CANCER: SHORT REVIEW
The word “Cancer” comes from the Latin word ‘Carcinoma’ meaning crab. It is the most dreaded disease and refers to all malignant tumours caused by the abnormal growth of a body cell or a group of cells. It is today, the second largest killer in the world, next only to heart ailments. The term covers more than 200 diseases.Cancer is a chronic degenerative disease, where almost all essential organs are involved in the more advanced cases. The entire metabolism the intestines liver and pancreas, the circulatory apparatus, the kidneys and bile system, the reticuloendothelial and lymphatic system, the central nervous system for most metabolic and motoric purposes, are all severely affected by this disease.Cancer has been prevalent since ancient times. Hippocrates (460-370 B.C.), the father of medicine, termed it karkinois, as the swollen blood vessels going and coming from the tumour mass, give the appearance of the claws of a crab. Sushruta, the ancient medical authority of India, described it as a tumour which would ulcerate and would not cure and “sow its seeds in other parts of the body”. Cancer has, however, assumed alarming proportions in modern time and is therefore, called a disease of modern civilization. It is caused by health-destroying eating and living habits. This results in a biochemical imbalance and physical and chemical irritation of the tissues. Carcinogens are present in abundance in today’s food, water, air and environment. Carcinogenic substances are also produced within the body as a result of deranged metabolism.There are billions of cells in the body which, under normal circumstances, develop in a well-organized pattern for the growth of the body and the repair of damaged tissues. Cell, it may be mentioned here, is a basic until of all living things or organisms, which can reproduce itself exactly. When cancer sets in, a group of cells start multiplying suddenly in a haphazard manner and form a lump or tumour. Cancer can spread very rapidly and eventually prove fatal, if not treated properly and in time.*1/355/5*
