What Is Cancer?

What is Cancer?

A common question asked by many is, “What is cancer?”  This question can not be easily defined in a single sentence or in a small paragraph.  The human body is made up of trillions of living cells that grow, divide, and die in a very controlled manner.  By definition, “what is cancer” can be defined as a disease in which the controlled manner of cell’s life-cycle becomes unstable or uncontrolled, and a division of abnormal cells invades one or more parts of the body.  The uncontrolled division of cells, or cancer cells, can spread to other parts of the body through the blood or lymph system.  This action of spreading is commonly referred to as metastasis.

Asking “what is cancer?” is a difficult question to answer without first breaking it down into different types because cancer is not a single disease but a number of different diseases.  In fact there are more than 100 different types of cancers which are typically named after the organ or cell type from which they first started.  An example of this is when cancer originates in the lungs, it’s called lung cancer.  Another example is when cancer originates in the colon, it’s called colon cancer.  If the cancer spreads (or metastasizes) elsewhere, the cancer is still referred to as the original location type.

“What is cancer?” is partly defined by the categories they fall under and can also be grouped into broader categories:

• Carcinoma: This is a cancer that originates in the skin or the tissue that covers internal organs.
• Leukemia: This is a cancer that originates in blood-forming tissue such as bone marrow.  Leukemia causes large numbers of abnormal blood cells to be produced.
• Lymphoma and Myeloma: This is an Immune System cancer.
• Sarcoma: This cancer originates in bone, cartilage, muscle, fat, blood vessels or any connective/supportive tissue.
• Central Nervous System Cancers: This cancer originates in brain tissue and/or the spinal cord.

What we’ve learned so far is that cancer the result of when a normal, healthy cell’s life-cycle is altered and the cell essentially becomes immortal and mutated.  “What is cancer” can be further defined by looking at a cancer types origin.

What is Cancer: The Origins of Cancer

All cancers, more than 100 different types, being in cells that fail to complete their basic life-cycle.  A typical cell grows and divides and a very controlled way, which helps to keep the body healthy.  When a cell fails to complete it’s life-cycle and die, it becomes damaged and essentially becomes immortal.  These immortal cells are normal cells that have become damaged or have changed, producing mutations that can affect other normal cell growth and divisions.  Some of these mutations can cause cells to grow where they are not needed, and the extra cells may form a mass of tissue called a tumor.

It should be noted at this point that not all tumors are cancerous.  Tumors can either be benign or malignant.

• Benign Tumors: These are non-cancerous tumors which can often be removed and not come back.  These begnin tumors also do not spread to other parts of the body.
• Malignant Tumors: These are cancerous tumors which can invade nearby tissue and spread throughout the body.  In many cases these tumors can be removed however there are varying chances that the tumors can come back, depending on the type of cancer and what stage it is in.  Some cancers are more aggressive than others.

Furthering what we’ve learned, a mutated cell (or cancer cell) divides and multiplies creating benign or malignant tumors.  “What is cancer?” can also be defined by how the different types differ.

What is Cancer: How Cancers Differ

Regardless of where the cancer spreads to or how many places it spreads to, the cancer is defined by the original location it started.  For example, if cancer starts in a patients bladder, then spreads to the liver, lungs and brain, the patient is described as having bladder cancer.  This is still true if the bladder cancer is treated and goes away, but the cancer in the lungs kills the patient.

Each type of cancer behaves quite differently from each other.  While many have common traits, there are always varying differences that separate them from each other.  Brain cancer and colon cancer for example are very different.  Both cancers start in different locations, grow at different rates, spread at different rates, and respond to treatments differently.  It is for this reason that cancer patients require treatments that are specifically designed for their type of cancer.  What works for one does not always work for another.

What is Cancer: Treatments and Alternative Treatments

There are a number of cancer drugs and treatments available.  Treatments can include chemotherapy, radiation therapy, surgery, gene therapy, bone marrow transplantation, and biological therapy.

DCA (Sodium dichloroacetate, or NaDCA) is used as an alternative cancer treatment that is effective for many different types of cancer.  DCA is not a drug and therefore does not require a prescription.  It also won’t interfere with other forms of cancer treatments, in fact it will enhance most treatments.  Read more about DCA Information.

What is Cancer: Conclusion

As you can see, “What is cancer?” can not be easily defined in a single sentence.

It’s difficult today, or impossible even, to find someone who doesn’t have cancer, know someone with cancer, or know someone who has died of cancer.  Millions of people in the United States of America live with this disease every day.  That’s millions of people asking the same question, what is cancer?

It has been estimated that half of all men and one third of all women in the US will develop cancer at some point in their lifetime.  While this information may be depressing to some, it should be pointed out that science is making significant leaps forward in treatments for many cancers.  If caught early enough, many cancers can be corrected and the patient go into remission for many years or for life.  For others, what time they have left is greatly increased or made more comfortable.  With cancer being one of the biggest causes of death in the world, significant resources are being dedicated towards finding a cure.  By understanding the question “what is cancer?”, one day we may have the cures we’re looking for.

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