Physician's Notebooks 10 - http://physiciansnotebook.blogspot.com - See Homepage
Update 22 Septr 2021.
13. Cancer
Update 22 Septr 2021.
13. Cancer
The Seeds of Cancer
Cancer-change transformers, promoters & enhancers
Treatment of cancer should be approached carefully
The Seeds of Cancer: Within each organ and tissue, only a few cells can divide to replace cell loss. These are the stem cells. The reproduction of stem cells is tightly controlled. It must be enough to replace normal loss yet not make too many cells. It is from stem cells that cancer starts. A single stem cell is transformed into dividing a little faster and/or being a little less sensitive to cell-division inhibitor or, as in some leukemia, being less prone to programmed cell death. And the daughter cells of this originally transformed cell are further transformed in the same direction of getting out of control. This view of cancer development is of a series of step transformations (presently considered to be 6 to 8) in a cell-line under repeated and various transforming stimuli. And each transformation is heritable, being in the DNA, and it forces the cells of the transformed clone toward cancer development.
Cancer-change transformers, promoters & enhancers are radiation, virus, or chemical carcinogen, each one affecting the stem cells toward pro-cancer change instability. Primary prevention aims at avoiding or neutralizing each cancer-change factor, e.g., radiation avoid or minimize. Concerning virus, the hep B immunization of children will eliminate most primary liver cancer. Another is to stop exposure to non-human virus from furry pet which increases chance of leukemia.
Everyone knows smoking ups cancer risk.
Also, a medication may have cancer-promoting effect. Here a non-neurotic edge against medication, favoring shorter course and lower dose and questioning of necessity for use. Prefer to suffer mild symptom rather than medicate; prefer to try harmless non-medicinal remedy before taking drug for symptoms. (But this should not be used as an excuse for so called "natural” remedies and quack cures.)
Everyone knows smoking ups cancer risk.
Also, a medication may have cancer-promoting effect. Here a non-neurotic edge against medication, favoring shorter course and lower dose and questioning of necessity for use. Prefer to suffer mild symptom rather than medicate; prefer to try harmless non-medicinal remedy before taking drug for symptoms. (But this should not be used as an excuse for so called "natural” remedies and quack cures.)
At a stage after early transformation, a cancer cell is born. It has escaped the body's growth control and in absence of other defense it will divide from 1 cell to 2 to 4 to 8 and up until you feel tumor as lump, or it causes headache growth inside skull or otherwise makes itself felt.
Untreated, a cancer death is not inevitable. In the course of each person's life a number of new cancer cells and clones may develop. But most do not go on to cause illness and it is rare for a person to get more than one that progresses to cancer in a lifetime because the new cancer cell is recognized as such by the immune system early and destroyed by killer cells. (Special white blood cells formed in immune tissue that circulate in blood and can pass through capillary wall and migrate into tissue to kill new cancer cell.) But when one's immunity gets lowered, cancer cells escape destruction and produce tumor or leukemia. So another line of defense is keeping one's immune system strong and not unnecessarily taking drugs that lower immunity. (And not catching immune-system weakening diseases like HIV AIDS.)
Treatment of cancer should be approached carefully, persistently and deliberately with reliance on professional and expert team at world-beater center, and avoidance of naturopath, nutrition expert, psychic healer, volatile-oil pedlar or the gossip next door. A cancer when discovered has been growing for years so taking a week or two to seek best advice is no harm.
Finding cancer early is one key but no guarantee because some cancers are biologically invasive from start. Time-tested screening like Pap smear in women (and other smear cytology like on urine or sputum) against cervical and other surface cancer should be done on advised schedule. But be critical and cautious of screening that involves regular x-ray. Check risk/benefit, age range for benefit, and side effect. After several years of repeated negative screening, the chance of discovering the screened-for cancer becomes minimal unless a significant risk factor continues or intervenes. Thus a virgin or celibate woman (Roman catholic nun) may safely discontinue Pap smear early, after persistent negatives.
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