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Learning About Cancer
What Is Cancer?
Why Do People Get Cancer?
Will I Get This Cancer, Too?
Can Doctors Cure Cancer?
"When Dad told me he had cancer,
I got really scared. Everything I'd
always heard about cancer was just
terrible. Then I thought, 'Hey, what do
I really know about cancer?' The answer
was, 'Not much.' So I started reading
books and stuff on the Internet. My dad
even told me that some of what I found
on the Web wasn't right for the kind
of cancer he has. Cancer is still pretty
scary, but I've learned that people
survive it. I'm not so afraid anymore."
- Abdul, age 14
Learning about
cancer will help you
understand what
your parent is going
through. Knowing
what cancer is and
how it spreads may
take some of the fear
out of it. Some of
what you have seen
or heard about
cancer may not apply
to your parent. Most
people feel better
when they know what
to expect.
| Here are a few things to remember: |
- Nothing you did, thought, or said caused your parent
to get cancer.
- You can't catch cancer from another person.
- Scientists are discovering new and better ways to find
and treat cancer.
- Many people survive cancer.
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Doctors have found more than 100 different types of cancer. Cancer
is a group of many related diseases that begin in
cells, the body's
basic unit of life. To understand cancer, it's helpful to know what
happens when normal cells become cancer cells.
Normally, cells grow and divide to make more cells only when the
body needs them. This orderly process helps keep the body
healthy. Sometimes, however, cells keep dividing when new cells
aren't needed. These extra cells form a mass of
tissue
called a
growth, or
tumor. Tumors can be
benign
or
malignant.
- Benign tumors aren't cancerous. They can often be
removed and don't spread to other parts of the body.
- Malignant tumors are cancerous. Cells in these tumors
are abnormal and divide and grow without control or order.
They can invade and damage nearby tissues and spread to
organs in other parts of the body. The spread of cancer from
one part of the body to another is called
metastasis.
Most cancers are named for the organ or type of cell in which they
begin. For example, cancer that begins in the lung is called lung
cancer. Some cancers do not form a tumor. For example,
leukemia
is a cancer of the
bone marrow
and blood.
The causes of most cancers aren't known. Scientists are still
learning about things that may put people at a higher
risk
for
certain types of cancer. These things include smoking, spending too
much time in the sun, eating poorly, not getting enough exercise,
and coming into contact with certain types of chemicals and
toxins.
Some kids worry that they might get cancer, too. While no one
can tell the future, it is good to know that most cancers are not
passed down from parent to child. You and your parent can talk
to a doctor for more information.
Every year scientists discover better ways to treat cancer. That
means many people are successfully treated for cancer. However,
doctors are careful not to use the word "cure" until a patient
remains free of cancer for several years. Cancer treatment may
cause a
remission, which means that the doctor can't find signs
of cancer. But sometimes the cancer comes back. This is called a
relapse
or
recurrence. Whether your parent can be cured of
cancer depends on many things, and no booklet can tell you
exactly what to expect. It is best to talk with your parent and his
or her doctor or nurse.
| Where to go for more information |
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To learn more about the type of cancer your mom or
dad has, visit the National Cancer Institute's (NCI)
Web site (http://www.cancer.gov). You can also call
NCI's Cancer Information Service at 1-800-4-CANCER
(1-800-422-6237) to speak with an information
specialist. All calls are free and confidential.
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