Untitled Essay, Research Paper

Cancer is a major killer of people all around the globe. We do not have a

definite cure,

but the amount of research done on this one disease costs on the average

of $1.2 billion dollars

annually, and $20 billion annually in care of cancer patients.What is Cancer?Cancer is a broad ranging term that is used by many people, including

medical

professionals such as doctors. Cancer, in its most fatal and aggressive form,

is of a larger class of diseases known as neoplasms. There are two forms

of a neoplasm: benign or malignant. A benign neoplasm is encapsulated, or

surrounded, so that it’s growth is restricted, whereas a malignant neoplasm

is not closed in. Malignant tumors grow much more quickly than benign forms

and spread into the surrounding normal tissue, and virtually destroy it,

(Grolier Electronic Encyclopedia, Cancer).The question is, what exactly is cancer? Cancer, is the break down and mutation

of the

cells of the body, when the DNA (Deoxyribonucleic Acid) sequences in those

molecules are

disrupted and errors form in the structures, (Grolier, Genetic Code). This

mutation spreads

through surrounding tissue until it disrupts major systems in the body (such

as respiratory,

digestive and waste management) cause that system to fail.What causes Cancer to become active?Since it is believed that almost all people have some type of cancer in their

body, (although

benign), any person that comes in contact with a carcinogen, (any cancer-causing

agent), will

cause these benign cells to become malignant.It is when the cells become malignant, that cancer actually occurs. Cancer,

in this context,

can be caused by many different agents; chemical, biological or physical.Chemical AgentsChemicals that can cause a benign cell to become active include things such

as complex

hydrocarbons, aromatic amines, certain metals, drugs, hormones, and naturally

occurring

chemicals in plants and molds. Hydrocarbons and nitrosamines can be found

in cigarette smoke and may contribute to the condition called “lung cancer”.

Other chemicals that seem to cause incidents of “bladder cancer”, such as

2-naphthylamine, were used in the dye industry for dyeing cloth, but when

a number of cases of cancer turned up, its use was discontinued. Vinyl Chloride,

a chemical gas, has also appeared, seeming to cause “liver cancer” ,(Grolier,

Cancer)Drugs, such as some cancer-treating alkylating agents, are also carcinogens.

These agents

are used to break the DNA strands in the cells, thereby killing the cells,

but it also effects the cells surrounding the tumor, actually making them

malignant. When these chemicals are used to treat cancer in this way, they

must in exact proportions for each person and if the dosage is incorrect,

the chemical will create a cancerous effect. Estrogens, a group of female

hormones, usually administered to women after menopause seem to cause an

increased incidence of cancer of the uterus. This has been alleviated today

by administering estrogen in combination with progesterone. Certain salts,

that contain arsenic, are suspected to casually relate to cancer of the skin

and liver, (Grolier, Cancer).The suggestion that cancer is caused by an alteration of DNA within the benign

cell, was proposed by James and Elizabeth Miller in the 1960s, who demonstrated

that chemical carcinogens must be metabolized and broken down so that they

may interact with the DNA of the cells in question, directly, (Grolier,

Cancer).Biological AgentsOur own bodies, in conjunction with parasites found in different parts of

the world, have been related to the causes of many types of cancer. Some

of the most clearly established biological agents are the oncogenic

(cancer-causing) viruses that commonly cause the formation of neoplasms in

lower animals have been linked to some human cancers, and at least one has

been definitely proven to cause cancer of the blood (leukemia), (Grolier,

Cancer).Physical AgentsHigh energy and ultraviolet radiation are two of the major causes of human

and animal cancer. It has been proven that there is a relation between the

sun’s ultraviolet rays, and the development of skin cancer in humans. Cancer

caused by radiation include just about every known variety, including leukemia,

cancer of the thyroid, breast, stomach, uterus and bone, (Grolier, Cancer).It has also been suggested that electromagnetic fields can pose a risk of

contracting cancer

when the field strength is extremely high. Power lines running through cities

and through the country, including large hydro towers that carry power through

the countryside, create such electromagnetic fields. These fields are strong

enough, in most cases, to light a oi= scent tube that a person is holding

just by walking underneath the power lines. In several instances in the United

States, especially in Washington and New York, the fields are so strong that

people are fearing that the exposure may be hurting their children, (Fortune,

p. 80).It is recommended that pregnant women do not use electric heating blankets

for extended periods, (sleeping, etc.), as the blankets create a low

electromagnetic field that may actually creating cancer in the fetus during

development.Inherited CancerAs was stated earlier, everyone has cancer, although benign. It is passed

from one

generation to the next, and depending on the amount of carcinogens the previous

generation has had contact with, will be relative to the risk placed on their

offspring. Some carcinogens can be stored in the body and not used, and can

be replicated in the next generation because the body has the ability to

create DNA and RNA sequences that represent their carcinogens.This is not necessarily the cause for inherited cancer, nor why it affects

some offspring and not others. It has been shown that cancer can remain dormant

in several generations, and then suddenly become active in a healthy

generation.StagesCancer does not jump out of the woodwork in a day; in most cases, it takes

a long time

for cancer to become detectable, depending on the type, and where it is growing.

It has shown

that cancer detected in the earliest stages of its growth is far easier to

stop, and so the American

Cancer Society has begun to promote public awareness of the seven warning

signs to look for:(1) a change in bowel or bladder function; (2) a sore that does not heal;

(3) unusual bleeding or discharge; (4) a thickening or lump in the breast

or elsewhere; (5) indigestion or difficulty in swallowing; (6) an obvious

change in a wart or a mole; and, (7) a nagging cough or hoarseness. Should

anyone exhibit any of these symptoms, they should see a physician immediately.

(Groiler, Cancer)Initiation and PromotionOne of the characteristics in the development of cancer in an organism is

the amount of

time between initial exposure to a carcinogen, and the actual development

of a malignant

cancerous tumor:Beginning in the late 1940s, a number of investigators defined the early

stages in the development, or natural history, of cancer. In a classical

experiment pertormed on the skin of mice, a single application of an agent

induced no neoplasms, but when it was followed by several applications of

a second agent, termed the promoter, neoplasms developed. (Grolier, Cancer)It was found that initiation by the first agent is irreversible once the

reaction has begun,

however, it was also noted that if the addition of the promoter was done

in several doses, over a long period of time, no neoplasms would occur, even

though the actual dosage of the promoter was the same. In humans for instance,

alcoholic beverages, dietary fat, and many of the components of cigarette

smoke are shown to be effective promoting agents. (Grolier, Cancer)ProgressionOnce a tumor has been created by initiation and promotion, it can progress

from a benign

to malignant form, or from a slowly reproducing tumor to a rapidly growing

malignant tumor. This progression has been shown to be related to the number

of abnormalities within a cell’s DNA. The cells surrounding the tumor will

be assimilated into the tumor as it grows. It has been shown that tumors

can suddenly stop growing, and then resume its growth at a later time. There

is no evidence as to why this happens, and scientists believe it is related

to unused portions of the DNA strands in cells that have been transformed

into instructions regarding the tumors growth.TreatmentTreatment of cancer seems to be more of an art than a science at the moment.

Especially

in the areas of surgery, radiation treatment, chemotherapy and other areas.SurgerySurgical removal of a cancer from the body is the oldest and sometimes most

effective

means of disrupting and stopping cancer growth. Surgery can be used to remove

malignant or benign tumors within the body, although the practice of removing

benign tumors is not practiced due to the possibility of making it active.

Removal of complete malignant tumors is often successful in halting cancer

growth in that particular region, when followed by radiation therapy. It

is also possible to remove parts of tumors, to reduce the amount of cancerous

tissue in the body as a whole. The one major drawback to surgery is that

quite often a tumor is not accessible to a surgeon, or it may be attached

to a major organ of the body, in which removing the tumor may cause serious

side affects and even death. So long as a cancerous tumor has not spread

to a major organ or tissue, the removal will be a safe and will be successful

in most cases.Surgical removal of a cancerous tumor may give people the extra months or

years to carry

out things they want to do, especially for those people who can not be totally

free of cancerous

tissue. Surgery to remove a tumor may give people the comfort in which to

live out their lives,

even though it may not be the complete solution, (Encyclopedia Britannica,

p. 541 )RadiationRadiation treatments are normally conducted after surgery if there was a

large affected

area, or treatments can be used on small tumors when surgery is not possible.

Irradiating a large

area of the body for a large tumor can create other types of cancer within

the body.Treatments can be carried out using gamma rays that are emitted by Cobalt-60,

a

radioactive element, by focusing high powered X-rays (many times the strength

of the normal Xray used to scan the body) or particles (electrons and neutrons).

Although some of the surrounding cells are killed in the radiation process,

the effect is minimized by shielding surrounding areas with dense materials,

such as lead and gold. The source of the radiation and the sensitivity of

the tumor are relative to the overall effect on the tumor.Radiation treatments are extremely ef&127;ective on leukemia and carcinomas

(solid tumors

which forms the skin and linings of most glands and organs) as they are extremely

sensitive to the

radiation.If radiation therapy is unsuccessful in the first few treatments, it is unlikely

to have any

significant impact on the cancer after this stage, and may cause more damage

than it does good.

ChemotherapyChemotherapyChemotherapy is the process by which chemicals are administered into the

body to fight

and destroy cancerous cells and tumors. At present, at least 10 types of

human cancer can be

treated and cured by chemotherapy alone or in conjunction with surgery and/or

radiation,

(Britannica, p. 558).Chemotherapy has been proven successful against some strains of cancer such

as

lymphocytic leukemia in children, Hodgkin’s Disease, sarcomas (connective

tissue such as bone

and fat) and kidney tumors. Chemotherapy is usually not a complete cure,

but has helped to

drastically increase the useful lifetime of many patients with these

diseases. There is one major point to note about chemotherapy, and

that is that it has been shown

that some chemicals used in the treatment of cancer will actually create

other forms of cancer, or

speed the growth of those already malignant, if dosages or administration

of the chemicals is

incorrect:Compounds that have been effective in the chemotherapy of human cancer include

certain hormones, especially the steroid sex hormones and those from the

adrenal cortex; antibiotics produced naturally by a variety of microorganisms;

plant alkaloids, including vinblastine and vincristine, derived from the

periwinkle flower; alkylating agents–chemicals that react directly with

DNA; and antimetabolites, which resemble normal metabolites (metabolic compounds)

in structure and compete with them for some metabolic function, thus preventing

further utilization of normal metabolic pathways. (Grolier, Cancer) It has also been noted that as chemotherapy damages some

of the surrounding tissue

around a tumor, chemotherapy can have some serious side effects. Some patients

develop severe nausea and vomiting, become very tired, and lose their hair

temporarily. Special drugs are given to alleviate some of these symptoms,

particularly the nausea and vomiting, (Compton’s Multimedia Encyclopedia,

Cancer – Chemotherapy).Immunotherapy hile still a rather new form of treatment, it is looked

as having great promise.

Immunotherapy is where the body’s own immune system is used to combat the

neoplasms situated in the body, with the help of “engineered” antibodies

that are added to the patients immune system. The immune system will then

replicate the antibody and send it out to destroy any cancerous cells matching

the DNA and RNA sequences it was designed to track, while attaching itself

to healthy cells to prevent assimilation by cancerous cells. This process

has worked on a single-case basis with good results, but it is expected to

be a while before its use is wide spread. (How it Works, p. 415)Recent TrendsIt has come about recently, that therapies combining less radical forms of

surgery, with

radiation, chemotherapy and/or preventive medicine have been used:Such therapy has been especially useful in the treatment of breast cancer,

where the traditional radical mastectomy, involving removal of the breast,

lymph nodes, and parts of the arm and chest muscles is becoming less common.

It is being replaced by relatively simple surgery involving removal of only

the lump itself or the breast, followed by chemotherapy or the use of preventive

drugs. An example of the latter is tamoxifen, an anti-estrogen that prevents

the growth of cancer cells with little or no toxicity to the host and remaining

normal cells. (Grolier, Cancer)RemissionRehabilitation is an important and ongoing process after having cancer

treatment(s) of any

kind. The majority of cancers are considered cured if there is no reoccurrence

within five years after the last treatment. Other types of cancer are required

to be monitored for ten years after treatments to be sure that no reoccurrence

is to happen. It is also to be noted that many types of leukemia may seem

to be none existent for several years, and then it may appear again. Also,

it is generally harder to treat a reoccurrence such as this than in the original

case.Present and Future ResearchCancer is an elusive and stubborn disease that can be turn up in almost any

system of the

body. With this in mind, it must be known that there must be a common reason

for malignant cancer cells to continue to plague a large percentage of our

population:In 1983, for example, U.S. and British researchers determined that at least

two genetic changes may be needed to transform cells into cancerous cells

under laboratory conditions: one stage enables the cell to grow indefinitely;

the other stage enables the cell to ignore signals from surrounding cells

that would otherwise halt its growth. Also, because the means to identify

most

of the carcinogenic agents in the environment are now available, a major

program of cancer prevention is within reach. (Grolier, Cancer)With this theory in mind, it will be relatively easy to control cancer once

we are intelligent and wise enough to know how to directly manipulate the

DNA sequences in cells, and place that information in the bodies of the patients

in question. It will be a glorious day when we can alleviate cancer from

this world, or will it?My Thought and Ideas about the Future of CancerIn the present day, our technology increases ten-fold each year. We are able

to find out more, faster and more efficiently than in any other time in history.

With our new knowledge that is forthcoming, I would predict the end of most

major diseases early in the next century. Once we are able to read and modify

the data and instructions found in our own DNA, we can directly access the

way we as living beings will grow and evolve. However, we will have another

problem, and that is of population. If there are no diseases to disrupt the

growth of our population on this planet, we will soon overcrowd, and we may

not yet have the technology to leave this world. However, I think we will

still be better off without cancer.ReferencesTetzeli, R. (1990). Can Power Lines Give You Cancer? FORTLINE Magazine, 49,

80-85Pitot, H.C. M.D. et al. (1992) Cancer. Grolier Electronic Encyclopedia,1992

ed. Searchphrases: CANCER, GENETIC CODE, DNA, RNAClarke, D. & Dartford, M. ( 1992). Cancer Treatment. How It Works: The

New IllustratedScience and Invention Encyclopedia, 414-418Abeloff, M.D. et al (1991) Cancer. Encyclopedia Britannica: Macropedia,

534-542Drill, V.A. et al (1991) Drugs and Drug Action – Chemotherapy. Encyclopedia

Britannica:Macropedia, 553-560American Cancer Society et al (1992) Cancer. Compton’s Multimedia

Encyclopedia,1992 ed.Search phrases: CANCER, CHEMOTHERAPY, GENETICS