Cancer Care Center Of Decatur

What are Benign Tumors?

Benign tumors are noncancerous growths in the body. Unlike cancerous tumors, they do not spread to other parts of the body.

Benign tumors can form anywhere in the body. If you discover a lump or mass in your body that can be felt from the outside, it’s normal that you might immediately assume it is cancerous. For instance, women who find lumps in their breasts during self-examinations may become alarmed. However, most breast growths are benign. And, in fact, many growths throughout the body are benign.

Causes of benign tumours

What causes a benign tumour to form? Often the cause is unknown, but the growth of a benign tumour might be linked to:

Environmental toxins such as exposure to radiation
Genetics
Diet
Stress
Local trauma or injury
Inflammation or infection

What are the symptoms of cervical cancer?
Often during the early stages people may experience no symptoms at all. That is why women should have regular cervical smear tests.
The most common symptoms are:
Bleeding between periods
Bleeding after s*xual in*******se
Bleeding in post-menopausal women
Discomfort during s*xual in*******se
Smelly va**nal discharge
Vaginal discharge tinged with blood
Pelvic pain

What are the causes of cervical cancer?
Cancer is the result of the uncontrolled division of abnormal cells. Most of the cells in our body have a set lifespan; when they die new cells are produced to replace them. Abnormal cells can have two problems: 1. They don't die. 2. They continue dividing. This results in an excessive accumulation of cells which eventually form a lump - a tumor. Scientists are not completely sure why cells become cancerous. However, there are some risk factors which are known to increase the risk of developing cervical cancer. These risk factors include:
HPV (human papilloma virus)

Human papilloma virus infection is a s*xually transmitted virus. There are over 100 different types of HPVs - 15 types can cause cervical cancer; probably 99% of them. In addition there are a number of types which can cause ge***al warts. It is estimated that HPV types 16 and 18 cause about 70% of cases cervical cancer while HPV types 6 and 11 cause 90% of ge***al warts.

Other HPV types can cause cervical intra-epithelial neoplasia (CIN) - the growth of abnormal cells on the surface of the cervix.

Many s*xual partners, becoming s*xually active early

Cervical cancer-causing HPV types are nearly always transmitted as a result of s*xual contact with an infected individual. Women who have had many s*xual partners generally have a higher risk of becoming infected with HPV, which raises their risk of developing cervical cancer. There is also a link between becoming s*xually active at a young age and a higher risk of cervical cancer.

If a woman develops cervical cancer it does not mean she had several s*xual partners, or became s*xually active earlier than most other females. It is just a risk factor. Women who only ever had one s*xual partner can develop cervical cancer.

Smoking

Smoking increases the risk of developing many cancers, including cervical cancer.

Weakened immune system

People with weakened immune systems, such as those with HIV/AIDS, or transplant recipients taking immunosuppressive medications have a higher risk of developing cervical cancer.

Certain genetic factors

Scientists at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University found that women with certain gene variations appear to be protected against cervical cancer.

Long-term mental stress

A woman who experiences high levels of stress over a sustained period may be undermining her ability to fight off HPV and be at increased risk of developing cervical cancer it can cause, scientists at the Fox Chase Cancer Center reported.

Giving birth at a very young age

Women who gave birth before the age of 17 are significantly more likely to develop cervical cancer compared to women who had their first baby when they were aged 25 or over.

Several pregnancies

Women who have had at least three children in separate pregnancies are more likely to develop cervical cancer compared to women who never had children.

Contraceptive pill

Long-term use of the contraceptive pill slightly raises a woman's risk.

Other s*xually transmitted diseases (STD)

Women who become infected with chlamydia, gonorrhea, or syphilis have a higher risk of developing cervical cancer. Scientists at the Medical University of South Carolina found that HPV infections last longer if Chlamydia also is present.

Socio-economic status

Studies in several countries have revealed that women in deprived areas have significantly higher rates of cervical cancer, compared to women who live in other areas. Studies have also found higher rates in women of working age in manual jobs, compared to women in non-manual jobs. The most likely reason is a difference in the proportion of women who have regular screening. Scientists at King's College London found that some areas in South East England had rates that were three times higher than neighbouring areas.

Melanoma :-
Melanomas can develop anywhere on your body. They most often develop in areas that have had exposure to the sun, such as your back, legs, arms and face. Melanomas can also occur in areas that don't receive much sun exposure, such as the soles of your feet, palms of your hands and fingernail beds. These hidden melanomas are more common in people with darker skin.

The first melanoma signs and symptoms often are:

A change in an existing mole
The development of a new pigmented or unusual-looking growth on your skin
Melanoma doesn't always begin as a mole. It can also occur on otherwise normal-appearing skin.

Normal moles

Normal moles are generally a uniform color — such as tan, brown or black — with a distinct border separating the mole from your surrounding skin. They're oval or round and usually smaller than 1/4 inch (about 6 millimeters) in diameter — the size of a pencil eraser.

Most people have between 10 and 45 moles. Many of these develop by age 40, although moles may change in appearance over time — some may even disappear with age.

Unusual moles that may indicate melanoma

To help you identify characteristics of unusual moles that may indicate melanomas or other skin cancers, think of the letters ABCDE:

A is for asymmetrical shape. Look for moles with irregular shapes, such as two very different-looking halves.
B is for irregular border. Look for moles with irregular, notched or scalloped borders — characteristics of melanomas.
C is for changes in color. Look for growths that have many colors or an uneven distribution of color.
D is for diameter. Look for new growth in a mole larger than 1/4 inch (about 6 millimeters).
E is for evolving.
Other suspicious changes in a mole may include:

Itching
Oozing or bleeding
Cancerous (malignant) moles vary greatly in appearance. Some may show all of the changes listed above, while others may have only one or two unusual characteristics.

Hidden melanomas

Melanomas can also develop in areas of your body that have little or no exposure to the sun, such as the spaces between your toes and on your palms, soles, scalp or ge***als. These are sometimes referred to as hidden melanomas because they occur in places most people wouldn't think to check. When melanoma occurs in people with darker skin, it's more likely to occur in a hidden area.

Hidden melanomas include:

Melanoma under a nail. Acral lentiginous melanoma is a rare form of melanoma that can occur under a fingernail or toenail. It can also be found on the palms of the hands or the soles of the feet. It's more common in blacks and in other people with darker skin pigment.
Melanoma in the mouth, digestive tract, urinary tract or va**na. Mucosal melanoma develops in the mucous membrane that lines the nose, mouth, esophagus, a**s, urinary tract and va**na. Mucosal melanomas are especially difficult to detect because they can easily be mistaken for other far more common conditions.
Melanoma in the eye. Eye melanoma, also called ocular melanoma, most often occurs in the uvea — the layer beneath the white of the eye (sclera). An eye melanoma may cause vision changes and may be diagnosed during an eye exam.

What is nasopharyngeal cancer?
Nasopharyngeal cancer is a cancer that starts in the nasopharynx, the upper part of the throat behind the nose and near the base of skull. To understand nasopharyngeal cancer, it helps to know about the structure and function of the nasopharynx.

Signs and symptoms of nasopharyngeal cancer
About 3 out of 4 people with NPC complain of a lump or mass in the neck when they first see their doctor. There may be lumps on both sides of the neck towards the back. The lumps are usually not tender or painful. This is caused by the cancer spreading to lymph nodes in the neck, causing them to become larger than normal. (Lymph nodes are glands or organs that contain collections of immune system cells that are found throughout the body. Normally, they are smaller than the size of a pea.)

Other possible symptoms of NPC include:

Hearing loss, ringing in the ear, or feeling of fullness in the ear (especially on one side only)
Ear infections that keep coming back
Nasal blockage or stuffiness
Nosebleeds
Headache
Facial pain or numbness
Trouble opening the mouth
Blurred or double vision