As we all know, the generic term for multiple groups of diseases is called cancer. It involves cells growing abnormally and being able to move to other parts of the body and affect them. Humans are affected by over 100 different forms of cancer. As one of the leading diseases that cause most death, millions of cancer cases are diagnosed yearly. However, significant progress has been made in recent years in studying cancer, developing new treatments, and building more cancer treatment clinics worldwide. One update for this is the spread of Mexican cancer treatment and professionals in the field.
Overview of cancer and its causes
Cancer is a complex and diverse set of diseases that has the ability to affect any part of the body. As mentioned before, it is characterized by abnormal cells uncontrollably growing and spreading, which can cause different symptoms or complications. Nevertheless, it has remained the leading cause of death worldwide, with 10 million deaths recorded last 2020. The most common type of cancer to cause death are lung, colon and rectum, liver, stomach, and breast.
Cancer develops from the change of normal cells into tumor cells in a multi-stage process that goes from a pre-cancerous lesion to a malignant tumor. These alterations result from a person’s genetic traits interacting with three types of external agents, including physical carcinogens such as UV and ionizing radiation. Chemical carcinogens include asbestos, tobacco, alcohol, and contaminated food or water, while biological carcinogens include infections from certain viruses, bacteria, or parasites. This leads us to the conclusion that tobacco use, alcohol consumption, unhealthy diet and lifestyle, and polluted air are a risk for cancer and other non-communicable diseases.
Types of Cancer Treatment
- Surgery
Surgery is common for various types of cancer and involves removing the cancerous tissue from the body. It involves various techniques, including open surgery, laparoscopic surgery, and robotic surgery. Surgery is more effective for solid tumors which are isolated. In addition, it is a local therapy, which means it just addresses the affected area of your body.
- Radiation Therapy
In radiation therapy, it uses high-energy radiation to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. It can be delivered externally or internally, depending on the type and location of the cancer. Radiation treatment, in high dosages, destroys cancer cells or inhibits their development by destroying their DNA. Cancer cells that have had their DNA damaged beyond repair either cease proliferating or die. As damaged cells die, the body breaks them down and removes them.
Radiation treatment does not immediately destroy cancer cells. It might take days or weeks of therapy to damage DNA sufficiently for cancer cells to die. The cancer cells then continue to die for weeks or months after the radiation therapy is finished.
- Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is the use of medications to destroy cancer cells, which can be given orally or intravenously. Chemotherapy works by halting or decreasing the development of cancer cells, which multiply rapidly. Chemotherapy is used for two different reasons. First, chemotherapy can be used to treat cancer, reduce the likelihood of recurrence, or stop or delay its progress. Another is cancer symptoms can be reduced by taking chemotherapy to decrease tumors that are causing pain and other issues.
- Immunotherapy
Immunotherapy is a relatively new type of cancer treatment that works by activating the immune system to recognize and attack cancer cells. This may be accomplished utilizing a variety of approaches, including immune checkpoint inhibitors, CAR T-cell therapy, and cancer vaccines. In addition, targeted therapies are drugs that are designed to specifically target the genetic or molecular abnormalities that drive the growth of certain types of cancer. These treatments can be very effective in certain patients and can cause fewer side effects than traditional chemotherapy.
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