CAUSES
Stories like these emphasize how important it is to understand what causes cancer. The research overthe past 30 years has led to the discovery of exactly what causes cancers. Mutations cause cancers ,like what causes these mutations? Three factors are responsible. First random errors occur every time a cell divides and copies its DNA to make two new cells. This routine process happens millions of times every day, in everyone's bod, and usually does no harm. However, cancers can occur when such errors, simply through bad luck, affect an important gene,rather than an unimportant gene. Our research suggest that nearly two- thirds of the mutations that cause cancer are due to the se errors, this sort of bad luck. The second factor is environmental. Some people add to the number of mutations in their bodies by their behavior, such as sunbathing or smoking. The third factor is inherited. Some people are born with mutations that make them more likely to get cancer .Let's use the an alogy of typing using a keyboard. Because we are humans the task of typing will of course result in typos. This is just like mutations thatoccur when normal cells divide. Behavior, such as typing while tired or when distracted cancause even more typos, just as certain behaviors can cause extra mutations in DNA. A factory defect in the keyboard,like a stock key, or a missing key can cause even more typos. Just like an inherited factorcan cause more mutations in DNA. Let's look at pancreatic cancers as an important example of these principles. About three-quarters of the mutations that cause pancreatic cancers are due to errorsmade during the division of normal pancreas cells. That is, bad luck. About 20% of these mutations are due to environmental factors such as smoking. And the remaining 5% of the mutations that cause pancreatic cancer are inherited. Our research suggests that nearly two-thirds of the mutations that cause cancer are due to the seerrors, this sort of bad luck. Everyone should avoid behaviors thatincrease the chance that they'll get the mutations that cause cancers. But many people will developcancer no matter how perfect their behaviors are. These people should certainly not feel guilty about getting the disease. There is nothing they could have done to avoid it. Because some cancers are inevitable, we believe that more researcht o find ways to detect cancers earlier while they are still curable, is urgently needed.
PREVENTIONS
Cancer is far too complex to hope that there'sa one-size-fits-all. The term cancer is way too broad. It covers many disease processes,we have to be patient and invest across the full spectrum. I'm very proud that the Divisionof Cancer Prevention has a very broad spectrum of research, which spans from pure bench research ,test tube research, to animal research, then, ultimately, the first tests in people. One important opportunity is one related to screening; identifying at the molecular level, over-diagnosed cancers on the one hand, and rapidly growing cancers on the other hand. We know that it's the rapidly growing cancers that we need to really focus on for preventing. That's where prevention will offer the most benefit. Other promising areas that we're looking into; we know that drugs that are used to decrease inflammation or to decrease the risk of heart disease, for example aspirin, affect pathways that have been recognized again and again in the process of cancer development. So we are studying aspirin to see if it will decrease a broad range of cancers and decrease a risk for those cancers. We devote a lot of effort to putting new information in context. Often science is reported in newspapers as thoughth is is a breakthrough, this is the latest cure. When really, the papers that you see in the literature are only an ongoing, never-ending dialogue. Science itself is an ever-growing fabric, a tapestry, and it's extremely rare for any single study, or stitch, to change the pattern of the entire tapestry. And so, we have to point out that the latest study that came out is usually only one more stitch in an infinitely growing pattern. In order to recognize the pattern, you have to put the stitch in context with so many other stitches. And so it's an important role in prevention to let the public know that it is a tough problem, it's not going to be resolved in any single study, and we have to be prepared to use a very broad portfolio of research to attack the problem, and for some cancers, the most effective intervention is going to be prevention. For others, it's going to be screening, and in others, I think it's going to be treatment or long-term care.
TREATMENT
If you have cancer [your] doctor may recommend Chemotherapy as part of your treatment The Cell's Nucleus controls this process Inside each nucleus genetic material called Dna contains the instructions for directing this process sometimes the cells Dna becomes damaged Normally the DNa responds by either repairing itself or instructing the cell to die in cancer however the parts of the cells Dna that [directs] cell division become damaged When these sections are damaged the DnA is unable to repair itself or cause the cell to die Instead the unrepaired Dna causes the cell to grow and divide uncontrollably into more damaged cells called cancer cells a tumor forms as the cancer cells multiply and displace the normal cells As the tumor enlarges it develops its own blood supply Since cancer cells do not stick together as well as normal cells. They may break away and enter a nearby blood vessel Cancer cells in blood vessels may travel to other areas of your body and form additional tumors. This is called Metastasis additional tumors may form in areas such as the lungs liver and bones Another way cancer may spread to other areas of your body is through your lymphatic system cancer cells may enter Lymph vessels near the tumor Then travel to small glands called Lymph nodes if the cells pass through the nodes They may continue to travel through your lymphatic system and form additional tumors Chemotherapy drugs work by targeting fast-growing and reproducing cells [a] characteristic common to cancer cells The tumor Shrinks as the cells stop dividing and die most chemotherapy drugs work systemically as they travel throughout your body in your bloodstream as they circulate the drugs damaged metastatic cancer cells in other organs unfortunately chemotherapy drugs cannot tell the difference between Fast-growing normal cells and cancer cells as a result these drugs also damage Or irritate some of your fast-growing normal cells such as those in your bone marrow digestive system and Hair follicles Death Irritation or damage to these normal cells produces [side-effects] such [as] a weakened immune system Nausea and Hair loss the goal of Chemotherapy is to reduce or eliminate cancer cells in the original tumor and any sites of Metastasis In addition to being a primary cancer treatment doctors often use chemotherapy as a secondary treatment before during or after other primary cancer treatments such as [radiation] therapy or surgical excision of a tumor Depending on the location and type of [cancer] you may receive chemotherapy drugs intended to circulate throughout your body including pills capsules or liquids taken orally and Intravenous or intramuscular injections Alternatively you may receive drugs delivered only to the area of the tumor One local method delivers drugs to your bladder or chest through narrow Tubes called Catheters Another local method injects drugs into the cerebrospinal fluid surrounding your brain and spinal Cord A third local method places slowly dissolving wafers into an area where a tumor was removed In most cases you will receive a number of different chemotherapy drugs to increase their effectiveness [you] may receive many chemotherapy treatments spread out over a period of weeks or months? This allows your body to recover between treatments and to kill as many cancer cells as possible common side effects of chemotherapy include hair loss nausea decreased appetite fatigue anemia bruising and diarrhea It is important to rest Eat Nutritious foods and take medications prescribed by your doctor to reduce or minimize these side-effects
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