Cancer: Dangerous
Growths, Know It, Treat
It
Article contributed by:
Raffles Medical Group
Cancer
is not a new disease.
Worldwide, 13% of deaths
are
caused by cancer.
In Singapore, one
in three persons will
contract cancer in their
lifetime. Most of
us would have had a
close
friend or relative who
had cancer. Yet
many
may not have an
understanding of what it
is
and what it does to the
body.
Explained
Dr Gilberto Lopes,
Medical
Oncologist at
Raffles Cancer Centre,
"Cancer
is a group of 100
different diseases
characterised by the
uncontrolled, abnormal
growth of cells.
These cells form a lump
or
a tumour although some,
such as blood
cancers, do not form
tumours.”
Tumours can be benign
(non-cancerous)
or malignant
(cancerous). Benign
tumours
may grow, but they do
not spread to other
parts of the body and
are usually not life
threatening.
Malignant tumours grow
and
invade other tissues in
the body.
Sometimes cancer will
spread to the lymph
nodes. A lymph
node is a tiny,
bean-shaped
organ that filters the
flow of lymph, the clear
fluid that plays a role
in the body’s immune
where it started (e.g.:
if breast cancer
spreads to the lungs, it
is called metastatic
breast cancer, not lung
cancer).
Cancer
can start anywhere in
the body. It
can affect people of all
ages but the risk for
most cancers increases
with age.
Cancer Is Not Death
Penalty
Rather than to think
that cancer spells the
end of life, it is
important to know that
cancer can be treated.
In cancer treatment,
the aim is to remove or
destroy the cancer
cells. The three
ways by which this can
be done are surgery,
chemotherapy and
radiotherapy.
Depending on the type
and stage of the cancer
and the age and health
of the patient,
treatment is
administered. Sometimes,
a complement of two or
more treatments is used.
Certain cancer
treatments may cause
side effects as they
affect the normal cells
as well.
Surgery
In surgery, the tumour
is removed together
with some of the
surrounding tissue that
may contain invading
cells. It is most
effective for cancers
that are small, found
in only one area of the
body and located
in parts of the body
from which they can
be easily removed.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy uses
medicine to destroy
cancer cells by
interfering with their
ability to grow and
multiply.
Different types of
medicine are used for
different cancers.
Some medicines are oral
(take by mouth).
Others work better when
injected into the blood
vessels.
Chemotherapy works
mainly on cancer cells
but it also affects
normal cells that grow
rapidly, like hair cells
or cells lining the gut.
As a result, patients
receiving chemotherapy
may experience side
effects such as hair
loss, nausea and
vomiting. They are
also more prone to
infections.
Radiotherapy
Radiotherapy uses
radiation to kill cancer
cells. This
radiation may come in
the form of:
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High-dose x-rays
which are directed
at the tumour
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Some radioactive
material that is
surgically implanted
into the tumour
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Radiotherapy may be used
before surgery to reduce
the size of a tumour, or
after surgery to destroy
any remaining cancer
cells in that area.
Side effects from
radiotherapy include
tiredness and skin
rashes over the treated
area.
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Understanding Staging
A common term used when
we talk about cancer is
cancer stages.
Simply put, the higher
the stage, the more
advanced the cancer.
Cancers caught at an
earlier stage have a
higher chance of
recovery while those at
a later stage would be
far more
life-threatening.
“Still, although cancers
are easier to treat at
an earlier stage,” said
Dr Lopes, “you should
seek treatment; no
matter how advanced the
cancer is, as soon as
possible, to contain the
disease.”
|
Stage |
Description |
|
0 |
Cancer in
situ (in
place),
meaning that
cancer has
not become
invasive and
does not
have the
capacity to
spread.
These
cancers are
highly
curable. |
|
|
I |
Generally
indicates a
cancer that
is small,
has not
invaded
deeply into
the
surrounding
tissues, and
has not
spread
either to
lymph nodes
or other
parts of the
body. |
|
|
II/ III |
Stage II and
III cancers
have
increasing
degrees of
size,
invasion ,
and spread
to lymph
nodes, but
have not
spread in
amounts that
can be
detected in
other parts
of the body. |
|
|
IV |
Stage IV
means that
the cancer
has spread
to the other
organs or
parts of the
body, and
may be
referred to
as advanced
cancer. |
|
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8 Signs That May Scream
Cancer
1. Sores that do
not heal
2. A lump in
breast or other parts of
the body
3. Unusual
bleeding
4. Change in bowel
habits or bladder
function
5. Recent change in a
wart or mole
6. Indigestion or
difficulty in swallowing
7. Nagging cough
or hoarseness
8. Unexplained
weight loss or fever
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Article contributed by:
Raffles Medical Group
Dated: June 2011
|
Raffles
Medical
Group is
a leading
medical
group and
the largest
private
group
practice in
Singapore.
As a fully
integrated
healthcare
organisation,
the Group
owns and
operates a
network of
family
medicine
clinics, a
tertiary
care private
hospital,
insurance
services and
a consumer
healthcare
division.
Patients of
the Group
enjoy a
continuum of
care, from
having their
most basic
healthcare
needs met
through the
Group’s
islandwide
network of
Raffles
Medical
clinics, to
specialist
and tertiary
care at
Raffles
Hospital. |
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