Let’s see how cancer grows
An article by
Dr Asghar Ali Shah
Homeopathic Physician
Published in The News International on July 05, 2011
Cancer is the second leading cause of death in Pakistan. About one million new cancer cases are reported each year across the globe. In 2007, it claimed lives of about 7.6 million people.
Cancer grows out of normal cells in the body. Normal cells multiply when the body needs them, and die when the body doesn’t need them. Cancer appears to occur when the growth of cells in the body is out of control and cells divide too quickly. It can also occur when cells forget how to die.
A key characteristic of cancer cells is their greatly prolonged life span compared to that of normal cells. Not only do cancer cells not die when they are supposed to, they also fail to develop the specialized functions of their normal counterparts.
Masses of cancer cells may become like parasites, developing their own network of blood vessels to siphon nourishment away from the body’s main blood supply. It is this process that, if remains unchecked, eventually leads to the formation of a tumour - a swelling caused by the abnormal growth of cells. If the tumour invades adjacent normal tissue or spreads through lymph vessels or the blood vessels to other normal tissues, this is considered malignant.
Some cancers may not have any symptoms at all. In certain cancers, such as pancreatic cancer, symptoms often do not start until the disease has reached an advanced stage. Nevertheless chills, fatigue, fever, night sweats and weight loss may be the common symptoms in most of the cancer patients.
There are more than 200 types of cancers but five major groups are used to classify the type of cancer.
Carcinoma: cancer that begins in the skin or in tissues.
Sarcoma: cancer that begins in bone, cartilage, fat, muscle, blood vessels, or other connective or supportive tissue.
Leukemia: cancer that starts in blood-forming tissue such as the bone marrow and causes a large number of abnormal blood cells to be produced and enter the blood.
Lymphoma and myeloma: cancer that begins in the cells of the immune system.
Central nervous system: cancers that begin in the tissues of the brain and spinal cord.
Conventional treatment options for cancer are not associated only with side effects, but the cancer can recur elsewhere and can be more malignant and violent. For example if a woman has had cancer in one breast, why should cancer then appear in the other breast, which unfortunately happens all too frequently?
Moreover chemotherapy weakens our immune system and results in hair loss, nausea, fatigue, and vomiting.
Dr Asghar Ali Shah
Homeopathic Physician
Published in The News International on July 05, 2011
Cancer is the second leading cause of death in Pakistan. About one million new cancer cases are reported each year across the globe. In 2007, it claimed lives of about 7.6 million people.
Cancer grows out of normal cells in the body. Normal cells multiply when the body needs them, and die when the body doesn’t need them. Cancer appears to occur when the growth of cells in the body is out of control and cells divide too quickly. It can also occur when cells forget how to die.
A key characteristic of cancer cells is their greatly prolonged life span compared to that of normal cells. Not only do cancer cells not die when they are supposed to, they also fail to develop the specialized functions of their normal counterparts.
Masses of cancer cells may become like parasites, developing their own network of blood vessels to siphon nourishment away from the body’s main blood supply. It is this process that, if remains unchecked, eventually leads to the formation of a tumour - a swelling caused by the abnormal growth of cells. If the tumour invades adjacent normal tissue or spreads through lymph vessels or the blood vessels to other normal tissues, this is considered malignant.
Some cancers may not have any symptoms at all. In certain cancers, such as pancreatic cancer, symptoms often do not start until the disease has reached an advanced stage. Nevertheless chills, fatigue, fever, night sweats and weight loss may be the common symptoms in most of the cancer patients.
There are more than 200 types of cancers but five major groups are used to classify the type of cancer.
Carcinoma: cancer that begins in the skin or in tissues.
Sarcoma: cancer that begins in bone, cartilage, fat, muscle, blood vessels, or other connective or supportive tissue.
Leukemia: cancer that starts in blood-forming tissue such as the bone marrow and causes a large number of abnormal blood cells to be produced and enter the blood.
Lymphoma and myeloma: cancer that begins in the cells of the immune system.
Central nervous system: cancers that begin in the tissues of the brain and spinal cord.
Conventional treatment options for cancer are not associated only with side effects, but the cancer can recur elsewhere and can be more malignant and violent. For example if a woman has had cancer in one breast, why should cancer then appear in the other breast, which unfortunately happens all too frequently?
Moreover chemotherapy weakens our immune system and results in hair loss, nausea, fatigue, and vomiting.
