If we want to understand how cancer is treated, we should know what the word "cancer" means and what is malignant tumor known colloquially as "cancer"?
Cancer is an abnormal growth of the body's cells
As a result of abnormal cell growth, a tissue that is foreign to the body arises. Cancer may be "benign" or "malignant" and have, for example, a tumor with a diameter of one to several cm, (breast, ovarian, etc.) skin growth (cutaneous melanoma), or "immature" and useless blood cells -lymphocytes (leukemia), etc .. If the cancer is "benign" it is not a direct threat to the patient's life - while the "malignant" cancer is a serious threat to life. Regardless of whether the cancer is benign or malignant - it develops much faster and according to completely different rules
What is the difference between the development and activities of healthy cells from cancer cells?
Healthy cells of the body grow, function and die in a strictly programmed way. This program determines which of the cells of a given tissue will continue to multiply and which have important functions for the body. Those cells that normally do not divide are the vast majority. Cancer cells are governed by completely different rules than healthy ones. They all have the ability to share and it is much faster than healthy cells. Their divisions can not be controlled by the body.
Why cancer cells multiply faster than healthy ones?
First of all, as we have already mentioned, because all the cells are multiplying, not just a small part of them as in the case of healthy ones. Secondly, they "do not respect" the dates of their deaths planned in genes, they live many times longer and have more descendant cells, respectively. In theory, they are immortal. As a consequence, it means the growth of cancer cells in the logarithmic progression, regardless of the condition of the whole organism and usually its detriment.
What is the difference between "malignant" and "benign" cancer?
The main difference is that "benign" cancers usually grow more slowly, do not infiltrate the tissues and organs in which they are found, and above all they do not have the ability to create metastases. This is due to the specific feature that is delimiting the tissue from which they originate - the outer connective tissue "tumor capsule", which inhibits their excessive development and spread in the body. Therefore, if a benign tumor is detected, neither chemotherapy nor radiotherapy is used. Cancer is completely curable, and surgical removal of the tumor is sufficient treatment.
Mild tumor (from the Latin neoplasma benignum)
It is usually made of tissues with a structure that differs little from the normal cells. It is well-limited, often encysted. It grows slowly, does not metastasize, but usually oppress adjacent tissues. Its harmful effects can be manifested by: nerve compression (pain!), Localization in an important organ and disorder of its work (eg in the spine), disturbed by hormone secretion, bleeding, or closing the lumen of the blood vessel.
Mild tumors are very common ...
For example, almost half of women suffer from benign breast cancer. Fibrocystic cysts or breast fibroids are particularly common. In women, other benign tumors are also common - such as fibroids or papillomas. Moreover, in both sexes, benign tumors are adenomas, fibromas, lipomas, neuromas, meningiomas, hemangiomas, chondrosis, osteomas. Although they do not generally threaten life, they can cause troublesome ailments and health complications for the above reasons.
The most common benign breast tumors in women
These are first of all, breast fibroids - usually round-shaped bumps quite hard, but elastic and shifting. These nodules are usually small in size. Secondly, the already mentioned breast cysts, which usually change during the menstrual cycle, expanding and intensifying specific ailments before the approaching menstruation. At the touch they are round, soft and quite clearly shifting. Malignant tumors, on the other hand, are usually hard, irregular in shape, hardly shifting. Malignant tumors rarely cause pain and, unlike mild ones, their shape and size usually do not change during the menstrual cycle.
Neoplasms of the benign womb
Mild tumors of the reproductive organs are usually uterine fibroids - they occur in 95% of benign tumors of the reproductive organs. Their causes are seen in hormonal and neurovegetative disorders. This is evidenced by the fact that after the menopause, when the ovarian function is extinguished - no new tumors arise, and the existing tumors do not grow or even decrease. This is associated with low levels of estrogen - hormones produced by the ovaries during puberty. Non-treated fibroids degenerate, often necrosis, softening, infection, less calcification or fibrosis. Some of these conditions cause great pain - symptoms of the so-called acute abdominal and systemic complaints sometimes life-threatening. Muscles are usually treated only when they cause significant discomfort. In most cases, this is surgery. Tumors that do not cause symptoms should be closely observed.
edited, ed. Edward Ozga-Michalski
consultation with MD Agnieszka Jagiełło-Gruszfeld
oncologist
