Contenido:

CHRONIC AND METABOLIC ILLNESSES

Cancer

Cancer or neoplasia is understood as being a malignant tumour originating in our body's tissue cells, growing in an excessive, independent and uncoordinated way, without providing any benefit whatsoever. It is the second cause of death in the developed world.

It is important to get rid of the idea that cancer is incurable since, as with any other chronic illness, it can be cured provided it is detected early and treatment is undertaken.

The development of cancer depends on genetic factors combined with environmental or external factors, called carcinogens, that must be avoided. Among these the following stand out:

• Tobacco, which influences the appearance of lung, larynx, oesophagus, intestine and bladder cancer.
• Alcohol, affects the development of mouth, larynx, stomach, and, especially, oesophagus cancer.
• Radiation, both solar (ultraviolet), important in the development of skin cancer, and "ionizing" (X-rays, etc.), that has an influence on blood cancer.
• Some viruses.

In addition to the importance of eliminating and controlling all of these factors, it is essential to detect the appearance of cancer as early as possible. It is therefore very important to recognise the «alarm signals» that permit early detection of cancer and can avoid its consequences. There are seven: