Cancer is the uncontrolled, abnormal growth of
cells. These cells form a lump or mass called a tumor.
Our bodies are made of billions of normal cells that are like the bricks and
mortar of a building. Each tiny cell has a specific job to do, whether it's
relaying messages to the brain, digesting food or pumping blood.
Normal cells grow and divide in an orderly
fashion and respect the boundaries of neighboring cells.
A cancer usually develops from a normal cell
that has changed or mutated. The change may have occurred because of a
virus, chemical or radiation injury, a family predisposition or unknown causes.
This abnormal cell grows
without following the rules that directed it. Some cancers grow quickly; others
grow slowly. As the cancer grows, it can invade normal organs causing normal
body functions to be compromised or stopped. Tumors can squeeze organs or block
passages. This will eventually cause symptoms or problems.
Developing a tumor does not mean a person has
cancer. Some tumors can be benign (noncancerous) Some can be malignant
(cancerous).
Cancer also tends to spread (metastasize) to
other parts of the body. This spread is accomplished in one of three ways:
By directly moving from the tumor to other
body parts. Projections from the main tumor can be seen.
By crossing into the blood vessels and floating along until the cancer cell
takes root in another area.
By crossing into the
lymph system
which normally acts as a filtering system for bacteria and debris. Eventually
the lymph system empties into the blood. A cancer cell may be trapped in a lymph
node (filtering station) and grow there or it may find its way into the blood
stream and the rest of the body.
Benign tumors are not cancer. They do not
spread to other parts of the body. Benign tumors are usually not life
threatening. Malignant tumors grow, invade other tissues in the body and are
life threatening.
My cancer spread to the lymph nodes on the right side of the neck. Cancer often
spreads to the lymph nodes. Lymph nodes are located in clusters in different
parts of the body, such as the neck, groin area, and under the arms.
Although cancer may first appear in the lymph nodes that does not mean that is
where the cancer started. (The Primary Cancer) Without doing tests doctors may
not know where the location of the primary tumor. My doctors believed the
location of my primary cancer was in my tonsils. The only way for them to be
certain was to remove my tonsils and do a biopsy.
I was not happy to have a tonsillectomy because the doctors thought the tonsils
"MAY HAVE BEEN" the location of the primary cancer. However I agreed to the
tonsillectomy and sure enough that was the location of the primary cancer.
Cancer can begin almost anywhere in the body.
There are almost 100 different
types of cancer. None of them can live in a well
oxygenated environment.
For a description of each type of cancer.
Click Here
