Cancer how does it affect the body

Cancer is a scary word. Almost everyone knows someone who got very sick or died from cancer. Most of the time, cancer affects older people. Not many kids get cancer, but when they do, very often it can be treated and cured. Cancer is actually a group of many related diseases that all have to do with cells. Cells are the very small units that make up all living things, including the human body. There are billions of cells in each person's body.

Cancer happens when cells that are not normal grow and spread very fast. Normal body cells grow and divide and know to stop growing. Over time, they also die. Unlike these normal cells, cancer cells just continue to grow and divide out of control and don't die when they're supposed to. Cancer cells usually group or clump together to form tumors say: TOO-mers. A growing tumor becomes a lump of cancer cells that can destroy the normal cells around the tumor and damage the body's healthy tissues.

This can make someone very sick. Sometimes cancer cells break away from the original tumor and travel to other areas of the body, where they keep growing and can go on to form new tumors. This is how cancer spreads. The spread of a tumor to a new place in the body is called metastasis say: meh-TASS-tuh-sis. You probably know a kid who had chickenpox — maybe even you.

But you probably don't know any kids who've had cancer. If you packed a large football stadium with kids, probably only one child in that stadium would have cancer.

Doctors aren't sure why some people get cancer and others don't. Old cells do not die and instead grow out of control, forming new, abnormal cells. These extra cells may form a mass of tissue, called a tumor. Some cancers, such as leukemia, do not form tumors. Cancer may occur anywhere in the body. In women, breast cancer is one of the most common.

Lung cancer and colorectal cancer affect both men and women in high numbers. Treatment options depend on the type of cancer , its stage, if the cancer has spread and your general health. The goal of treatment is to kill as many cancerous cells while reducing damage to normal cells nearby. Advances in technology make this possible. The same cancer type in one individual is very different from that cancer in another individual.

Within a single type of cancer, such as breast cancer, researchers are discovering subtypes that each requires a different treatment approach. The branch of medicine dedicated to diagnosing, treating and researching cancer is known as oncology, while a physician who works in the field is called an oncologist.

A higher number such as a stage 3 or 4 means it has spread more. Stage 4 is the highest stage. The stage of the cancer is very important in choosing the best treatment for a person. Ask your doctor about your cancer's stage and what it means for you. When cancer cells break away from a tumor, they can travel to other areas of the body through either the bloodstream or the lymph system. Cancer cells can travel through the bloodstream to reach distant organs.

If they travel through the lymph system, the cancer cells may end up in lymph nodes. Either way, most of the escaped cancer cells die or are killed before they can start growing somewhere else. But one or two might settle in a new area, begin to grow, and form new tumors. This spread of cancer to a new part of the body is called metastasis.

Drinking plenty of fluids will ensure good urine flow and help to prevent problems — especially if you are taking drugs that affect the kidney and bladder.

Because drugs can affect your kidney and bladder, be sure to let your cancer care team know immediately if you experience any of the following symptoms:.

The following are the most common symptoms of nerve and muscle involvement due to chemotherapy. However, each individual experiences symptoms differently. Symptoms may include the following:. Most of the time, these symptoms will resolve with time, which may take up to one year following treatment.

The symptoms of nerve and muscle involvement due to chemotherapy may resemble other medical conditions or problems. Always consult your health care provider for a diagnosis. Many patients, both men and women, find that chemotherapy affects their sex organs as well as their ability to have sex.

Your age and general health will influence how the drugs will affect your sexual function. The following advice may help in coping with sexual problems associated with cancer and chemotherapy:. Chemotherapy drugs cause temporary or permanent infertility by reducing the number of sperm cells and their ability to move. Chemotherapy also can damage the chromosomes, which could lead to birth defects. Discuss with your physician or nurse practitioner the use of birth control during treatment, including using a condom for the first 48 hours following the last dose of chemotherapy, as some chemotherapy agents can be detected in the sperm.