Cancer Basics

What is Cancer?

Cancer is not just one disease, but is the general name used to describe hundreds of diseases, all presenting themselves in their particular way with the presence of abnormal and invasive cell growth. If left untreated, cancer can cause serious illness and death.

Normal human cells are born from another similar cell. They perform a specific job in the body, reproduce a limited number of times, and they die at the end of a normal life cycle. Cancer cells do no follow the behaviors of a normal, healthy cell. Cancer cells have the ability to reproduce uncontrollably. Instead of dying when it is supposed to, a cancer cell continues to live and multiply unchecked and exponentially. This may happen because gene or chromosome mutations affect the reproductive properties of these cells.

The mass of cells can grow large into a tumor. Benign tumors are a group of normal cells that remain at the original site of growth. Malignant tumors are a group of abnormal cells. They can circulate through the circulatory and lymph systems and grow in other body tissues. Cancer that spreads throughout the body is called metastatic cancer.

Please note that this section only provides a sample of cancer basics and program content. A deeper and more comprehensive understanding of cancer, human body systems, treatments and side effects is covered in the full 75 hour program.