Cancer was recognized in ancient times by skilled observers who gave it the name "cancer"(latin word Canceri-crab) because it stretched out in many directions like the legs of a crab.
The term cancer is an "umbrella" word used to describe a group of more than 270 diseases in which cells multiply without restraint, destroy health tissue endangering life. The psychological and physiological impact on cancer patients and their families results in profound changes in their lifestyles. Cancer may result in death for some and mutilation for others.
There are approximately 150 types of Cancer found in human beings and there are probably at least 500 different cancer causing agents.
The word cancer often abbreviated Ca, is a term frightens most people. Cancer is synonymous with the term "malignant neoplasma". Other terms suggests malignant neoplasm includes tumour, malignancy, carcinoma and aberrect cell growth. Strictly speaking these words are not interchangeable.
Cancer is a disease of the cell in which the normal mechanisms of control of growth and proliferation are disturbed. This results in distinctive morphological alterations of the cells and aberration in tissue pattern. Cancer is collective term describing a large group of diseases characterized by uncontrolled growth and spread of abnormal cells. This group of diseases:
- arise from any tissue or organ
- differ greatly from one another in appearance and growth
- may follow very different courses of developments in their host
- respond differently to the variety of therapies applied to them
- Benign is defined as a usually harmless growth that does not spread or invade other tissues
- Malignant is defined as a harmful tumour, capable of spread and invasion of other tissues far removed from the site of origin
No comments:
Post a Comment