Cancer is the abnormal growth of cells in the body. There are quite a number of cancer types but here are the commonly known types: colon cancer, cervical cancer, prostate cancer, liver cancer, breast cancer, etc. Cancers are usually in different stages. We have four stages of cancer development and growth, the fourth stage being the deadliest stage.
Common Types of Cancer
Just as earlier mentioned, there are many types of cancer but the common ones will be briefly discussed here. Some of the few common cancer types are:
1. Colon Cancer
Colon cancer is cancer that occurs in the colon. It affects the colon which is in the large intestine. It is also known as colorectal cancer because it affects both the colon and rectum. Some of the signs and symptoms of colon cancer include constipation, diarrhoea, rectum bleeding, blood-stained stool, abdominal disturbance, etc.
2. Cervical Cancer
Cervical cancer just as the name implies affects the cervix. It affects the female gender only. Cervical cancer is a malignant tumor in the cervix. It is usually detected by conducting pap smear test on the woman. This can be prevented by taking the HPV vaccine which immunes a woman against this cancer. Some of the symptoms of cervical cancer include: abnormal bleeding, abdominal discomfort, pain in the abdomen, etc.
3. Prostate Cancer
Prostate cancer affects basically the male gender. It is the cancer of the prostate gland. Its symptoms include: painful urination, difficult urination, weight loss, erectile dysfunction, blood-stained urine, blood-stained semen, etc.
4. Liver Cancer
Liver cancer occurs in the cells of the liver. It is also known as cirrhosis. Liver cancer affects both genders. Some of its symptoms include: loss of weight, yellowness of eyes, yellowness of the skin, nausea/vomiting, abdominal pain, body weakness, stool discoloration, etc.
5. Breast Cancer
This is the cancer of the breasts. It affects the cells of the breasts of the woman and on few occasions, the man. Some of its symptoms include: Discolouration of the breast, breast ache, breast itching, breast lumps, lymph nodes in the armpit, breast discharge, etc.
6. Lung Cancer
This cancer type affects the lungs. Lung cancer is usually caused by smoking, exposure to smoke, exposure to toxic chemical substances. Some of the symptoms of lung cancer include: coughing, chest pain, body weakness, weight loss, coughing, etc.
Basic Facts About Cancers
1. Cancers Are Genetic
Cancers are genetic because they are usually found in the genes of family members. There is every tendency for a generation to pass cancers down to generations yet born through the family members. For instance, there is a friend of mine whose grandmother had and died of breast cancer, her mother also died of this cancer type, as a result of this medical history, my friend and her siblings are medically alert as they go for mammography in government hospitals.
2. Cancers Are Lifestyle Triggered
Some cancers are triggered by the lifestyle of an individual. Some cancers are triggered as a result of social habits like alcoholism, smoking, and drug abuse. Lung cancer for instance is caused by smoking.
3. Cancers Are Protracted Ailments
Cancers are protracted diseases which last for years. Someone suffering from a particular type of cancer can battle it for five, ten, or more years.
4. Cancers Are Environmentally Induced
Being exposed to chemical or toxic compounds or even radiation from direct sunlight can cause cancer. In order to guide against this, one has to prevent the inhalation of these harmful chemicals or toxic substances. More so, exposure of an individual to direct sunlight and too much consumption of microwaved foods and canned foods can trigger cancer.
5. Cancers Are Pathogeni
Some pathogens can cause cancer in the body of an individual. These cancers are also known as pathogen-induced cancers.
6. Cancers Are Life-Threatening
Cancers are life-threatening if not detected early. Early detection of cancers will enable an individual to fight it in good time and even beat it before damaging other organs in the body.
Some of the general signs and symptoms of cancers are:
Fatigue (weakness of the body), hair loss, weight loss, general body pain, bleeding, change in skin color, incessant cough, loss of voice, lumps, premature aging.
