Question

What are the methods of detection of cancer?

Answer 1

Hint: Cancer is a chronic disease that involves abnormal cell growth with the potential to invade other parts of the body. Imaging tests are used for diagnosing cancer which mainly includes computerized tomography(CT) scan, magnetic resonance imaging( MRI), positron emission tomography (PET) scan and many more. The best way to get cured of this disease is to catch the disease at an early stage and start with its treatment.

Complete answer:
Cancer is one of the most dreaded diseases of human beings and is a major cause of death all over the globe. More than millions of Indians suffer from cancer and a large number of them die annually. The mechanisms that underlie the development of cancer or oncogenic transformation of cells, its treatment and control have been some of the most intense areas of research in biology and medicine.

Early detection of cancer is essential as it allows the disease to be treated successfully in many cases. Cancer detection is based on biopsy and histopathological studies of the tissue and blood and bone marrow tests for increased cell counts in the case of leukaemias. Techniques like radiography, CT and MRI are very useful to detect cancers of the internal organs . Computed tomography uses x-rays to generate a three-dimensional image of the internals of an object.

Antibodies against cancer-specific antigens are also used for the detection of certain cancers. Techniques of molecular biology can be applied to detect genes in individuals with inherited susceptibility to certain cancer. Identification of such genes, which predispose an individual to certain cancers, may be very helpful in the prevention of cancers. Such individuals may be advised to avoid exposure to particular carcinogens to which they are susceptible.

Additional information: The common approaches to the treatment of cancer are surgery, radiation therapy and immunotherapy. In radiotherapy, tumour cells are irradiated lethally, taking proper care of the normal tissues surrounding the tumour mass. Several chemotherapeutic drugs are used to kill cancerous cells. Some of these are specific for particular tumours. The majority of drugs have side effects like hair loss etc.

Most cancers are treated by a combination of surgeries, radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Tumour cells have been shown to avoid detection and destruction by the immune system. Therefore, patients are given a substance called biological response modifier such as alpha- interferon which activates their immune system and helps in destroying the tumour.

Note: Cancer has existed even in the written record of Egyptian Edwin Smith Papyrus describing breast cancer. Hippocrates described several cancers referring to them with Greek work Karkinos. Breast cancer was believed to be caused by a milk clot in a mammary duct.