Cancer

• Cancer

  the uncontrolled growth and division of cells
• The uncontrolled growth and division is a result of changes that occur to cells and results in the formation of a tumour
• Tumour

  a mass of cells
• Tumours can either be benign or malignant
• Benign tumours:

  • the tumour grows until there is no more room
  • the tumour stays in one place rather than invading other tissues in the body
  • isn't normally dangerous
  • tumour is not cancerous
• Malignant tumours:

  • the tumour grows and spreads to neighbouring healthy tissues
  • Cells can break off and spread to other parts of the body by travelling in the bloodstream
  • the malignant cells invade healthy tissues elsewhere in the body and form secondary tumours
  • dangerous and can be fatal
  • tumours are cancers
• Cancer survival rates have increased due to medical advances such as improved treatment, being able to diagnose cancer earlier and increased screening for the disease
• Lifestyle risk factor - smoking:

  • linked to different types of cancer such as lung, mouth, bowel, stomach and cervical cancer
• Lifestyle risk factor - obesity:

  • linked to bowel, liver and kidney cancer
  • second biggest preventable cause of cancer after smoking
• Lifestyle risk factor - UV exposure:

  • people often exposed to UV radiation from the sun have an increased chance of developing skin cancer
  • people who live in sunny climates and spend a lot of time outside are at higher risk of the disease
  • people who frequently use sunbeds are at higher risk of developing skin cancer
• Lifestyle risk factor - viral infection:

  • infection with some viruses increases the chances of developing certain types of cancer
  • e.g. infection with hepatitis B and hepatitis C viruses can increase the chance of developing liver cancer
  • the likelihood of becoming infected with these viruses sometimes depend on lifestyle, such as having unprotected sex and sharing needles
• Sometimes you can inherit faulty genes that make you more susceptible to cancer, e.g. mutations in the BRCA genes are linked to an increased likelihood of developing breast and ovarian cancer