Cancer, Can It Be Cured?

Cancer is the disease which is causing the largest number of deaths after cardio vascular diseases. Whenever the question is asked that can cancer be cured, mostly we hear an answer that it can't be cured. But in fact the reality is that it is a curable disease. Researchers have been focusing on how to stop or prevent this deadly disease. But how far are we from our goal?

1 in 6 deaths are because of cancer according to WHO. In US alone 1,688,780 new cases of cancer have merged and 600,972 deaths were reported because of cancer in 2017. chemotherapy, cancer therapy, radio therapy, tumor surgeries are some latest methods of cancer treatment. Scientists are still working to find better treatments, which have less side effects.

Before discussing that how can be it cured, first of all we need to know that what is cancer and how it begins?

What Is Cancer?

Basically cancer is the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells. This phenomenon takes place when the natural mechanism of body stops working. When the old cells don't die out but rather start growing out of control forming abnormal cells called tumors. The tumors are further classified into 3 types:

• Benign tumors
• Malignant tumors
• Premaligant tumors

How Cancer Begins:

Cells are the basic unit of the body. When these cells become old or damaged, new cells take their place. This is a natural phenomenon. But when genetic changes interfere with this natural phenomenon it results in the formation of uncontrolled abnormal cells called tumors. These tumors may or may not be cancerous. Some cancers don't produce tumors such as leukemia.

Basically we have 4 types of cancer, on the basis of their location:

1. Leukemia:

Leukemia is the cancer of blood which takes place when healthy blood cells change and grow uncontrollably. There are three types of blood cells red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets. Generally leukemia refers to the cancer of white blood cells. White blood cells are part of immune system of our body. They protect our bodies from attacks of viruses, bacteria and fungi. These cells divide too quickly and can eventually crowd out normal cells. Most of the white blood cells are produced in bone marrow. Leukemia mostly results from a family leukemia background, smoking, genetic factors such as down syndrome, e.t.c. Leukemia is further classified as:

• Acute lymphocytic leukemia
• Chronic lymphocytic leukemia
• Acute myeloid leukemia
• Chronic myeloid leukemia

2. Lymphomas:

Lymphoma is a cancer that begins from the lymphatic system. It is a group of vessels and glands that help to fight against infections. There are 2 main types of lymphomas:

• Hodgkin lymphoma
• Non Hodgkin lymphoma

3. Sarcomas:

A sarcoma begins in the tissue that supports and connects the body. It can occur in bones, joints, tendons, nerves,e.t.c.

4: Carcinomas:

A carcinoma begins in the tissue or skin that covers the surface of internal organs and glands. Carcinomas form solid tumors. These include breast cancer, lung cancer, e.t.c.

As cancerous cell grows it travels through the blood vessel to other parts of the body. In this way the cancer grows and new tumors are developed. One of the places where the cancer spreads first are the lymph nodes. These are beans shaped organs which help fight against infections. These are present in clusters in different parts of the body such as the neck and under arms.

Cancer may also spread through the blood stream to the distant parts of the body such as liver, brain and lungs. Cancer also creates enzyme as it grows which breaks down healthy cells.

Epigenetics refers to the the changes in our bodies caused by changes in gene expression, which dictate whether certain characteristics appear or are affected at a biological level. Epigenetics refers to all the chemical compounds added to the genome in order to regulate activity of all the genes in the genome. The chemical compounds of the epigenome are not the parts of the DNA sequence but are attached to it. Epigenetics modification remain as a cell divide and in some cases these are inherited by next generations. Environmental factors such as a persons diet may also impact the epigenome.

A common type of genetic modification is methylation, which consists on attaching small methyl groups with the DNA sequence. Scientists continue to find relationship between genome and chemical compounds.