Cancer: Medical Symptoms, Types, Groundbreaking Developments and Preventions (Part 2)

When abnormal cells proliferate uncontrollably, cross their normal borders to infiltrate other body parts, and/or move to other organs, the result is cancer. In general, it is a broad category of disorders that can commence in any tissue or organ of the body. The latter phase is known as metastasizing, and it is a leading cause of cancer death. Cancer is also known as a neoplasm and a malignant tumor.

For men, the most common cancers are lung, prostate, colorectal, stomach, and liver, whereas for women it is breast, colorectal, lung, cervical, and thyroid.

The physical, emotional, and monetary toll that cancer takes on people, families, communities, and health systems is increasing on a global scale.

Let’s Understand in more detail the most common and rare cancer prevalent worldwide and the latest Groundbreaking Developments.

The Most Common:  Breast Cancer

Ductal carcinoma is the subtype of breast cancer that is most common. This type of breast cancer arises in the lining of a milk duct. The lobules that generate breast milk use ducts to carry it to the nipple.

The breast cancer kind with the greatest likelihood of relapse. Oestrogen receptor-positive breast cancer has been shown to have a higher recurrence rate after being diagnosed for a longer time. This study looked at the risk of late breast cancer recurrence, which was described as the illness relapsing ten years or more after detection.

Refer Infographics Images to know its symptoms and awareness.

The Rarest: Malignant Sarcoma

Sarcoma, a type of cancer can develop anywhere in your body. Sarcomas are a broad category of cancers that begin in the soft (also known as connective) tissues and bones (soft tissue sarcoma). DNA mutations in soft tissue, which are very common, cause sarcoma in people. But rather than being inherited before birth, they are typically acquired during life.

Latest Groundbreaking Developments In The Battle Against Cancer

Through the application of modern tools and technology, cancer research has made impressive strides, and new insights are starting to emerge.

Next-Generation Sequencing is an illustration of innovative technology (NGS). NGS also makes it simpler to identify mutations in cancer samples, which encourages the creation of a wide range of novel therapeutic medicines.

Before the pandemic, cancer death rates were decreasing. A significant backlog in cancer diagnosis and treatment has now been created by COVID-19.

However, medical innovations continue to aid the global fight against cancer. Here are a few recent developments.

1. Precision oncology is the “latest new and effective weapon in the fight against cancer.” This method finds cell-level alterations that might be promoting the growth and spread of the malignancy and can encourage the creation of customized therapies. As opposed to general treatments like chemotherapy, precision oncology treatments are precise, resulting in less damage to healthy cells and fewer side effects.
2. In India, World Economic Forum partners are transforming cancer care by leveraging emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning. For instance, AI-based risk profiling can assist in cancer screening, resulting in early diagnosis of common malignancies like breast cancer.
3. The DNA of cancer tumors from 12,000 people offers fresh information about cancer causes, according to scientists at Cambridge University Hospitals in England. By studying genomic data, oncologists are finding several mutations that have contributed to each person’s cancer. For instance, cigarette smoking, exposure to UV light, or cellular internal problems.
4. Now Blood samples can also be analyzed for cancer symptoms using liquid biopsies, which is a quicker and less intrusive procedure. It can replace conventional biopsies, which are commonly adopted by doctors to identify cancer. Another breakthrough that can encourage cancer cells to surface in the early stages of the disease is synthetic biopsies.
5. A treatment for leukemia patients that causes immune cells to hunt down and kill cancer cells has recently been proclaimed a success. The procedure, known as CAR-T-cell therapy, entails the removal and genetic modification of a cancer patient’s T cells (or, immune cells). The transformed cells subsequently create chimeric antigen receptors, i.e., protein (CARs) and which can identify and eliminate cancer cells.
6. One of the deadliest malignancies is pancreatic cancer. Rarely is it detected before it begins to spread, and it has a survival chance of less than 5 percent over 50 years. Researchers at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine have created a test, that was able to detect 95% of pancreatic tumors in their early stages. This research was published in the journal Nature Communications Medicine.

Also Read : About featuring news and research updates from the National Cancer Institute.

Suggestions For Preventing Cancer

Nevertheless, 1 in 5 men and 1 in 6 women globally acquire some sort of cancer at some point in their lives. Thanks to screening and early detection, immunizations, and advancements in treatment, people with diagnoses are living longer than ever.

Here are some of the recommendations that can be helpful in the fight against cancer:

1. Keep a healthy weight.

2. Engage in physical activity.

3. Consume a balanced diet: The following dietary suggestions to prevent cancer were provided by the WCRF/AICR.

4. Steer clear of tobacco and too much sun exposure

1. Limit your alcohol intake, and prioritize whole grains, vegetables, fruit, and legumes in your diet.
2. Limit “fast” food.
3. Limit red and processed meat.
4. Limit beverages with added sugar.

Have a glance over the following infographics to have some more insight and analysis about cancer in general. Lets us be a more aware and responsible people.