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How
is cancer detected?
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| The
first step towards treating cancer is detecting it. The earlier a
cancer is found, the earlier treatment begins, and the better the
chance that it can be controlled or cured completely. However, it
is usually hard to detect cancer in its early stages because most
patients with cancer do not start off experiencing any symptoms until
the tumour has become quite large. Usually a cancer cell takes about
2 to 3 years to grow into a tumour large enough to be detected. By
the time it is detected, it is already rather well developed and may
likely cause danger to the person's health. There are four basic stages of cancer. |
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| Cancer
can be detected by three main ways: · Noticing changes or symptoms that occur in one's own body. · Doing regular screening tests in some cancers like breast cancer and cervical cancer · Carrying out detection tests Once a tumour is detected, the oncologist or a surgeon may perform a biopsy (say: by-op-see) to identify the cancer. A biopsy is the only sure way to tell whether the tumour is malignant or benign. A biopsy is usually taken after the patient is given a painkiller. A sample of tissue from tumour can be removed by surgery or by a needle, depending on the situation. The tissue is then examined under a microscope to look for cancer cells. Once cancer is confirmed, treatment must be given immediately to fight it. |
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| Find out about the symptoms of cancer |