What is cancer?

Cancer is a disease we all fear.
According to Wikipedia, the generally accepted definition of cancer (for which the medical term is malignant neoplasm) is

• A class of diseases in which a group of cells display uncontrolled growth (division beyond the normal limits),
• Invasion (intrusion on and destruction of adjacent tissues), and sometimes
• Metastasis (spread to other locations in the body via lymph or blood).

These three malignant properties of cancers differentiate them from benign tumors, which are self-limited, and do not invade or metastasize.

Most cancers form a tumor but some, like leukemia, do not. And what’s a tumor? A tumor is a mass of cells that disobey the body’s signals and rules about when cells can divide (multiply) and grow.

A malignant tumor keeps on growing and growing, multiplying, and potentially invading other parts of your body.  A benign tumor is one that grows, but generally respects its boundaries (i.e.: isn’t able to leave its part of the body and spread to other parts of the body and start new tumors).

Why does cancer occur?

The prevailing theory is that cancer comes about due to mutations in DNA. Mutations in your DNA are due to deletions of part of your genes (areas of your DNA that make your body’s proteins). Mutations come about if you’re exposed to what are called carcinogens (substances that lead to cancer such as smoking, radiation and certain chemicals), or can even occur due to your body’s own errors when making new DNA.

So the theory goes, every so often, in some people, your body’s going to miss one of the mutations in your DNA. It’s not perfect. It has an error rate of 1 error per billion, which is pretty damn incredible, but isn’t always good enough. And, every so often, in some people, that mutation that it doesn’t catch is going to be in some really important gene that is helping you from getting cancer.

False placenta theory
The theory that malignant cancers are false-placentas was first formulated by the Scottish embryologist John Beard in 1902. Beard found that substances secreted by the pancreas would inhibit the growth of cancers before they develop but are missing in the blood of cancer patients.

Beard was not a physician but a biologist whose main research interest was the placenta. Beard made several crucial observations that led to his theory of cancer. Using his microscope he observed that the trophoblast cells that become the placenta looked like cancer cells. Beard then made the following extraordinary observation: The placenta stops growing on day 56 of the human pregnancy–on the same day the fetus’ pancreas begins to function. He came to the conclusion that the fetus’ pancreas secreted something that stopped the growth of the placenta and surmised that the same substance might stop the growth of malignant cancer.

While this theory has a straightforward cause, the solution is not simple.  Read Dr. Townsend’s article on Cancer for a detailed explanation and the risks of various medical treatments.

Dr. Hamer’s theory
Dr. Hamer ran a cancer clinic in Germany during the 1970’s.  During that time he came to the conclusion that unrestricted cell growth (cancer) was a consequence of one or more unresolved prior traumas, and if you resolved the traumas or downgraded them, the cancerous cells would cease growing.

For more information on his theory click on Learning GNM..

Symptoms

According to GoogleHealth, “Symptoms of cancer depend on the type and location of the tumor. For example, lung cancer can cause coughing, shortness of breath, 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 gallbladder cancer, symptoms often do not start until the disease has reached an advanced stage.  The following symptoms can occur with most cancers:

When to see a doctor

As soon as you have any reason to suspect that cancer is a problem.  Regular checkups are vital so that doctor can do tests even though you don’t suspect that you have the illness.

Medical Treatment

Medical treatment may include surgery (removal of the malignancy), chemotherapy (use chemicals to kill cancer cells), radiation (burning of the cancer cells), etc.  Treatment also 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.

Resource Center:

Google Health
Mayo Clinic
Medline Plus
WebMD

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