Cancer:
Today, critical illnesses account for 60 percent death in India according to the Global Burden of Disease study. Cancer is one of the deadliest diseases that causes a sudden panic in people’s heart even when they hear the mere name of it. It has been prevalent in the world ever since the human origin. This article contains signs of Cancer: Symptoms, Causes, Types, and Treatment.
Cancer is not the type of disease to spread from any contact with the infected persons or to be inherited by any infection. It lives in the body of human beings ever since their birth. But it appears to form as a disease when the programming of a cell or a group of cells are affected the growth becomes uncontrolled. Thus, the haphazard growth of the cells results in the growth of a lump of tissue which we call as tumor. These tumors are a lump of over grown tissues that can be found in the human body, at first these tumors appear to be painless but if the person has tumors for a longer time, it is better to consult with a doctor, as it may result in cancer.
Origin of Cancer:
Cancer has become a very popular disease among the people in India since 17th century. Between 18690 and 1910, several audits and cancer case series were published by Indian Medica Service doctors in India. However, the recent researches state that cancer has been prevalent in India ever since antiquity.
Cancer has been recognized in India since the Ayurvedic period. Mostly aged people were reported to have died because of cancer in those times. Ten out of ten thousand people died because of cancer in the medieval period. However, people did not pay much heed to it as they were keen about short life expectancy.
However, the routine diagnosis of cancer began in the 19th century after western medicine gained acceptance in India. Then as time went on the number of cases and deaths started increasing. n India, mostly because of the changing civilization and people’s modern approach towards life.
Experts say that one of the main reason for the rise in cancer is because if the increasing lifespan. he researchers also say that about two-third of the increase. It is due to the fact that we are living longer.
The Deadly Disease:
No part of the world is apparently immune to this deadly disease called cancer. China and USA are the top two countries for cases of cancer, while India ranks at number three. One million new cases are approximately reported in India every year, and about 70% of the patients are women. Overall, about half a million deaths occur due to cancer in India every year.
Tobacco is found to be responsible for 40-70% of cancer cases in India. The usage of tobacco has been pretty increasing all throughout these years of immense growth in civilization. People do not understand that civilization does not come in the habits but in the behavior of people towards society and the respect they give to their mother country. Their stupid assumptions that all lies in the so-called sophisticated behavior that includes smoking, drugs, alcohol and considering women to be only their object of pleasure is the cause of the immense rise in cancer. So let’s start with the treatment first Signs of Cancer: Symptoms, Causes, Types, and Treatment
Treatment for Cancer:
In ancient times, no cure was mentioned for cancer. It was considered as a fatal disease, that can kill an infected person in a most horrible and painful way. There were no proper identification methods or required technologies to find out cancer in its early stage or to even treat it. But with the rise in civilization and the introduction of modern technologies the medical field is now capable of treating cancer, curing it and giving the person a second chance in this world. But all these rules apply only if the disease is its early stage and is still curable. Even then many advanced medicines and therapies are available to prolong the life of an infected person.
Types of Cancer in India:
There are 19 types of cancer that affects people.
.They are, cancer of the bladder, breast cancer, cervical cancer, colorectal cancer, esophageal cancer, cancer in the eyes, kidney cancer, laryngeal cancers, liver cancers, lung cancers, oral cancers, ovarian cancers, cancer of the pancreas, prostrate cancer, skin cancers, stomach cancer, testicular cancer, thyroid cancers.
Among all these types, the most common forms of cancer found in India. They are :
- Breast Cancer
- Oval Cancer.
Symptoms of Cancer:
Persistent sores in the corner of the mouth, lip, or tongue. Sores due to smoking, sharp edge of teeth, dental plates that do not fit, can develop into cancer if not taken care of. If you find the sore still hurting for more than few days, you need to consult a doctor.
Lumps or masses that appear suddenly should immediately taken care of, especially in the case of women . It is curable if treated immediately at the early stage. Persistent changes in bowel habits or indigestion, are often seen in the intestinal tract , one must consult with the doctor.
Unexplained or abnormal bleeding of any part of the body should be immediately treated by a physician. Coughing up or vomiting blood, passing blood in the urine and rectal bleeding are common symptoms of cancer. Unexplained loss of weight may be due to many things but may also be due to cancer.
Cardio Vascular Diseases:
Cardio vascular diseases (CVD’s) are a group of disorders of the heart and blood vessels, including coronary artery disease, cerebrovascular disease, peripheral arterial disease, rheumatic heart disease, congenital heart disease, deep vein thrombosis, and pulmonary embolism. 31% of the global deaths are due to CVD, of these 85% are due to heart attack and stroke.
Blood pressure raise is one of the most important risk factors of CVDs. Individuals at risk of CVD may suffer blood pressure, glucose, lipids as well as over weight and obesity. Identifying the risks at an early stage and undergoing appropriate treatment can cure the disease.
Liver Cirrhosis:
The common causes of liver cirrhosis in India are consumption of alcohol, hepatitis B, ac viral infections and also non-alcoholic steato-hepatitis. Liver cirrhosis is a condition where a part of the liver or a tissue of the liver stops its function. Also leaves a permanent damage in the liver, that reduces its function resulting in liver failure. This can only be rectified by a liver transplant.
This condition is known as chronic liver damage, that is an end result of a variety of liver diseases. It characterized by “fibrosis and architectural distortion of liver with the formation of regenerative nodules”. Fat induced liver damage is the new epidemic that has arisen due to the changing lifestyle and obesity. It is also becoming the primary cause of cirrhosis in the country.
Lung Diseases:
While the cause of other diseases varies from individual to individual, the cause of lung disease or lung damage is the same all across the world. This happens due to excess smoking of weeds, tobacco and other things. The toxic reaches the lungs resulting in lung damage.
This habit of smoking not only risks the lives of the ones who indulge in it but also the people who are close to them. Air pollution is another major cause of lung disease. Today we are surrounded by hi-fi factories emitting tons and tons of smoke. All the suburban areas are surrounded by factories and the rural areas. They are slowly transforming into several other factories that is a major cause of air pollution.
Chronic Obtrusive Pulmonary disease:
COPD is the second most cause of death in India after heart disease. But the country is unaware of the seriousness of the disease. It takes years of exposure to smoke, coal, weed tobacco, and many other things that emit smoke. Its patients are probably above 40 years of age.
This disease is responsible for over a million deaths per year. Spirometry – the standard test to diagnose COPD is not commonly used by the doctors in India, thus most people are unaware that they might have COPD. Wheezing, tightness of chest, increase in sputum production, continuous coughs are some of the symptoms of COPD. It is not necessary for all the persons with these symptoms to have COPD, but you should get a proper checkup if you have prolonged symptoms.
How to Avoid COPD?
One should quit smoking to have a healthy and happy life. They should avoid contact to dirt, pollutants, and harmful chemicals. And should take flu and pneumonia shot every year to avoid getting the disease.
Conclusion:
In India, most diseases are occurring due to the increasing pollution and the drastic change in lifestyle. We should avoid polluting our already polluted enough environment to at least reduce the damage that caused to our future generation, because of the mistakes we do today.
It is our own responsibility to take proper care of ourselves and also to assure that the people who step into this world after us and from us have a safe and healthy life. So, at least from now on, let us try to stop polluting the environment and start creating a pollution free earth which is going to become a safe haven for our future generation. Hope you learnt Signs of Cancer: Symptoms, Causes, Types, and Treatment.
The information from the article Signs of Cancer: Symptoms, Causes, Types, and Treatment is from the PubMed, Indian cancer society and WHO websites.
-Devimanju Mohan.