Back to basics: Understanding cancer, the plague of our time.

Cancer is perceived to be the plague of our time; however, it’s not just a modern phenomenon. Research has shown that dinosaurs also suffered from the diseaseafter scientists discovered fossilized tumors that were similar to those found in human bodies.

Unfortunately, most of us know of someone close to us who has either been diagnosed with cancer, is now in remission, or has passed away from it. For me, that person is my maternal grandfather, who died of colon cancer when I was 10 years old. At that age, I didn’t really understand what was going on, and my desire to know led me, a few years later, to write a brief research paper on the topic as part of a larger school project.

I came across this research paper recently and decided to share it due to its simple, yet informative nature. My hope is that, for those of us not in the medical field nor dealing with this topic on a daily basis, it’ll serve as an educational tool, or at least as a refresher of the basics:

Cancer is the result of disordered and disorganized cell growth. Cancer cells grow at their own speed and in an uncontrolled manner, and they will continue to do so unless treatment is given. In time, these cells become visible as a growth, but because they cannot organize themselves, the mass of tissue that forms does not resemble normal tissue. A cancer obtains its nourishment from normal cells and serves no useful purpose for the person whose body it inhabits.

Cancer can be classified according to the cell from which it originated. There are two types: carcinomas and sarcomas. Carcinomas are cancers that arise from cells in the surface membranes of the body. Sarcomas are cancers that arise from structures deep inside the body. Carcinomas are much more common than sarcomas because the cells of the surface membranes need to divide more often to keep the membranes intact. (Jacoby, David B., 262).

The words “mass,” “lump,” and “growth” all refer to tumors, which are typically associated with cancer; however, not all tumors are cancerous. Tumors can be classified as benign or malignant. Benign tumors are those that are contained in one location and can usually be surgically removed. Malignant tumors can spread to several places in the body (called metastasis) and cause extensive damage. It’s this kind of tumor that causes cancer. (Dickerson, Louise H., 648).

Cancer is able to spread in a very effective manner. The abnormal growth is localized forming a mass in the location of the original cells. Metastasis occurs when small clumps of cancer cells break off from the main cancer and are carried to other areas of the body by the blood. They enter capillaries and, once there, they don’t stop until they come to a place where the blood vessels divide to form channels so small that the cancer cells cannot easily get through. At this point, they are stuck and begin to grow, forming cancer masses similar to the original. (Jacoby, David B., 263). 

The cause of cancer is still unknown, but two fundamental abnormalities are recognized: cancers are not subject to the normal influences that control cell growth, and the body will tolerate the presence of cancer without rejecting it as a foreign invader. This last abnormality makes it a difficult disease to spot.

Every cancer type has different symptoms. Colon cancer produces tiredness, diarrhea, and blood in the urine. Breast cancer causes lumps in the breast, bleeding from the nipple, indrawn nipple, and change in the shape of the breast. Symptoms of lung cancer include persistent cough, spitting up blood, shortness of breath, chest pain, and hoarseness. These three are considered to be the most common types of cancers. (Jacoby, David B., 266).

“Various treatments are used for various reasons. Treatments can alleviate the pain or complications resulting from cancer, slow tumor progression, or cure different cancers. The treatment course varies based on the specific type and the extent of cancer. Surgery or radiation, or both, are often used to treat or remove localized tumors. Whereas, chemotherapy is more often used to treat cancers which have spread.” (Dickerson, Louise H., 652). Another type of treatment use is immunotherapy, which boots the immune system to fight cancer.

In proper old school fashion, here are the sources I used:

Rob Nagel. Body by Design: The Digestive System. Pg. 43. 2000.
Louise H. Dickerson. The Gale Encyclopedia of Science. Pg. 648-653. 1996.
David B. Jacoby. Encyclopedia of Family Health (V. 2): Cancer. Pg. 262-267. 1998.

I also included more recent links to the three most common types of cancer stated above. These are beneficial to read through, especially if you know of someone dealing with the illness. And, of course, the American Cancer Society is a great resource, too.

Here’s to a world without cancer, and until then, more awareness on the topic.

Photo: Matthew Shwartz

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