Introduction - Cancer

Cr: alternative-cancer.net

Cancer is the general term for the abnormal growth of cells. Our body cells contain millions of genes, all carrying information on how body should grow, function and behave. Normally our genes work properly and send right messages, so our body remains healthy and working the right way as it should. Since there are millions of genes carrying large number of messages, some mistakes might occur during cell divisions or damage from external factors which causes mutations that would alter the genes. Cancer results from the genetic change or damage to a chromosome within a cell. This causes the altered gene to send wrong messages, leading to the rapid growth of the particular cell. It multiplies again and again until it forms a lump that is called a malignant tumor, or cancer.

Cr : MedicaLook.net

All cancers begins in cells, the basic unit of life in our body. The abnormal cells are also known as cancer cells, maglinant cells and tumour cells. Human, animals and other living organisms can get cancers. When the cancer cells develop, they can break away from the original mass of  cells, travel through the blood and finally lodge in other organs and then repeat the uncontrolled growth.  Fast growing cancers may double over one to four weeks; slower growing cancers may double over two to six months. After the cancer has started to grow, there will a ‘silent period’ where there is no lump or mass. After a few months or years, the doubling process has occurred thirty times or so, the lump might have reach a size where it can be felt, seen on an X-ray, or cause pressure symptoms such as pain or bleeding.

There are two types of tumors. The benign tumors can appear in any part of the body, but they don’t cause any problems. They can be removed or left alone. They do not destroy the surrounding cells. While for malignant tumors, they have no clear-cut border, they put down roots and directly invade the surrounding cells. Besides, they have the ability to spread to other parts of body.

It is estimated that the annual incidence of cancer in Malaysia is 30 000 with the majority of patients found to be at a late stage of the disease. A total of 26,089 cancers were diagnosed among all residents in Peninsular Malaysia in the year 2002, comprising 11,815 males and 14,274 females with an estimation of 10,656 unregistereed cases. 1 in 5.5 Malaysians can be expected to get cancer in his/her lifetime. Taking into account unregistered cases, the risk would be 1 in 4 Malaysians.