x
Breaking News
More () »

Five things to know about cancer

Cancer is scary; but knowledge is power. Here are some things to know after a cancer diagnosis about the disease and treatment options.

If you or a loved one have been diagnosed with cancer, it’s normal to feel shock and bewilderment. If you’ve never experienced cancer firsthand, you will soon be plunged into a world of medical jargon, difficult choices, especially concerning treatment, and above all, change.

People pick up many myths and misconceptions about cancer from movies, TV, and old wives' tales. And while the internet can be a valuable tool for finding information, not all sources are equal.

The Mayo Clinic, Johns Hopkins, the National Cancer Institute and the American Cancer Society are reliable sources of information. In addition, your doctor can direct you to other sources of information, online or otherwise.

Before rushing into treatment decisions out of fear, experts advise that patients educate themselves – and get a second opinion.

That said, here is some basic information about cancer.

Cancer isn’t one disease

Cancer is a category of more than 100 diseases with unique characteristics. Different types of cancers have different causes. Breast cancer, lung cancer and pancreatic cancer are different in the way they grow and spread – therefore there is no one treatment that would "cure cancer."

Cancer can start anywhere in the body when cells grow out of control, crowding out normal cells and interfering with the body’s normal functions.

Stages:

In many, if not most, cases, cancer has been around for some time before it is detected and diagnosed. Therefore, it can be at any of the four stages at detection, depending on factors including how aggressive the cancer is and whether the patient is regularly screened for common cancers like breast, colon, or prostate cancer.

In the early stages, as in stage 1 or 2, the cancer has not spread much.

Stage 4 is the highest stage of cancer, meaning it has spread extensively. At Stage 4, doctors typically talk more about extending life – and quality of life – as much as possible, and less about completely eradicating the cancer, which is not considered possible at this stage.

Cancer treatment is the best it’s ever been

Although a cure isn’t in sight, advances in cancer treatment have increased survival rates, longevity, and quality of life. Research on a promising cancer vaccine is in clinical trials, among other novel approaches.

Two of three patients diagnosed with cancer are alive more than five years after their diagnoses; in 1970 this was true for only one in three, according to emedicinehealth.com.

Cancer is scary – don’t go it alone

A cancer diagnosis is a serious blow for most people, and it can be difficult to grapple with. A support system of friends, family, and medical providers can be crucial to coping and making the most of life. However, even the best support system might not be enough.

Many oncology hospitals have programs to help patients access services, or organizations like the American Cancer Society have hotlines for information and support. The American Cancer Society numbers is 1-800-227-2345

Educate yourself in cancer vocabulary (courtesy of the American Cancer Society)

Benign (be-NINE): a tumor that’s not cancer.

Biopsy (BY-op-see): taking out a piece of tissue to see if cancer cells are in it.

Cancer (CAN-sur): a word used to describe more than 100 diseases in which cells grow out of control; or a tumor with cancer in it.

Chemotherapy (key-mo-THER-uh-pee): the use of drugs to treat disease. The word most often refers to drugs used to treat cancer. Sometimes it’s just called “chemo.”

Malignant (muh-LIG-nunt): having cancer in it.

Metastasis/Metastasized (meh-TAS-tuh-sis/meh-TAS-tuh-sized): the spread of cancer cells to distant parts of the body through the lymph system or bloodstream.

Oncologist (on-KAHL-uh-jist): a doctor who treats people who have cancer.

Radiation therapy (ray-dee-A-shun THER-uh-pee): the use of high-energy rays, like X-rays, to treat cancer.

Remission (re-MISH-un): when signs or symptoms of cancer are all or partly gone.

Stage: a word that tells whether a cancer has spread, and if so, how far.

For more about the development of the cancer vaccine now in clinical trials, watch:

Before You Leave, Check This Out