Name ______Hr_____ CANCER READING

Cancer is the uncontrolled growth of cells anywhere in a body. The uncontrolled cells are termed cancer cells, malignant cells, or tumor cells. Humans, animals and other living organisms can get cancer. Normal body cells grow, divide, and die in a predictable way. During the early years of a person’s life, normal cells divide quickly until the person becomes an adult. After that, normal cells of most tissues divide only to replace worn-out or dying cells and to repair injuries.

Cancer cells, however, continue to grow and divide and can spread to other parts of the body. These cells accumulate and form tumors (lumps) that may damage or destroy normal tissue. If cancer cells break away from a tumor, they can travel through the bloodstream, or the lymph system to other areas of the body. There, they may settle and form new tumors. In their new location, the cancer cells continue growing. The spread of a tumor to a new part of the body is called metastasis. When cancer spreads, though, it is still named after the part of the body where it started. For example, if prostate cancer spreads to the bones, it is still called prostate cancer, and if breast cancer spreads to the lungs it is still called breast cancer.

The form of cancer called leukemia does not usually form a tumor. Instead, these cancer cells involve the blood and circulate though other tissues where they can accumulate.

It is important to realize that not all tumors are cancerous. Non-cancerous tumors are called benign tumors and do not metastasize (spread) and usually are not life-threatening.

Causes of Cancer Cells are the building blocks of living things. Cancer grows out of normal cells in the body. Normal cells replicate and divide when the body needs more of them, and die when the body doesn't need them. Cancer happens when the growth of cells in the body is out of control and cells divide too quickly. It can also occur when cells forget how to die.

There are many different kinds of cancers. Cancer can develop in almost any organ or tissue, such as the lung, colon, breast, skin, bones, or nerve tissue. There are many causes of cancers, including exposure to chemicals or environmental toxins that can grow on some plants and mushrooms, exposure to sunlight, obesity and radiation. Some people inherit genetic problems from their parents that make them more likely to develop cancer. However, the cause of many cancers remains unknown.

The most common cause of cancer-related death is lung cancer. The three most common cancers in men in the United States are: Prostate cancer, Lung cancer, and Colon cancer. In women in the United States, the three most common cancers are: Breast cancer, Colon cancer, and Lung cancer. Some cancers are more common in certain parts of the world. For example, in Japan, there are many cases of stomach cancer, but in the United States, this type of cancer is pretty rare. Differences in diet may play a role.

Symptoms of cancer depend on the type and location of the cancer. For example, lung cancer can cause coughing, trouble breathing, or chest pain. Colon cancer often causes diarrhea, constipation, and blood in the stool. Some cancers may not have any symptoms at all. In certain cancers, such as pancreatic cancer, symptoms often do not start until the disease is very advanced.

If a doctor thinks a person has cancer he/she will usually do a biopsy where samples of cells are removed from a person and looked at under a microscope. Depending on the location of the tumor, the biopsy may be a simple procedure or a serious operation. A cancer diagnosis is difficult to cope with. It is important, however, that the patient discuss the type, size, and location of the cancer with the doctor when diagnosed. The patient should ask about treatment options, along with their benefits and risks.

Treatment varies based on the type of cancer and its stage. The stage of a cancer refers to how much it has grown and whether the tumor has spread from its original location.  If the cancer is only in one location and has not spread, the most common treatment is surgery to cure the cancer. This is often the case with skin cancers, as well as cancers of the lung, breast, and colon. Name ______Hr_____  If the tumor has spread to local lymph nodes only, sometimes these can be removed.  If surgery cannot remove all of the cancer, the options for treatment include radiation, chemotherapy, or both. Some cancers require a combination of surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy.

Radiation treatment uses high-energy waves to destroy cancer cells. It is painless and the treatment is usually scheduled every weekday. Each treatment session takes about 30 minutes, although the radiation itself only takes a few minutes. Chemotherapy uses chemicals to destroy cancer cells. During chemotherapy a healthy diet is very important. Chemotherapy causes the immune system to weaken, so patients should avoid people with colds or the flu and get plenty of rest.

Questions:

1. What is cancer? ______

2. What is it called when cancer cells spread to a new part of the body? ______

3. How do different types of cancers get their names? ______

4. What does benign mean? ______

5. What are the 3 most common cancers in men in the US? ______, ______,______

6. What are the 3 most common cancers in women in the US? ______, ______,______

7. What are three causes of cancer? ______, ______,______

8. What are three symptoms of cancer? ______, ______,______

9. What is a biopsy? ______

10. What is a “stage” of cancer referring to? ______

11. What are three treatments for cancer?

______, ______,______

12. What is radiation? ______

13. What is chemotherapy? ______

14. If a parent gets skin cancer from sun exposure, will that be passed on to his or her children? ______

EXPLAIN: ______