Page 16 - LIVESTRONG Digital Guidebook

The Cancer Diagnosis

A cancer diagnosis comes as a shock to most people. It is the beginning of a personal journey for each
person and for his or her loved ones. Each individual has a unique set of beliefs, values and ways of cop-
ing. You will find the ways that work best for you.

“Survivorship begins the moment that you are diagnosed. … It has
changed the person I am. It has made me a stronger, much better person.” —CHRIS C.

You are likely to learn and grow as you go through around them. They may metastasize or spread to
the cancer experience. Many people are surprised to nearby tissues and other parts of the body. Cancer
find a new inner strength and courage. Healing can cells spread through the blood and lymph systems.
happen on physical, emotional and spiritual levels.
This can even result in a renewed outlook on life. Not all types of cancers are tumors. Leukemia is
a cancer of the bone marrow and blood. In the case
DEFINING CANCER of leukemia, cancer may be described as an accumu-
lation or uncontrolled growth of blood cells.

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) defines cancer The NCI defines the main categories of cancer
as a group of more than 100 related but separate as follows:
diseases. All cancers begin in the body’s cells. The
body is made up of many types of cells. Normal cells Carcinoma begins in the skin or tissues that
grow and divide to produce more cells as older cells line or cover internal organs.
die off. This keeps the body healthy. However, some-
times something goes wrong with the body’s process Sarcoma begins in bone, cartilage, fat,
of producing cells. muscle, blood vessels or other connective or
supportive tissue.
If the genetic material (DNA) of a cell is dam-
aged or changed, the abnormal cells are able to Leukemia starts in blood-forming tissue, such
invade other tissues. These cancer cells can spread as the bone marrow, and causes abnormal
through the blood and lymph systems to other parts blood cells to be produced.
of the body.
Lymphoma and myeloma begin in the cells of
Cancer is generally categorized by where the the immune system.
disease begins in the body and not by where it has
spread. For example, lung cancer begins in the lung. Central nervous system cancers begin in the
tissues of the brain and spinal cord.
In some types of cancer, new cells form when
the body does not need them or old cells do not die CANCER CAUSES
when they should. The extra cells form a mass of tis-
sue called a growth or tumor. The causes of all types of cancer are not yet known.
Research shows that certain factors can change nor-
Not all tumors are cancerous. They can be benign mal genes into those that allow the growth of cancer.
or malignant. The cells in benign tumors do not spread These factors include tobacco use, dietary choices
to other parts of the body. Most importantly, benign and too much exposure to ultraviolet light, chemicals
tumors are rarely a threat to life. or certain substances.

Malignant tumors are cancer. Cells in malignant
tumors are abnormal and divide without control or
order. Cancer cells invade and destroy the tissue

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