That branch of medicine that deals with the management of cancer is known as oncology. Specialists who treat patients are known as oncologists. It is important to keep in mind the three main components that have become necessary to increase the chances of survival of patients. The three components are mentioned below:
• Prevention: Prevention identifies risk factors such as tobacco and alcohol and works to reduce their consumption.
• Diagnosis: Diagnosis is made by detecting cancers with the help of tests and staging.
• Treatment: Treatment is given by looking at the extent of the cancer and the parts of the body affected.
There are no exact causes of this disease, which makes it even more potent, but there are several risk factors. Staying away from these factors can decrease the chance of your body being affected by this disease. Some of the common risk factors are:
• Tobacco is considered the main cause of death from cancer. More than 20 percent of deaths related to this condition are caused by tobacco.
• Lifestyle choices, such as smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol, increase risk.
• Cancer is prominent in older people. This is because most cancers take years to develop. They may be present in the body for a long time, but are only identified at a later stage when they have fully developed.
• There are several cancer-causing substances in the environment. They are present both in air and in water. It is difficult for us to avoid them. Some of the examples include arsenic, asbestos, benzene, cadmium, etc.
• Obesity – is directly related to cancer of the breast, colon, rectum, endometrium, esophagus, kidney, pancreas, etc.
There are different ways to treat this disease. Includes radiation therapy, surgery and medical oncology. Medical oncology means when treatment is done with the help of chemotherapy, immunotherapy, or targeted therapy.
• Chemotherapy
It uses drugs to kill the affected cells. A single drug or a combination of different drugs is given to keep cancer cells from growing and dividing and from making new cells. These drugs are very powerful and have the potential to kill nearby normal cells. It can be used in different ways. If it is used to shrink tumors before surgery, it is known as neoadjuvant chemotherapy. It can also be used as the only treatment in diseases such as leukemia and lymphoma. The drugs that are administered are given according to the type of cancer being treated and the place where it has spread.
• Targeted Therapy
It also works by delivering drugs, but it is different from chemotherapy in that specific genes and proteins are targeted to stop the growth and spread of cancer. These methods are often used with chemotherapy and other options. The drugs administered have the ability to block signals that give tumor cells information to grow and divide. It is made with the help of two different types. In monoclonal antibodies, the drugs block the exact target that is affected in and around the cancer. With small molecule drugs, the process that helps cancer cells multiply and spread is blocked. This therapy is commonly used in breast, colorectal, and lung cancer.
• Immunotherapy
In immunotherapy, the body’s natural immune system is stimulated to fight cancer. The substances used in the fight are produced by the body or specially prepared in a laboratory. They work by stopping the growth of affected cells and helping the immune system work better to kill cancer cells. In oncolytic virus therapy, genetically modified viruses are used to kill cancer cells. The virus is injected into the tumor. It copies itself, causing cells to burst and die. Then there is T cell therapy. In this method, T cells are taken from the blood and altered in a laboratory. They re-enter the body and destroy cancer cells.
