
 Avoid excess sunlight (by decreasing exposure or applying sunscreen)
 If working close to cancer causing agents, follow all safety precautions
  Minimal use of cell phone
 Get vaccinated
 Regular medical checkups

SURVIVAL STATISTICS
The number of people who have had cancer has gone up greatly over the last 45
years in the United States. In 1971, there were 3 million people with cancer.
Today there are more than 15.5 million.

 About 67% of today’s cancer survivors were diagnosed 5 or more years

ago.

 About 17% of all cancer survivors were diagnosed 20 or more years ago.

 Nearly half (47%) of survivors are age 70 or older.

Most cancer survivors have had common cancers:

 23% - breast cancer

 21% - prostate cancer
 9% - colorectal cancer
 8% - melanoma
 8% - cervical, uterine,
or ovarian cancers

Higher survival rates may be

due to the following major
improvements in cancer prevention and treatment:

 Screening tests may find cancers earlier. These tests include:

o Mammography for breast cancer

o Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) for prostate cancer

o Colonoscopy for colorectal cancer

o Pap test for cervical cancer

 Existing treatments are being used in better ways

 Less side effects, which keeps planned treatments on schedule

 Newer treatments such as targeted therapy and immunotherapy

BIOLOGY
PROJECT
CANCER
SUBMITTED BY: SUBMITTED TO:
Khushi Sharma Ms. Varsha Roy
Roll no.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
 www.cancer.gov
 www.cancer.net
 www.cancer.org
 www.cancercentre.com
 www.medicinenet.com