Cancer is a disease where abnormal cells grow uncontrollably and spread to other parts of the body, damaging healthy tissues and organs.
Normally, cells grow, divide, and die in an orderly process. However, cancer cells ignore signals to stop growing and dividing.
There are over 100 types of cancer, including carcinoma, sarcoma, leukemia, lymphoma, and melanoma, each with distinct characteristics.
Cancer is a genetic disorder caused by mutations in genes that control cell growth, often triggered by environmental factors, lifestyle choices, or inherited genetic mutations.
Key risk factors include family history, smoking, environmental toxins, malnutrition, hormone therapy, and radiation exposure.
Common symptoms include fatigue, fever, loss of appetite, night sweats, persistent pain, skin changes, and unexplained weight loss.
Cancer is diagnosed through physical exams, blood tests, imaging tests, biopsies, and genetic testing.
Treatments vary depending on the type and stage of cancer and may include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, immunotherapy, targeted therapy, hormone therapy, or bone marrow transplant.
Cancer stages range from I to IV, with stage IV being the most advanced, where cancer cells have spread to distant parts of the body.
While not all cancers can be prevented, reducing risk factors such as quitting smoking, maintaining a healthy diet, and limiting radiation exposure can help lower the risk of developing cancer.