Chronic Disease Week 3 Sample
Chronic Diseases
Cancer is a group of diseases that deal with the uncontrolled growth of cells. A tumor refers to a collection of abnormal cells; some of them are known as benign tumors. Benign tumors do not become a cancer unless they start spreading and growing. Once these tumors begin to grow and multiply they become a cancer. There is screening for cancer available but only colon, breast, cervical and prostate cancer screenings have been known to be effective. Colon cancer or colorectal cancer is the leading cause of deaths in Americans younger than 85 years old. This type of disease develops in the rectum or colon, a person might not know when the tumors grow or begin to spread without screening. For this reason it is recommended that all people over the age of 50 get checked, (Bernard, 2006).
Treatment
People who are diagnosed with colon cancer can obtain treatment thru radiation or surgery. Surgery is the primary treatment for this type of cancer it consists of eliminating the cancer. In order to do this a procedure must be performed, a doctor will identify and locate the cancer, once that has been done the doctor will cut off the cancer and a part of the area around the cancer that is not infected, (Bernard, 2006).
Radiation consists of using high doses of radiation to kill the cancer cells. What radiation does to the cancer cell is that it causes chemical changes that destabilize DNA, the genetic code that tells a cell how to grow, reproduce and die. Doctors need to be extra careful with radiation because it can also kill good healthy cells. To protect good cells from getting harmed, doctors need to be as precise as possible when aiming radiation. Doctors also limit the amount of radiation administered in a patient, depending on the goal of treatment and the organs around the area that is to be treated, (Bernard, 2006).
Risk Factors
Colon cancer is the third most common cancer in both men and women. One of the biggest problems with colorectal
Cancer is a group of diseases that deal with the uncontrolled growth of cells. A tumor refers to a collection of abnormal cells; some of them are known as benign tumors. Benign tumors do not become a cancer unless they start spreading and growing. Once these tumors begin to grow and multiply they become a cancer. There is screening for cancer available but only colon, breast, cervical and prostate cancer screenings have been known to be effective. Colon cancer or colorectal cancer is the leading cause of deaths in Americans younger than 85 years old. This type of disease develops in the rectum or colon, a person might not know when the tumors grow or begin to spread without screening. For this reason it is recommended that all people over the age of 50 get checked, (Bernard, 2006).
Treatment
People who are diagnosed with colon cancer can obtain treatment thru radiation or surgery. Surgery is the primary treatment for this type of cancer it consists of eliminating the cancer. In order to do this a procedure must be performed, a doctor will identify and locate the cancer, once that has been done the doctor will cut off the cancer and a part of the area around the cancer that is not infected, (Bernard, 2006).
Radiation consists of using high doses of radiation to kill the cancer cells. What radiation does to the cancer cell is that it causes chemical changes that destabilize DNA, the genetic code that tells a cell how to grow, reproduce and die. Doctors need to be extra careful with radiation because it can also kill good healthy cells. To protect good cells from getting harmed, doctors need to be as precise as possible when aiming radiation. Doctors also limit the amount of radiation administered in a patient, depending on the goal of treatment and the organs around the area that is to be treated, (Bernard, 2006).
Risk Factors
Colon cancer is the third most common cancer in both men and women. One of the biggest problems with colorectal
References: Bernard, L. (2006). Complete Guide To Colorectal Cancer (Rev ed.). Atlanta, GA: American Cancer Society. Donatelle, R. J. (2011). Health The Basics (Green ed.). Boston, MA: Benjamin Cummings. University of Phoenix. (2012). Life Resource Center. Retrieved from http://www.phoenix.edu