Cancer: Cancer and Normal Body Cells Essay

Submitted By jscparta
Words: 569
Pages: 3

Jenna Scparta 12/16/07
St. John’s School Grade 7 Cancer Cancer is a disease that is usually very bad. The word cancer comes is the Latin word for crab. Cancerous growths act something like a crab, pinching healthy tissue as they grow. Although there are many kinds of cancer, they all start because of out-of-control growth of abnormal cells. Normal body cells grow, divide, and die in an orderly fashion. During the early years of a person's life, normal cells divide more rapidly until the person becomes an adult. After that, cells in most parts of the body divide only to replace worn-out or dying cells and to repair injuries. Because cancer cells continue to grow and divide, they are different from normal cells. Instead of dying, they outlive normal cells and continue to form new abnormal cells. These abnormal cells are called tumors. Cancer is developed in many ways such as inherited from a parent, by smoking, and ultraviolet light. Carcinogens are substances or factors in the environment that can cause cancer. Carcinogens are found in the tar of cigarette smoke and ultraviolet light which is part of the sun. Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States. Half of all men and one third of all women in the United States will develop cancer during their lifetimes. Today, millions of people are living with cancer or have had cancer. The risk of developing most types of cancer can be reduced by changes in a person's lifestyle, for example, by quitting smoking and eating a better diet. The sooner a cancer is found and treatment begins, the better are the chances for living for many years. There are many, many symptoms of cancer. Back pain, pelvic pain, bloating, indigestion, headaches, nonhealing sores, constant itching in your anus, fever and night sweat are all symptoms of cancer but not all the same type of cancer. Obvious change in a wart or a mole, persistent lumps or swollen glands, breast lump or breast discharge, and persistent cough or blood-tinged saliva are just a few of many symptoms. Drugs, surgery, and radiation are all used to