हिंदी
Cancer is one of the most dreaded diseases among human beings. But there have been innumerable people who have battled it and are now leading their lives normally. From symptoms to treatment, here is all you need to know about cancer.
THE FOUR STAGES
Cancer can be divided into four stages. Stages 1 and 2 are the early stages, wherein the cancerous tumour is small and hasn’t spread deeply into nearby tissues. Stage 3 is locally advanced, when the tumour is large and has potential to spread around. “Stage 4 is the advanced stage, in which the cancer has spread to other organs from the organ of origin. It’s also called metastatic cancer. When the patient is not able to detect cancer on time, it proceeds to Stage 3 and 4 where it spreads.
TREATMENT OPTIONS
In the more advanced or late stages, chemotherapy has been the main treatment option. Under it, anti-cancer drugs drawn from plant and metal sources or replicated synthetically in labs are used. In today’s time, intensive research has brought drugs that can be taken orally or can be injected.
Immunotherapy is also becoming a popular option for many doctors and patients. This process stimulates the body’s innate defence mechanisms to kill Cancer cells. Technological advances have to also led to the development of machines called Linear Accelerators which burn Cancer cells with precision via Radiotherapy.
Proton Therapy is used for cancer in difficult areas.
Symptoms
1. Common symptoms of cancer are loss of weight, fever, loss of appetite, bone pain, cough and bleeding.
2. Most symptoms are particular to the organ. For example, cancer spreading to the lungs leads to blood with sputum or cough which doesn’t go away, breathing difficulty and chest pain. Liver troubles you with jaundice, vomiting and fluid accumulation in the tummy.
3. Abdominal or back pain, weight loss, lack of appetite, nausea and blood clots are symptoms of Pancreatic cancer, which is hard to detect. Some melanomas are colourless, skin-coloured or pink and red, making you brush it off as a pimple or wart. Ignoring this can be fatal if it spreads to the lungs, liver or brain.
4. A painless ulcer or wound which doesn’t heal, a painless discrete nodule in your body, any painless change in your voice, change in bladder or bowel habits, bleeding from vagina, presence of lumps anywhere on body and sores that doesn’t heal, along with changes in skin, such as a new mole or change in existing mole are common symptoms.
GET TESTED REGULARLY
Late diagnosis can be avoided by keeping an eye out for any abnormal growth on the body, clinical examination. Liquid biopsy, pet scan, papsmear, biopsy, cancer SEEK, complete blood test count (CBC) and blood protein test should be done at regular intervals, once in six months if possible or in an year.
