Is Cancer Caused By Virus?
Cancer occurs when cells in our body grow out of control. A single cell can accumulate, changes its genes that allow it to replicate in an uncontrolled way. Such a cell can give rise to a tumor, which may manifest as a palpable lump or a mass. Once cells becomes cancerous they lose the function that they once had, they simply reproduce themselves indefinitely. Some cancer starts as a tumor, but not all tumors are cancerous. It may either be benign or malignant. Through biopsy it can confirm if a tumor is malignant or benign. With the use of a high power microscope a sample is taken from the body then studied under a high power microscope. A tumor is considered to be benign if it remains localized in the place where it originated. Nevertheless, benign tumors can be life threatening if they jeopardize normal structures.
Malignant tumors have the capacity to spread around the body. Individual cell, or groups of cells, can detach themselves and form primary tumors, migrate via the blood or lymph around the body and become deposited in other organs such as the brain, bones or lungs. In many cases the cause of cancer is unknown, and will vary according to the type of cancer. Environmental factors undoubtedly play a part in the development of some cancers. Excessive exposure to ultra violet light in sunlight seems to be responsible for melanoma, or cancer of the skin. Almost a third of all deaths from cancer could be avoided if people abandoned smoking tobacco.
Studies of women who have had breast cancer have provided some indication of the factors at work in the development of this disease. Breast cancer is more common in woman who have a close relative, such as a mother or sister, who has also had the disease and women who begin their periods early, who have their first child later in life and who have late menopause. These observations indicate that hormonal influences on the breast are important.
Cancer cannot be obtained through physical contact or airborne, and it is not an infectious disease. Though, some viruses are recognized to cause cancer in experimental animals. Viruses are by far the smallest of the pathogens. Because of its small size they are impossible to be seen by our naked eye, a high power microscope is needed to study virus. They need to live inside the body cell of other organisms to survive, and in reproducing themselves they destroy the host cell. Our only natural defense against viruses is the formation of antibodies.
Treatment of cancer varies according to the type of tumor, the site and the extent of the spread of cancerous cells. Chemotherapy is one of the treatments of cancer. It can produce long remission in some forms of the disease but side effect can’t be avoided, cells are damage and white blood cells become depleted. Radiation therapy is another treatment. Using radiation it includes x-ray and gamma-rays to destroy cancer cell. Surgery is also used to remove malignant growth but it is only effective when cancer has not yet migrated in other parts of the body. A lot of treatment is available but are expensive. Cancer might be hereditary, or acquired through vices. We can lessen the possibility of having this life threatening disease by having a healthy life style and regular check to your doctor. Read more on this topic
