Cancer is a disease that can be successfully treated in its initial stage. Similar to diabetes
Mellitus disease, cancer can be prevented through lifestyle modification. Lifestyle modification may include avoiding vices such as tobacco, alcohol and fatty food. Studies have shown that free radicals in salty and high fat diets such as fast food can cause genetic mutations in cells which lead to cancer. Cancer is really a disease that is caused by the uncontrolled replication of cells. This uncontrolled cell replication kills healthy cells. Cancer cells are generally deformed and undifferentiated. They also lack cellular cohesion. This lack of cohesion leads to metastasis or the transfer of a cancer cell from one location to another. The degree of metastasis is also one indicator of patient’s chance of recovery.
Presently, there is still no known cure for cancer. Nonetheless, cancer can be prevented by
proper nutrition rich in anti-oxidants. Citrus fruits and green vegetables are rich in anti-oxidants that can prevent cancer. All of us are potential cancer victims. However, the risk of having the disease increases as we grow older. Cancer survival chance during old age is also relatively low. The present approach of treating cancer can be characterized as crude and inaccurate. The three main types of cancer treatment are radiation therapy, chemotherapy and surgery.
Radiation therapy tries to eliminate cancer by killing cancer cells using focused radiation such as x-ray. Chemotherapy kills cancer cells by binding chemical compounds to cancer cells and preventing their metabolism. Surgery is the more direct approach of cancer treatment. Surgery works by removing cancerous tumors.
