During a shower one-day, you notice a lump that was not otherwise there. The
next day you see a doctor. The lump you have identified is diagnosed as cancer.
Now you need to figure out what to do. There is no absolute cure for cancer, but
there are different ways to treat it. Doctors use according methods like
radiation, chemotherapy or drugs to treat various types of cancer. Another way
of treating cancer is with alternative forms of medicine by using acupuncture
and natural herbal remedies. These treatments are more often used in cases that
can not be treated very or at all. However, when using the combination of the
two treatment techniques, one can receive the full benefit of all available
options. The medical profession is beginning to acknowledge and accept this idea
of allowing alternative medicines in conjunction with traditional medicines to
ease suffering as well as prolonging the lives of cancer patients. In order to
make a decision on treatment for cancer, one must understand what cancer is and
the current treatments used. Cancer starts when a cell ceases to function
properly, mutates, and begins to multiply rapidly. A cancer cell has an abnormal
chromosome which sends ‘the wrong’ message to the other parts of the cell,
which causes the cell to grow rapidly as it multiplies. These multiplied cells
can form a lump called a malignant tumor, attack organs and organelles such as
bone and bone marrow, or destroy tissue in areas like the lungs. All of these
cases are referred to as cancer. “Cancer knows no boundaries and plays no
favorites; it can be found among people of all races and ages, both rich and
poor, black and white, male or female.” Cancer is a very serious disease many
people live with. On average, about 1.2 million people are diagnosed with cancer
every year. Cancer is not a contagious disease; it can not be passed from person
to person. Like the statistic from above, imagine the fact that cancer kills
more than 500,000 Americans every year –approximately one person per minute.
Many people each year are killed by cancer, yet there are more who continue to
live with this disease because of advanced medicine and technology. There are
many different kinds of treatments to ease the pain and sometimes even kill the
cancer. The most accepted form of treatment is through traditional medicine.
This includes radiation, chemotherapy, surgery and also improving ones lifestyle
to prevent future episodes of cancer. Radiation is a method that uses high
energy x-rays, electron beams or radioactive isotopes to kill cancer cells
without exceeding safe doses to normal tissue. There are two different types of
radiation therapy, externally and internally. When giving externally, the
medical profession uses Orthovoltage equipment that treats external types of
cancer like skin cancer. Internally giving radiation involves one of the
following treatments: Internal (Systemic) Radiation Therapy, Interstitial
Radiation Therapy, Intracavitary Radiation and Intruaminal Radiation Therapy.
Radiation therapy has side effects like nausea, vomiting, a burn like a suntan
that tans then peels, and an ulcer may develop as well. Radiation is a common
method used in leukemia and tumor patients. Chemotherapy is also method that can
cure some types of cancer. This form of therapy is given in many different ways.
It can be taken orally with a capsule, pill or in liquid form via a syringe into
a vein, artery or the muscle. The most commonly known form of chemotherapy is
given intravenously through IV drip devices. Chemotherapy is a very risky method
to heal because the drugs used are so dangerous and if an unprofessional or
unqualified doctor mixed the wrong dosage, it would be fatal. Chemo does have
some side effects as well. When taking chemo treatments, there is the
possibility of nausea, vomiting, hair loss, sore mouth, diarrhea and or
depressed blood counts. Another form of treatment is surgery to remove the
cancer. This involves removing cancerous or possibly cancerous cells known as
tumors. Other times, surgery is the only option after using chemo or radiation
treatments. There is not an inch on the human body that is not susceptible to
cancerous tumor formation. If the area is discovered in time, surgical removal
of the area increases the patient’s chance of recovery and decreases the
probability that the cancer will come back. After a patient has been treated or
cured for any form of cancer, changes in their lifestyles must take place. These
changes may include eating habits, rehabilitation, or something simple as to
quit smoking. Because not all treatments or cancers are alike, various
alterations to living have to be made. A good example is a leukemia patient may
have to wear an air-filtering mask while performing everyday activities to
prevent any possible infection contracted by the substances in the air. In the
worst possible scenario, an acquired infection could lead to a serious illness,
and ultimately death. This is why it is necessary to make positive changes to
improve the chances for a prolonged life. There is not a person on earth that is
free from the possibility of having cancer. The progressing combination of
traditional and alternative methods of treating cancer is making procedures
easier and more efficient. With the combination of procedures like radiation,
chemotherapy, and surgery with alternative measures like acupuncture and herbal
remedies, there are very few cancers that can not be treated. The medical and
technical advancements being made in a positive direction may lead to a cure in
the near future.
Bibliography
Goldberg, Dan. The Fight Against Cancer. New York: Rawson, 1997. Curtis,
Helena and T. Gerald Delaney. “Cancer.” The New Book of Knowledge. 1986 ed.
Noonan, Dr. William. Curing Cancer http.www.teacherlink.usa.edu/resources/medicine/Cancer.snum