Cancer – An Introduction
Assalam o alaykum w.w.!
After, my Cancer – Threat to Life or a Signal post, this can be counted as a sequel. For past few days, I am going through lots of stuff related to cancer and malignancy. You may have caught some posts from Helping Children When a Family Member Has Cancer as well. The latter post series was made via an interesting article I found, so I thought why not share it.
In this post, I’ll try to discuss few beginners issues … as whenever the name of cancer or even tumor comes up an instant reaction is of utter shock. Though not all the tumors are benign or malignant; hence can be removed through surgery without any traces left behind in the body. So, why not explore what this shocking thing really is …
Cancer is basically abnormal multiplication of body cells that does not die after a certain time and such a growth is known as a tumor. With such a large number of cell growth going on in the body, the cells can transfer to different organs as well through blood and replace the tissues. While in Leukemia (blood caner), tumors are not formed instead malignant cells travel through blood and circulate in the body. One easy explanation of cancer growth is “some” damage in the DNA structure, how it happens, what may cause it, how can it be prevented; all these questions are, unfortunately, still unanswered.
Now there are mainly two types of cancers metastasis and advanced cancer are known. In metastaic cancer, malignancy spreads from the affected organ to various organs; it can still be cured and removed. While in advanced cancer, if the cancer has reached vital organs such as liver, lungs, it’s known to be the advanced cancer, with the chances of removal almost null.
If there’s cancer reported in your family history, it is highly recommended that after 40 years of age you must have your yearly checkups to detect any abnormal growths or feelings you may be noticing. As in Pakistan, the trend is coming but it’s still very slow, to have regular medical checkups and people still feel shy and even a bit irritated why to go to doctor and have check up if there’s nothing wrong. But Cancer does not develop in a day or two, not even in a month or two, usually when you detect cancer its past stage 2. Most of the symptoms may lead to totally misguided diagnosis, as I remember in my mother’s case she felt stomach tightening and evening fever for a month or so. Doctors came up with 3-4 different diseases for the same symptoms and after a thorough ultrasound and a special CA-125 test, she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. So, I totally suggest you to ask your doctor repeatedly for special malignancy check tests as well. They are not very expensive but can prove to be very helping if, God forbid, you are suffering from some cancer.
Usually Radiotherapies and chemotherapies are the treatments given to the patients, blood depending upon the RBC, WBC, Platelet and hemoglobin count can also be given. Blood cancer or leukemia is genetically present disease and usually children of small age have leukemia. Each chemotherapy medicine can have different side effects ob different people; in chemo basically the medicine is injected in the 1L drip, with drip level set for 5-6 hours. You’ll feel just fine during the chemo even after a day you may be doing fine, but its effects start showing up slowly but fiercely. You may suffer from heavy vomiting, numbness, fever, skin allergies, mouth ulcers, Alopecia (in most cases it happens and it is the complete hair loss), infection can be caught. As, the medicine injected through drip in your body fight with the body cells to kill off the malignant cells … but they don’t have any scanners to differentiate between cell types … your healthy cells are getting killed too … thus dropping body’s immunity level. Worst part for patients is they have to drink more than 4 liters of water daily to get rid of the medicine form their body.
Will power plays the lead role for any cancer patient, if you’ll just start thinking that no I cannot fight with it, I don’t have any energy left, then believe me it’d take over sooner than you have ever thought. So, whether it e the family or patient both have to unanimously fight the disease and keep on discussing things, symptoms, effects and have your morale high, Allah would surely help.
Unfortunately, Cancer is also known to be a disease that can come back any time. Hence after chemo and radio-therapies trimester checkups and cell count is done to keep an eye on cancer cells count.
I guess, like in US or UK, there should be special meetings or associations be formed to unite not only all the patients but patient’s families as well. As, in such an emotionally and physically low state, the patient don’t know what’s going to happen neither do their families. According to my observation, if two persons are suffering from same ailment or anguish, discussing things, sharing things helps you a lot. So it’s high time that some Cancer friends association be formed in Pakistan.
A doctor I must say is not only meant to be a mere physician or surgeon, he must be something more. When you are interacting with people from such diverse backgrounds, you start understanding the human psyche. Hence, oncologists specially need to be a bit more careful with their communications. As cancer is still known to be a deadly disease and people are really miserable when it comes to deal with cancer. So they look forward to a kind and caring and all telling doctor.
Fortunately in Pakistan, there are many hospitals now providing world-class facilities regarding Cancer as SKMCH, Agha Khan, CMH, hospitals and medical centers by Atomic energy. Our interaction for treatment was mainly involved with SKMCH and I must say from oncologists to the nursing staff, every one was highly capable yet highly caring.
Cancer may known to be deadly … life taking … but don’t forget earlier it be detected faster would be the recovery and complete recovery …!
Its just a Cancer awareness post … !
For more references, you can go to Cancer Reference
Salam and pray that your mom gets well soon.
Thanks for sharing it here. The one big difference between developing and dev countries is the awareness. Once I met a cancer patient and she tells me how her life changed when she read the board of the hospital she was taken to – Regional Cancer Center. That shock leaves longer effects that the chemo or anything. If we have proper counsellings, good awareness etc., at least we could let cancer patients lead a better life as long as they can.
I have seen in Japan people are not so scared about cancer. May be because they have these frequent health checks too..
Ovarian Cancer Awareness…
I have never think about this points before. Yes I agree this post is very informative for me, but I would not 100% agree with your thought here. I would love to see your other/future post here. Anyway, thank you for sharing….