Introduction
Cancer is one of the deadliest and most
dangerous diseases in the world. It is actually the abnormal division of cells
with the potential to spread or invade to all parts of the body. The cells that
are divided abnormally and spread haphazardly often take the form of a tumor,
which needs to be treated as soon as possible. Early symptoms of the disease
are prolonged cough, sudden weight loss, changes in bowel movements, excessive
bleeding and more. These symptoms are followed by severe signs that indicate
that cancer has reached an alarming stage. More than 200 types of cancer have
been found so far, and the researchers believe that the disease has up to 500
different types, meaning the rest of its types are yet to be discovered
(Sanderson, 2008).
How to
diagnose cancer?
If you observe any of the above-mentioned
symptoms, the chances are you have cancer and a doctor should be approached as
soon as possible. Prior to diagnosis, the doctor may ask you about your medical
history and family background. This is done to know whether your family members
have had cancer or not. besides the physical exams, different laboratory tests
are conducted to diagnose the illness in a proper way. Urine tests and other
fluid tests are also recommended to patients based on the severity of illness.
It should be noticed that some of the lab results are not reliable. In such
circumstances, imaging procedures are used to create clearer pictures of areas
where cancer cells are likely to be present. These pictures help doctors find
whether a tumor is originating or not. CT scan, nuclear scan, ultrasound, MRI,
X-rays, PET scan, and biopsy are also done to diagnose different types and
stages of cancer in a better way (2017).
Different
stages of cancer
It is not possible for the doctors to treat
or cure a patient without knowing the stage of cancer. Studies indicate that
the cancerous cells change their color and structure with time, so the stage
helps determine how serious the illness is and what type of treatment would be
the best. There are two primary types of the staging system for cancer: the
number system and the TNM system (Sanderson, 2008).
The TNM
(Tumor, Node, Metastasis) system
Through this system, the doctors describe the
size of cancer cells as well as the tumor. They also evaluate whether the
cancerous cells have spread to all parts of the body especially lymph nodes or
not. This system uses different numbers and letters to describe the illness in
a better way. For example, T denotes the size of cancer cells and how far they
have spread in the body. N denotes whether the cancer cells have reached the
lymph nodes or not. Similarly, M denotes whether the diseased cells have
reached other parts of the body or not, especially the heart, brain and
digestive tract (2017).
The
number system
The number system helps divide cancer cells
into different categories for easy recognition and treatment of the disease.
Most often, these cells are numbered from 1 to 4 and the physicians use Roman
numerals to describe different numbers. For example, if you have stage 4, they
will mention it as stage IV. The first
stage indicates that cancer cells are few in number (2017). The second stage
indicates that a tumor has started originating and it is getting bigger day by
day. The third stage mentions that the disease has reached an alarming level
and need doctors’ attention as soon as possible. It also indicates that the
cancer is spreading to surrounding tissues and may attack lymph nodes in next
few days. The fourth stage indicates that different body parts are being
attacked and damaged by the illness. In this stage, cancer is often regarded as
metastatic cancer (Sanderson, 2008).
Carcinoma
in situ
Besides the number system and the TNM system,
carcinoma in situ is a system that is rarely used and often denotes stage 0
cancer. It means only a couple of cells in one part of the body are affected.
If remain uncured and unchecked, those cells may divide and develop rapidly and
cause problems for the entire body. The changes taking place during this stage
are known as dysplasia, and the number of cancer cells is insufficient, meaning
it cannot form tumors in next few months or years (2017).
Complications
of cancer
Cancer is one of those few diseases that
accompany numerous complications. It should be noticed that cancer cells can
attack any part of the body, anytime, and cause problems for a few parts of the
entire body instantly. It can affect us emotionally, psychologically, mentally and
physically. For example, cancer may destroy the functioning of the entire
nervous system, which is one of the most severe complications. bone pain and
hypercalcemia are two other, major complications (2017). The patients being
diagnosed with cancer often complain about bone pain, a condition known as
metastasis. The bones lose their flexibility and elasticity with time, and the
disease greatly impacts their functioning. The cancer cells can also target
thyroid glands, lungs, kidneys, breasts and other parts of the body. Similarly,
hypercalcemia is a condition in which calcium level is increased extensively in
the blood. This happens when the cancer cells interfere with the work and
functioning of red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. Hypercalcemia
can weaken our bones and mental capabilities and is a prolonged disease that
needs immediate attention and treatment (Sanderson, 2008).
Side
effects of treatment
Over 1.3 million people are diagnosed with
cancer every year, and the only effective and widely recommended treatment is
chemotherapy. Unfortunately, this treatment accompanies a lot of side effects,
such as pain, fatigue, nausea and hearing loss. When chemotherapy is carried
out, vomiting and nausea are often caused. Various patients are recommended
anti-nausea drugs. Similarly, fatigue occurs in more than 60 percent people
suffering from cancer. Most often, the patients claim that they are not getting
relieved and fatigue is taking a serious form day by day. Hair loss and hearing
loss are two common problems, side effects of chemotherapy. Drugs like
cisplatin and carboplatin are often recommended to patients with hearing
problem, but these drugs may damage the inner cells of their ears. Similarly,
chemotherapy destroys hair follicles and prevents new hair from originating
from the roots. Sometimes patients with pelvic cancer have to experience sexual
dysfunction. This is common in both males and females. Furthermore,
chemotherapy may affect the neurons, blood cells and hormones. Depression, anxiety,
and stress are often observed in patients with cancer (2017).
Methods
to lessen physical and psychological effects
Chemotherapy helps fight cancer, but this
treatment accompanies a lot of side effects. It becomes difficult for the
patients to get rid of those effects, however, they can try the following
methods to lessen physical and psychological effects (2017).
Change
your eating habits
If you are receiving chemotherapy and
experiencing a lot of side effects, then you should change your eating and
drinking habits. You might be depending on junk foods and soft drinks for your
survival. These meals are good for nothing and may cause serious problems for
you. It is better to eat only three small meals in a day rather than five to
seven, and these should consist of fresh fruits, veggies, juices, milk, and
lots of water. Meanwhile, you should remember asking your doctor which diets
would suit you the most. You should always avoid strong-smelling meals to stay
fit and active (Sanderson, 2008).
Medications
The doctor may ask you to use anti-nausea
drugs or other similar medications. These help patients get rid of nausea and
can lessen the psychological effects of chemotherapy to an extent (2017).
Walk
and exercise
Walk and exercise are not only good for your
body but also for your brain. For cancer patients, brisk walk is like a
blessing. It will help them stay active and fit the whole day and will bring
positivity in their life while they are being treated for cancer. Similarly,
exercises can help them fight depression, stress, and anxiety (Sanderson,
2008).
Change
your sleeping habits
If you awake the whole night and sleep
throughout the day, then you should change your sleeping habits as soon as
possible. Without it, you may not be guaranteed of a healthy and fit body, and
the chances are that your cancer won’t get cured in a better way. Those who
don’t take sufficient sleep are likely to suffer from psychological
complications, along with cancer. So, the best option is to change one’s
sleeping habits and take proper rest every day. We should not stress ourselves
and affect our sleep. Meanwhile, a cancer patient doesn’t need to work
overnight to earn a living. Instead, he should change his unhealthy sleeping
habits into healthy ones so that the disease can be gotten rid of as early as
possible (2017).
Conclusion
Cancer kills a large number of people every
year, and the disease is common in not only the United States but also other
parts of the world. Unfortunately, health experts have failed to bring forth a
proper, harmless treatment for the illness. That’s why most doctors recommend
chemotherapy to cure the disease, which itself accompanies various side effects
(2017). The disease can be treated easily and quickly if it at stage 1 to 3.
And if a patient has stage 4 cancer, he may not get fully cured or recovered from
the illness, meaning his death is likely to occur. Thus, there is a strong need
to conduct lots more experiments and bring forth medications for cancer. It may
not be possible for everyone to depend on chemotherapy given that this
treatment is costly and accompanies side effects. We do need a treatment that
guarantees health and accompanies no side effects. Meanwhile, it should be
cost-friendly so that every cancer patient can avail it (Sanderson, 2008).
Work Cited:
Sanderson, K. (2008). Boost for work on
deadliest forms of cancer. Nature. doi:10.1038/news.2008.1263
Old drug, new hope for deadliest cancer.
(2017). New Scientist, 234(3121), 18.
doi:10.1016/s0262-4079(17)30717-0
