Switch to हिंदी

Health, Fitness, Beauty & Diet | Pregnancy & Parenting | Diseases & Home Remedies | TheHealthSite.com

हिंदी
  • Health A-Z
  • Home Remedies
  • Diseases
    • Type 1 Diabetes
    • Type 2 Diabetes
    • Cancer
    • Heart Attack
    • Pneumonia
    • Diseases A-Z
  • Diet & Fitness
    • Weight Management
    • Exercise & Body Building
    • Diet & Recipes
    • Yoga
  • Coronavirus
  • News
  • Pregnancy
    • Conceiving
    • Infertility
    • Labour & Delivery
    • Pregnancy week-by-week
    • Breastfeeding
    • Baby Names
  • Beauty
    • Skin
    • Hair
    • Grooming
  • Photos
  • Videos
Home / Diseases & Conditions / Cancer

Cancer

According to the latest projections of the WHO, one in 10 Indians will develop cancer during their lifetime and one in 15 will lose their lives to it. This WHO report also reveals quite a few alarming cancer statistics about India:

  • 16 million new cases of cancer registered every year
  • 7,84,800 lose their lives to this condition
  • Six major types of cancer recorded in India are breast cancer, oral cancer, cervical cancer, lung cancer, stomach cancer, and colorectal cancer.

What is Cancer?

Cancer is a fatal condition characterised by abnormal cell division. Our body is constituted of trillions of cells. Healthy cells grow and divide according to the necessity of the body. As they age or are damaged, these cells die, and new ones replace them. When one develops cancer, cells stop functioning like this.  Old and damaged cells survive instead of dying and new cells start forming even when they are not necessary. These extra cells divide uncontrollably resulting in tumours.  While many forms of cancer are characterised by solid tumours or tissue masses, blood cancers do not result in tumours. Cancer, which can develop in any part of the body, generally spreads to the nearby tissues. The abnormal, damaged cancer cells march to distant locations of the body too though the bloodstream and form new malignant tumours.

Cancer is an umbrella term for a host of related diseases. The most common forms of this condition are breast cancer, ovarian cancer, skin cancer, lung cancer, colon cancer, prostate cancer, and lymphoma. The manifestations vary depending on the type of cancer and the standard line of treatment includes chemotherapy, radiation, and/or surgery.


Cancer Symptoms

As already mentioned, the symptoms differ on the basis of the type of cancer one has. However, there are some generic manifestations that are common to most cancers. Here are some of the prominent symptoms of cancer.

Unexplained weight loss: Shedding kilos without any visible reason may be one of the first indications of cancer. People with cancer in the pancreas, stomach or lungs have been commonly found to lose weight.  However, people with other types of cancer can also experience weight loss.

Extreme fatigue: Feeling drained out throughout the day can be a sign of cancer.

Lump: Cancer in the breast, lymph nodes, soft tissues, and testicles typically manifest through lumps of thickening of the skin.

Changes in the skin: If your skin changes colour and becomes yellow, dark, or red, it could signal cancer. Another indication of cancer could be the changing colour, shape and size of moles, freckles or warts. Watch out if your sores take unusually long time to heal.

Acute pain: This could be a warning signal for bone or testicular cancer. While back pain can be the manifestation of colorectal, pancreatic, or ovarian cancer, people with malignant brain tumours experience stubborn headache that doesn’t go away.

Change in bowel movement and bladder function:  Severe constipation, diarrhoea, blood in the stool, can be the sign of colorectal cancer. Painful urination and blood in the pee could be an alarm bell for bladder and prostate cancer.

Swelling in lymph nodes: Watch out for swollen glands that persist for three to four weeks. An increase in the size of lymph nodes can also signal cancer.

Anaemia: A dip in red blood cell count, the main feature of anaemia, can be the sign of haematological cancers.

Some of the other symptoms of cancer could be unusual bleeding (in the vagina or while coughing) hoarseness of voice, and extreme difficulty in breathing.


What Causes Cancer?

There is no known cause behind cancer. However, certain factors can increase your chance of getting cancer. We need to prevent our exposure to potentially carcinogenic factors to safeguard ourselves from this fatal condition. Though we can’t do much about genetic predisposition, a major risk factor behind cancer, we need to be extra cautious and make conscious efforts to go for screenings if we have a family history of the condition. This will ensure early detection and treatment too. Here are the most prominent factors that can increase our chance of getting cancer:

Chewing tobacco or smoking cigarettes: Nicotine in these products can make you vulnerable to any type of cancer.  However, it increases your risk of lung cancer, and cancers of the alimentary tract, pancreas, etc.

Genes: Some cancers run in the family. There is inheritance of a faulty gene, which initiates cancer. For example, breast cancer can be hereditary.

Carcinogens in the environment: Environmental toxins that we are exposed to, in our daily lives can also be responsible for increasing our risk of cancer. Substances like asbestos, benzene, arsenic, nickel compounds and indoor emissions from household combustion of coal can be potentially harmful.

Foods: Additives in preservatives and pesticides in our foods have the potential to up our risk of cancer. Moreover, re-heated foods, overcooked ones, those cooked in over-heated or re-heated oils can also turn carcinogenic. Water contaminated with heavy minerals due to industrial effluents are also harmful.

Viruses: Hepatitis B and C viruses are responsible for 50% of liver cancers. Human Papilloma virus is responsible for 99.9% cases of cervical cancer.

Also, over exposure to sun and radiation can make us more vulnerable to cancer.


Cancer Stages

Most cancers are characterised by tumours and can be divided in five stages. Expressed in Roman numerals, these stages tell you how advanced the cancer is.

Stage 0: It indicates that there’s no cancer. However, there are abnormal cells that may develop into cancer.

Stage I: At this stage, the tumour is small and cancer cells spread only in one area.

Stage II and III: At these stages, the tumour gets larger and the cancer cells spread to nearby body organs lymph nodes.

Stage IV: This is the last stage of cancer, also known as metastatic cancer. At this stage, the cancer spreads to different parts of the body.

Your doctor may also consider another system to figure out the stage of cancer. It is known as TNM (tumour, node, and metastasis) system.


Diagnosis of Cancer

For the detection of cancer, your doctor may start with a physical exam after going through your medical history. He may suggest urine, blood or stool tests to diagnose the condition. If he suspects cancer, you may need to undergo imaging tests like X-rays, computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), ultrasound, and fibre-optic endoscopy examinations. These diagnostic tools will tell your doctor about the location and size of the tumour. Biopsy is the confirmatory test for cancer. This method involves removal of tissue sample for diagnosis. If biopsy results are positive, then further tests will be suggested to find out the spread of cancer.


Treatment of Cancer

Your doctor will decide your treatment options depending on the type, location or stage of the cancer. Typically, the standard line of treatment for cancer includes surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy and hormone therapy, Immunotherapy and stem cell transplants among others.

Surgery

Surgical intervention is needed to remove tumours, tissues, lymph nodes or any other cancer-affected area.  Sometimes doctors carry on this process to find out the severity of the disease. Surgery is by far the best treatment option for cancer if it hasn’t spread to many organs of the body.

Chemotherapy
This treatment modality aims to kill cancer cells with drugs. The drugs can be taken orally or through injection into a vein.

Radiation therapy

In this procedure, cancer cells are damaged by using high-energy particles or waves. You may need radiation therapy alone or this can be part of your treatment alongside surgery and chemotherapy.

Immunotherapy
It enables your immune system to fight against cancer cells.

Hormone therapy
It is used to treat cancers that are influenced by hormones. Breast and prostrate cancers improve with hormone therapy.


Cancer diet

Nutrients keep your body and immune system strong. You need them all the more when fighting a condition like cancer. So, what you eat is very crucial if you are living with it. The right foods will help you not only battle the disease but also withstand the side effects of the treatments. A balanced diet with the right amount of carbohydrates, lean protein and low-fat items are ideal. Also, include a lot of vitamin C-rich fruits and veggies in your diet to boost you immunity as cancer destroys your body’s defence mechanism. Adding a lot of omega 3 fatty acids (nuts) and probiotic-rich food (yogurt) will also help.


Reduce your Cancer Risk

Cancer isn’t a condition that can be prevented. However, certain lifestyle measures can reduce your risk of the condition for sure. Here, we guide you on them.

Say no to tobacco: This is an important step towards cancer risk reduction. Join a smoking cessation programme if need be.

Avoid certain foods: Sugar and refined carbs, processed foods, overcooked and reheated foods increase your risk of cancer. Be cautious while having them.

Practise moderation while it comes to alcohol: It increases your risk of cancer of the breast, colon, lung, kidney and liver. So, make sure you don’t go overboard on alcohol.

Maintain a healthy body weight: Obesity is though to be a major contributing factor behind cancers of the breast, colon, lung and prostrate. So maintaining a healthy body weight is crucial. Apart from following a healthy dietary regimen, you should also work out regularly and stay active through the day to keep obesity at bay.

Immunize yourself against certain infections: Viral infections caused by hepatitis B and HPV increase your chances of certain cancers. Get yourself vaccinated against these viruses.

Other effective measures include reducing your exposure to environmental toxins, harsh rays of the sun and radiation.

 

 


More About Cancer

  • Young COVID-19 survivors beware: Get vaccinated because you are not safe from reinfection

    Young COVID-19 survivors beware: Get vaccinated because you are not safe from reinfection

    Even after a previous COVID-19 infection and the presence of antibodies, you still need to go in for vaccination to boost immune responses in your body. Read on to know more.

  • Common BP medication may up your risk of skin cancer; Know all about it

    Common BP medication may up your risk of skin cancer; Know all about it

  • Cancer immunotherapy may cause skin-related side effects: Who are most likely to experiencing them?

    Cancer immunotherapy may cause skin-related side effects: Who are most likely to experiencing them?

    Cancer patients receiving immune checkpoint inhibitors may developed skin problems like itching, inflammation, rash, skin colour loss, swelling or blisters. But clinicians should avoid prescribing corticosteroids to treat these skin problems. Researchers explain why?

  • Avoid cosmetics and hair products that contain parabens, they can lead to cancer

    Avoid cosmetics and hair products that contain parabens, they can lead to cancer

    Parabens are used in cosmetic and personal hygiene products to extend their shelf life. According to the American Chemical Society estimates, parabens are in about 85 per cent of personal care products.

  • Beware of The Risk Factors for Blood Cancer In Children

    Beware of The Risk Factors for Blood Cancer In Children

    Childhood leukemias may be caused by DNA mutations that can be inherited from a parent or they may happen randomly during a person's lifetime. Below are five factors that are linked to increased risk of developing leukemia in children.

  • Breast Cancer Treatment: New 5-Minute Therapy Can Effectively Reduce The Symptoms

    Breast Cancer Treatment: New 5-Minute Therapy Can Effectively Reduce The Symptoms

    Breast cancer is one of the deadliest types of cancers in the world after prostate and blood cancer, but this therapy promises to reduce the symptoms of breast cancer in just 5 minutes. Read to know more about it.

  • Sonali Bendre to Manisha Koirala: Celebrities who successfully fought cancer

    Sonali Bendre to Manisha Koirala: Celebrities who successfully fought cancer

    Cancer is the deadliest disease in the world but these inspiring stories of your favorite celebrities who fought cancer are here to inspire you. Read on to know how they fought cancer.

  • Kirron Kher is suffering from blood cancer, husband Anupam Kher confirms: Warning signs you should know

    Kirron Kher is suffering from blood cancer, husband Anupam Kher confirms: Warning signs you should know

    Noted Bollywood actress Kirron Kher was diagnosed with multiple myeloma a type of blood cancer. Taking to Instagram, husband Anupam Kher shared the news to her fans.

  • Go for bariatric surgery if you are obese: It can significantly bring down your risk of cancer

    Go for bariatric surgery if you are obese: It can significantly bring down your risk of cancer

    A new study says that bariatric surgery can drastically lower the risk of cancer in individuals with severe obesity and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

  • What are colon polyps and which type of polyps may turn fatal, if not treated at the right time?

    What are colon polyps and which type of polyps may turn fatal, if not treated at the right time?

    Colonic polyp is the excessive growth of the mucosal tissue within the large intestinal (colon) lumen. Here's everything you need to know.

  • Holi 2021: First-aid tips for a chemical holi

    Holi 2021: First-aid tips for a chemical holi

    Playing with colours is fun. But have you heard the term chemical Holi? It refers to colours that contain chemicals like lead oxide and chemical bromide.

  • Holi 2021: 10 reasons why the festival of colours is bad for your skin and health

    Holi 2021: 10 reasons why the festival of colours is bad for your skin and health

    Toxic colours used during Holi can lead to acne, dermatitis, rashes and even cancer. Be safe and have a Happy Holi!

  • Both piles and colorectal cancer can cause bleeding from anus: How to tell them apart

    Both piles and colorectal cancer can cause bleeding from anus: How to tell them apart

    As both piles and colorectal cancer present with bleeding from anus, people may associate piles with colorectal cancer and may panic. Dr. Prashant Mullerpatan, Onco Surgeon, Apollo Spectra Hospital, Mumbai, tells you the best way to rule out the possibility of colorectal cancer.

  • Breast cancer: Brominated flame retardants can increase your risk of this disease

    Breast cancer: Brominated flame retardants can increase your risk of this disease

    A new study says that brominated flame retardants may lead to early mammary gland development, which in turn can trigger the development of breast cancer.

  • COVID-19 Vaccine: Cancer patients ‘not protected’ after taking the first jab

    COVID-19 Vaccine: Cancer patients ‘not protected’ after taking the first jab

    Are you fighting with the second deadliest disease in the world cancer? A recent study has revealed that cancer patients are not safe even after taking the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Read to know more.

  • Can night shifts increase your risk of breast cancer? Here’s what experts has to say

    Can night shifts increase your risk of breast cancer? Here’s what experts has to say

    Many professions demand night shifts. Are you too in such a job? you need to be more cautious then, research has revealed that night shifts can increase your risk of getting breast cancer. Here's what experts say.

  • Do not ignore unusual vaginal odour that lasts for days, it may be a sign of vaginitis or cancer

    Do not ignore unusual vaginal odour that lasts for days, it may be a sign of vaginitis or cancer

    Consult a doctor if you have a strong unpleasant vaginal odour that continues for several days. Vaginitis, trichomoniasis, vaginal cancer and cervical cancer - all these health problems can cause a heavy vaginal discharge that can have a strong odour.

  • Is chemotherapy the only treatment for breast cancer? Find out

    Is chemotherapy the only treatment for breast cancer? Find out

    A study has found that women at low risk of breast cancer relapse can avoid chemotherapy. Here's what you need to know.

  • International Women’s Day: Common gynaecological issues women should not ignore

    International Women’s Day: Common gynaecological issues women should not ignore

    On the International Women's Day, Dr. Sabhyata Gupta, head of gynecology, Medanta Hospital, is here to tell you about various gynaecological problems women go through, at different phases of life and what can be done to prevent or treat the conditions.

  • International Women’s Day: Common gynaecological issues women should not ignore

    International Women’s Day: Common gynaecological issues women should not ignore

    On the International Women's Day, Dr. Sabhyata Gupta, head of gynecology, Medanta Hospital, is here to tell you about various gynaecological problems women go through, at different phases of life and what can be done to prevent or treat the conditions.

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • …
  • 20
  • »
Read Disclaimer

Coronavirus Updates

Coronavirus Updates

Stay Informed, Be Safe

  • Lockdown last resort, focus on micro-containment zones, says PM Modi on fight against COVID-19
  • New sweat sensor can alert impending COVID-19 cytokine storm, help save lives
  • New DNA Vaccine May Offer Protection From Coronavirus - Everything You Need To Know
  • Arvind Kejriwal's Wife Tests Positive For COVID-19, CM Under Self Isolation
  • Coronavirus New Variant Symptoms: COVID-19 Second Wave Brings New Symptoms, Don't Ignore Them

Recent Posts

  • Lockdown last resort, focus on micro-containment zones, says PM Modi on fight against COVID-19
  • WATCH: Sara Ali Khan, Janhvi Kapoor's New Workout Video Is The Ultimate Motivation You Need
  • Ayurveda for Osteoarthritis: Arthrox Treatment Frees 68-year-old Man of All Symptoms
  • New sweat sensor can alert impending COVID-19 cytokine storm, help save lives
  • New DNA Vaccine May Offer Protection From Coronavirus - Everything You Need To Know

Health Calculators

BMI Calculator
bmi Calculator
Ideal Body Weight
ideal body weight
Daily Calorie Intake
Daily calorie intake
Calories Burned
calories burned

Health News in Hindi

WHO ने मास्‍क पहनने को लेकर जारी की नई गाइडलाइन, बताया कपड़े का मास्‍क और सर्जिकल मास्‍क पहनने का सही तरीका

बिहार में कोरोना की दूसरी लहर, ‘सात फेरों’ पर लगा ग्रहण, शादियों की तिथियां लगीं टलने

होम आइसोलेशन में हल्के लक्षणों वाले कोरोना मरीज यूं करें अपना इलाज, जल्द होंगे रिकवर

एल्कोहल वाले सैनिटाइजर से फिर फटने लगे हाथ? घर पर बनाए आयुर्वेदिक हैंड मॉइश्चराइजर, हाथ होंगे सॉफ्ट-कोरोना भी रहेगा दूर

ब्लड कैंसर के मरीजों पर कोरोना वैक्‍सीन का प्रभाव कम: रिसर्च

Read All

Recent Posts

  • Lockdown last resort, focus on micro-containment zones, says PM Modi on fight against COVID-19
  • Bigg Boss 13 Fame Shefali Jariwala Shares The Benefits of Couple Workout & Her Skincare Secrets
  • WATCH: Sara Ali Khan, Janhvi Kapoor’s New Workout Video Is The Ultimate Motivation You Need
  • Ayurveda for Osteoarthritis: Arthrox Treatment Frees 68-year-old Man of All Symptoms
  • New sweat sensor can alert impending COVID-19 cytokine storm, help save lives

About The health Site

TheHealthSite.com is India's largest health site with more than 40 lakh unique visitors per month. We focus on fitness, beauty, health, pregnancy and more.

Most popular health and wellness website in India in 2012 at the Website of the year awards.

health@corp.india.com
+91 – 22 – 6697 1234
Landline Phone number 91 – 22 – 2490 0302.

ZEE ENTERTAINMENT ENTERPRISES LTD, 18th floor, A-Wing, Marathon Futurex, N. M. Joshi Marg, Lower Parel, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400013.

Useful Links

  • Weight Loss
  • Keto Diet Tips
  • Skin Care Tips
  • Intermittent Fasting
  • Apple Cider Vinegar
  • Ashwagandha
  • Cancer
  • Pneumonia
  • Diarrhoea
  • Dengue
  • Typhoid
  • Tuberculosis
  • Chickenpox
  • Chikungunya
  • Depression
  • Hepatitis
  • Diabetes
  • Type 2 diabetes
  • Arthritis
  • Swine Flu
  • Baby Names
  • Cough and cold
  • Heart Attack
  • Breast Cancer
  • Ebola Virus
  • Dengue
  • Malaria
  • International Yoga Day
  • Hypotension
  • Heart Failure
  • Asthma
  • Brain Tumour
  • Celebrity Fitness
  • Goitre
  • HIV/AIDS

We respect your privacy

  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact Us
  • Author Profiles

Copyright © 2021 Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited. All rights reserved.