Cancer is not a singular entity, but a very complex process that requires time, often decades, to develop fully. The period of time spent developing cancer also varies greatly and depend upon the specific cell or type in which they develop: lung, breast, prostate, stomach, esophageal, pancreas. Cancer is a Greek word meaning “to break down.” Break down simply means to have destroyed or damage. Cancer happens when cells begin to divide without stopping, causing damage to surrounding tissue, leading to abnormal cells or tumors. Cancer has been called the disease that can never be cured.
Cancer develops because of mutations in the DNA or genetic code of living cells. DNA or genetic code acts as the blueprint for living cells, creating a message for the cell to grow or reproduce. There are many different DNA mutations that cause various types of cancers. These mutations accumulate over time and can be affected by a variety of factors such as diet, exposure to toxins, and other environmental influences. These factors can contribute to the development of tumors.
Cancer develops when cells begin to grow abnormally. DNA is the information that controls the development of living organisms. Mutations in DNA can cause changes that sometimes lead to cancer. In humans, mutations in the genes that control cancerous cells have already been identified. Cancer is now known to be a result of faulty genes that have become integrated within the DNA of living cells.
Cancer is a disease that kills healthy cells as well as normal body cells. Cancer cells are unique because they divide rapidly and frequently divide beyond the normal limits of normal body cells. Cancerous cells travel through the blood, invading other tissues, and destroy normal body cells in the process. Cancer spreads quickly because it has a reproductive advantage: once it starts, it has a tendency to spread rapidly.
There are many factors that contribute to the formation of cancer. Infections, toxins, radiation, and poor nutrition, can all affect the DNA of living cells. When these factors are present, the DNA will become erroneous and mutation will occur. Mutation is an incorrect copying of DNA information, and it can lead to cancer. Mutated cells are still normal cells that divide normally, but they contain an incorrect coding.
Cancer can kill the normal cells in our body, but it cannot kill the cancerous cells. Cancer treatment may cause the production of tumors, but if the tumor grows very rapidly, it will be caught before it can grow very large. Cancer treatment may cause the death of the normal cells. Cancer treatment is only successful when it stops cancer cells from growing. Treatment of cancer with medication and radiation is only successful if the treatment stops cancer growth.