Understanding Cancer: Types, Causes, and Risk Factors

Understanding Cancer: Types, Causes, and Risk Factors is an article that aims to give you all the information you do not know about is nose job painful and more. We kindly shared the main headings with you;

What is cancer?” If you are wondering, you should know that cancer is a term used for diseases that occur as a result of abnormal cells dividing rapidly and spreading to other organs and tissues. Cancer can occur in almost any part of the human body, which has trillions of cells. In the normal process, cells in the human body grow and divide to create cells that the body needs. In addition, as cells become damaged and age, they die and are replaced by new cells. However, the development of cancer creates disruptions in this process. As cells become abnormal due to cancer, these damaged and old cells do not die, they survive and new cells are formed even if they are not needed. These cells can constantly divide, creating growths called tumors. Most cancers form solid tumors that are lumps of tissue. Cancerous tumors are malignant, meaning they can invade or spread to neighboring tissues. In addition, as these tumors grow, some cancer cells may separate and migrate to distant parts of the body through the lymph system or blood, creating new tumors at a distance. And at this point, Understanding Cancer: Types, Causes, and Risk Factors becomes crucial.

Understanding Cancer: Types, Causes, and Risk Factors is an article that contains the most common types of cancer are as follows:

• Types of lung cancer,
• Head and neck cancers,
• Breast cancer,
• Prostate cancer,
• Esophageal cancer
• Stomach cancer,
• Colon cancer,
• Ovarian cancer

Cancers are generally named according to the point where they start and the cell type in which they occur, even if they spread to other parts of the body. For example; The type of cancer that occurs in the lung but also spreads to the liver is called lung cancer.

Breast cancer is a disease that develops as a result of a tumor that occurs when one of the cell groups that make up the breast tissue changes and proliferates uncontrollably. The cancerous tissue spreads first to the surrounding area and then to the lymph nodes around the breast. In the initial phases, the illness frequently remains asymptomatic. It can be detected with the help of screening mammography 2 years before a mass reaches a palpable size. For this reason, early diagnosis of breast cancer becomes very difficult in women who do not have routine screening. The cancer cell, which is not detected in the early stages, grows within the breast tissue over time and forms a tumor mass, and then it can spread to other parts of the body and organs through lymph and blood, called metastasis. The treatment success rate is quite high in cases of breast cancer diagnosed before it spreads to other parts and organs of the body. It may take a long time for a cancerous cell or cell tissue in the breast to form a tumor over time and for a specialist doctor to detect this during an examination. In fact, it does not take long for the tumor to be detected in radiological examinations; therefore, time is needed. However, patients can usually detect a tumor mass that has reached at least 1 cm in size by manual inspection. If we were to make a general ranking in this direction, the symptoms of breast cancer are listed in Understanding Cancer: Types, Causes, and Risk Factors article;

• A hardness or mass that can be felt in the breast,
• Asymmetry that has recently emerged between the two breasts,
• Inward shrinkage of the nipple or breast skin,
• Redness, sores, eczema, crusting or cracking on the breast,
• An orange peel-like appearance on the breast skin,
• Pain that can be observed in the breast during menstrual periods.

Lung cancer occurs as a result of uncontrolled growth and proliferation of cells in the lungs. Although the most common cause is smoking, exposure to secondhand smoke, air pollution and genetic factors may also play a role. Lung cancer usually has no symptoms in the early stages and is usually diagnosed in the advanced stages. Lung cancer is malignant tumors that occur with altered cell groups that proliferate uncontrollably and abnormally in the lung tissue. It is among the most common cancers all over the world and ranks first in deaths from cancer in both men and women. And at this point, Understanding Cancer: Types, Causes, and Risk Factors becomes very important.

Common symptoms: Bleeding mixed with phlegm,unexplained fatigue, shortness of breath, swelling in the neck or face, recurrent bronchitis, pneumonia attacks, loss of appetite or weight, hoarseness. You can click here to learn more about lung cancer.

Prostate cancer is the most common type of cancer in the male population worldwide. Prostate cancer accounts for approximately 20% of all cancers detected in men. Prostate specific antigen (PSA) measurements, which have been used since the 1980s, are one of the most important tests that help in the early diagnosis of prostate cancer in men. With the widespread use of closed prostate surgery in the 1970s, there was an increase in the detection rate of prostate cancer. In the 1980s, with the introduction of blood PSA measurement into routine use, a dramatic increase in the diagnosis of prostate cancer was observed. Prostate cancer usually does not cause symptoms until advanced stages, making PSA measurement and prostate examination important in clinical practice. For this reason, patients diagnosed with prostate cancer usually receive this diagnosis through an increase in the PSA value in the blood and/or a prostate examination (digital rectal examination. It should not be forgotten that one in four (approximately 25%) of men diagnosed with prostate cancer has a PSA level within normal limits or lower, and the diagnosis is made only through cancer findings on digital rectal examination. In terms of prostate cancer screening, every man aged 40 and over should undergo routine urology check-ups. Multi-parametric MRI, a sensitive imaging method developed in recent years in addition to the PSA test and digital prostate examination in the diagnosis of prostate cancer, shows the location of the tumor and also enables targeted prostate biopsy. It should not be forgotten that prostate cancer can progress without any symptoms. In advanced cases, problems with urination, blood in the urine or semen, and back, waist, hip and thigh pain may be observed. In addition to these complaints, generally expressed by older men, the feeling of difficulty in urinating, difficulty in starting or stopping urination, frequent urination during the day or night, decrease in urine fluidity, intermittent, forced or painful urination, benign prostate enlargement. Although it may suggest inflammatory diseases of the prostate, it may also be a symptom of an underlying prostate cancer. You can click here to learn more about prostate cancer. 

Colorectal cancer is a type of cancer that occurs as a result of abnormal, uncontrolled growth and proliferation in the cells lining the inner surface of the large intestine (colon) or rectum (the last 20-25 cm of the large intestine). It occurs when the cells on the inner surface of the colon and rectum become cancerous. The term colorectal cancer includes both colon cancer and rectal cancer, and these two types of cancer are often considered together because their diagnosis, treatment, and prevention strategies are similar.The ranking of cancer cases in our country is very similar to the trends in other developed countries. While the most common types of cancer in men are trachea, bronchus and lung cancer, breast cancer is in the first place in women. Colorectal cancers come in third place in both men and women, and while the incidence in men is 25.1 per hundred thousand, it is 14.7 per hundred thousand in women. Colorectal cancer, which is a benign tumor of the organs that form the last part of the digestive system, is more common in developed countries due to lifestyle and environmental factors. The majority of breast, cervix and colorectal cancers can be detected at the level of localization and regional spread. Diagnosis of colorectal cancer is made mainly by clinical examination and endoscopic examination. The diagnosis is confirmed as a result of the pathologist examining the biopsy taken during colonoscopy. Colorectal cancers are treated by various methods: Surgery, chemotherapy (drug therapy) and radiotherapy (radiation therapy) are the most commonly used treatments. Before planning treatment, it is necessary to obtain information about the general condition of the patient and the extent of the disease. Learn more about colorectal cancer and its treatment.

Lenfoma is especially manifested by the enlargement of lymph nodes in various parts of the body. The areas where it occurs are the neck, armpit, groin and, in invisible areas, the lymph nodes in the abdominal and chest cavity. What usually draws people’s attention is the painless and gradually enlarging lymph nodes. Patients are concerned about the painful lymph nodes that appear in the neck due to an upper respiratory tract infection, a dental infection, or a cold sore on the lip, but these lymph nodes are innocent from the physicians’ point of view. The lymph nodes, which are important from a hematological point of view, are united with each other and are dependent on the underlying tissue during the examination phase. They cannot be moved easily and are generally painless. Enlargement of lymph nodes may also occur in the patient with cough, respiratory distress, and shortness of breath. In addition to the enlargement of the lymph nodes, itching that occurs after taking a hot shower or consuming alcohol can be an important symptom of lymphoma. High fever that rises at night to over 38 degrees, and night sweats that require the patient to change his underwear in the morning are important findings. Another important finding is weight loss in people with lymphoma. One of the important findings is that the person has lost more than 10% of his weight in the last 6 months. All these findings we mentioned are among the findings that require seeing a hematologist. Pathological diagnosis is required in lymphoma. The locally enlarged lymph node must be completely removed and examined pathologically. Removing a small piece from the lymph node, which we generally call fine needle aspiration biopsy or tru-cut biopsy, usually causes inconclusive results if the lymph node is taken from the area that is not affected by the disease. Therefore, the entire piece to be sent to pathology is required to be removed by surgery and examined pathologically. Pathology gives results and a diagnosis is made within an average of one week to ten days.

The uterus is part of the female reproductive system. The reproductive system consists of the vagina, uterus, cervix, fallopian tubes (ovarian canals) and ovaries. The uterus is a pear-shaped muscular bag that protects the development of the baby during pregnancy. Scanning; It means testing healthy individuals to see if they have a very early form of the disease. Before screening for any type of cancer can be performed, doctors must have a definitive test. The test must be reliable for detecting disease and must not produce false positive results in people who do not have cancer and at this juncture, Understanding Cancer: Types, Causes, and Risk Factors is highly critical. Currently, there is no screening test that is sufficiently reliable and accurate to detect uterine cancer in the general population. Some women with a known family history of cancer are known to be at higher risk. These are families with HNPCC (Hereditary Non-Polyposis Colorectal Cancer) or Lynch syndrome. These women may benefit from being checked regularly for signs of uterine cancer. Some doctors order vaginal ultrasound scans and hysteroscopy from women with a family history of these diseases when they are in their mid-20s to 30s. Some other doctors only start examinations when a person shows symptoms. There is no single accepted method for uterine cancer screening in these families, and doctors are waiting for the guidelines to be published on this subject. The most common symptom of uterine cancer is abnormal vaginal bleeding – especially in women who have gone through menopause and have stopped menstrual periods. Approximately 9 out of 10 cases of uterine cancer occur after menopause or due to irregular vaginal bleeding. Advanced uterine cancer can cause many more symptoms, especially if the cancer has spread to other parts of the body. Many of these symptoms are vague and difficult to recognize. It is also more likely to be caused by other conditions that are more common than uterine cancer.

In leukemia, the cause of which is unknown, as in all other cancers, paying attention to the symptoms saves time in treatment and saves lives. In leukemia, the bone marrow, where blood cells are produced, is invaded by cancerous cells called blasts. Afterwards, the production of normal blood cells is disrupted and symptoms of leukemia appear as a result of this disruption in the body.

Whichever cell type in the bone marrow shows cancer, the disease is defined by the name of that white blood cell. For example, lymphoid type leukemia affects lymphocytes, a type of white blood cells, and the lymphatic system, causing symptoms with swelling in the lymph nodes. The myeloid type affects the myeloid series cells, which are a type of white blood cells. Leukemias are divided into two groups: acute and chronic leukemias. The fact that it is seen in identical twins, people with Down syndrome, and people with Fanconi anemia shows that genetic factors play a role in the disease. Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is the only type of leukemia that has been shown to be hereditary. Additionally, the risk of leukemia is increased in those exposed to some chemotherapy drugs such as radiation, benzene, and alkylating agents. Because some drugs used in cancer treatment cause DNA damage, leukemia may be observed in these people 5-15 years after drug administration. It has been determined that the race factor is especially important in CLL. Almost no CLL is observed in Far Eastern countries. Additionally, CLL is the only type of leukemia that is not caused by radiation. Leukemia is absolutely not contagious. Leukemia is not a difficult disease to diagnose at this stage, Understanding Cancer: Types, Causes, and Risk Factors is not very difficult. Diagnosis is easily made by spreading a drop of blood sample on a slide and examining it under a microscope. To determine which type of leukemia it is, a bone marrow sample may need to be taken for additional genetic and molecular examination.

Brain cancer occurs when abnormal cells in the brain grow uncontrollably. The brain constitutes a component of the central nervous system within the body. Primary brain tumors develop as a result of mutations occurring in the DNA of regular brain cells, leading to the accumulation of errors. These mutations allow cells to grow and divide at uncontrolled rates and continue living even when they should die. As a result of mutations, a tumor forms from abnormal cells. Secondary brain tumors occur when a tumor occurring in another region metastasizes to the brain. A small proportion of brain tumors occur in people with a family history of brain tumors or a family history of genetic syndromes that increase the risk of brain tumors. It is rare for a brain tumor to be genetically inherited. Talk to your doctor if several people in your family have been diagnosed with brain tumors. Your doctor may recommend a genetic counselor. Learn more about brain cancer and its treatment. 

The liver is divided into two main lobes called right and left lobes. Primary liver cancer is relatively rare. It is more common in men than in women. Approximately 1 in every 100 diagnosed cancers is primary liver cancer. Any factor that increases your risk of contracting a disease is defined as a risk factor. Risk factors for liver cancer; These include scarring from previous damage (cirrhosis), hepatitis virus infection, intake of anabolic steroids, family history of liver cancer, and smoking. People infected with the hepatitis B or C virus have a higher risk of developing liver cancer if they also smoke. Other possible risk factors include arsenic, a poison found in the drinking water of some developing countries, diabetes, being overweight, having a weakened immune system, and using certain types of birth control pills. The signs of liver cancer encompass the following elements:

• Significant weight loss for unexplained reason
• Loss of appetite lasting for periods of several weeks feeling sick
• Feeling full and bloated after a meal, even if it is a very small meal
• Abdominal discomfort or pain
• Itching
• Sudden deterioration in the health of a person with chronic hepatitis or cirrhosis
• High fever and sweating

Scanning; This means testing at an early stage of the disease, before symptoms begin. Before screening for any type of cancer can be performed, doctors must have a definitive test. The test must be reliable for detecting disease and must not produce false positive results in people who do not have cancer. There is not yet a sufficiently reliable screening test to be used for primary liver cancer in the entire population so at this stage, Understanding Cancer: Types, Causes, and Risk Factors is not very difficult. Screening people who are at higher risk of developing any rare type of cancer is most cost-effective. We know that there is a group of people at higher risk for liver cancer. If you have cirrhosis (liver damage), your doctor may recommend testing every 6 months. You can click here to learn more about liver cancer. 

Melanoma is a type of skin cancer. We don’t normally think of skin as an organ because it is so large, but skin is a body organ. The skin consists of two layers called epidermis and dermis. Epidermis is located on the outside and dermis is located below it. Between the layers there are cells called melanocytes. These cells are the cells from which malignant melanoma originates. The function of melanocytes is to produce pigment or give color to the skin. The pigment helps protect the body against the sun’s harmful rays that cause burns. Exposure of your skin to the sun causes melanocytes to produce more pigment. Afterwards, these produced pigments are sent to other skin cells to provide protection against sunlight. If you have had early melanoma in the past, your risk of developing this cancer is higher than average compared to other people. Therefore, you need to pay extra attention. If you have fair skin, have a tendency to freckle, burn easily in the sun, or have many moles on your skin, you should check your moles regularly. You can also ask your partner to examine moles in places you cannot easily see. This is especially important if you have had bad sunburns in the past. If you have a mole that you think may be melanoma, consult your doctor. Learn more about skin cancer and its treatment. 

Understanding Cancer: Types, Causes, and Risk Factors is an article that contains the causes of cancer. The cause of cancer is not known exactly. There are two groups of risk factors for cancer disease. These are modifiable factors and non-modifiable factors. Factors that cannot be changed are age, gender and family history. Changeable factors are environmental factors. These are, smoking and alcohol use, exposure to radiation, some viruses, bad eating habits, additives in foods, prolonged exposure to sunlight, exposure to overdose of x-rays, air pollution. Exposure to one or more of these risk factors does not necessarily mean that a person will develop cancer, but it does increase the likelihood of developing cancer. While some people never get cancer in their lifetime despite having many risk factors, some patients diagnosed with cancer may not have any risk factors. While it’s not always possible to completely prevent cancer, there are several steps you can take to reduce your risk of developing the disease.

Understanding Cancer: Types, Causes, and Risk Factors is an article that contains the risk factors of cancer. Anything that increases the chance of getting a certain type of cancer is a risk factor. Cigarettes, alcohol etc. While risk factors such as can be controlled, some risk factors such as age and genetic characteristics cannot be controlled. It is not known whether many risk factors directly cause the disease. Risk factors help doctors identify people who are likely to get cancer. It is important to know the risk factors. Young people with a history of cancer in relatives have a higher risk. For example, a woman with a history of breast cancer in her mother or sister has twice the risk of developing breast cancer than a woman without a family history. It would be beneficial for those with a history of cancer and risk factors to undergo screening tests at earlier and more frequent intervals. Genetic tests are also recommended for these people.