Cancer, which is considered a deadly disease, is characterized by abnormal growth cells in some parts of the body. Cancer symptoms vary in so many ways just as there are more than a hundred different types of cancer. Almost all parts of the human body stand the chance of having cancer; the causes of which are also varied with most of them stemming from a person's lifestyle say; for example, those who smoke a lot have a greater chance of having cancer.
At times, it comes as a surprise to us why some people who appear to be healthy or on top of their health suddenly die of cancer in just a couple months from the day they were diagnosed. The truth is that the cancer is already there, just waiting to be agitated by certain factors that can cause it to spread. Treatment often becomes futile once the disease has been detected late. The disease is deadly since it can have other complications once it spreads all over the body.
Primary treatment of cancer includes chemotherapy, radiation therapy, hormone therapy, and adjuvant therapy, which is a treatment that is given in addition to primary treatments or within the scope of any of the two preceding treatments. Adjuvant therapy is a treatment that is given to prevent the recurrence of cancer. It is often used after radiation and surgery.
Types Of Cancer Treatment
Chemotherapy. Chemotherapy treats the entire body, killing all cancer cells no matter where they may be located.
Hormone therapy. This type of therapy is used in addition to surgery, radiation or chemotherapy. These are treatments that stop hormone production in the body. Hormone sensitive types of cancer include breast, uterine, and prostate cancers.
Radiation therapy. This type of treatment uses high-powered energy beams to kill cancer cells. It can be administered internally or externally focusing on the area around the original cancer site to prevent it from spreading and/or recurring.
Immunotherapy. Immunotherapy works with the immune system to fight off remaining cancer cells. This can stimulate or supplement the body's immunity from certain diseases.
Targeted therapy aims to alter specific abnormalities present within cancer cells. It aims to alter specific abnormalities and blocks them away from the target.
Cancer patients also stand a greater risk when it comes to infections. There is often a need to isolate them from other patients knowing how sensitive they could be towards infection. This is the reason why proper infection control measures are undertaken and special training is required for health care or health insurance providers to get aware of potential issues that may arise especially in a health care facility. Although the disease may be considered as pre-existing, some health providers gives limited coverage to such types except when it has passed the contestability period or when the plan has already been fully paid.
It really pays a lot to know about cancer. We may not have the option to choose the disease that might afflict us, but if people are just careful and keep a watch on what they eat and how they live their lives, perhaps the risk can be reduced.
By: Greg Garner
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