There are several types of cancer, all arising from the uncontrollable multiplication of cells in an organ or tissue. The affected cells have been damaged so that they no longer function properly yet they divide more rapidly then the normal cells around them. The body’s immune system cannot differentiable between the cancerous cells and normal cells and so does not destroy them.
Symptoms:
• Symptoms vary according to the part of the body affected. In the breast or testes, lumps may appear; elsewhere the cancer may not be apparent until the function of the affected organ begins to deteriorate.
• They may be pain of varying intensity; severe in some cases.
• Loss of appetite
• Severe weight loss and visible signs of serious illness.
A cancer starts off when the genetic material inside a cell is damaged by a carcinogenic substance. It may take several years before the cancer is large enough to be noticed. There are various risk factors associated with cancer, including smoking and drinking alcohol, contact with certain plastics or pollutants that mimic oestrogens. Exposure to asbestos X-rays and ultraviolet radiation are also responsible for certain cancers. The presence of toxic substances produced by fungi in food and certain diseases such as hepatitis C can trigger cancer too.