Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry,

Sarhad University of Science & Information Technology Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,

Peshawar, Pakistan.
Email: haroongold@gmail.com
 Contents
 Introduction to Cancer

 Types

 Causes

 Symptoms

 Prevention

 Treatment
 Introduction to Cancer
Cancer is caused by changes (mutations) to the DNA within cells. The DNA inside a cell is
packed into a large number of individual genes, each of which contains a set of instructions
telling the cell what functions to perform, as well as how to grow and divide. Errors in the
instructions can cause the cell to stop its normal function and may allow a cell to become
cancerous.
 Uncontrolled division of abnormal body cells.
 Ignores the principles of normal cell division and attack or spread to adjacent.
healthy tissues of the body via the bloodstream and lymphatic systems.
 Formation of malignant tumor or neoplasm.
 DNA damage is the root cause of cancer development.
 Produces mutations which then lead to cancer progression.
 Second leading cause of mortality all over the world, only surpassed by
cardiovascular disorders.
 18.1 million new cancer cases and 9.6 million cancer-related deaths were reported
worldwide in 2018 (International Agency for Research on Cancer IARC)
 One in 5 men and one in 6 women globally suffer from cancer during their lifespan.
 About 43.8 million patients are alive worldwide within 5 years of cancer diagnosis
in them.
 70% of all cancer-related deaths happened in low- and middle-income countries.
(World Health Organization)
 Cancer-related deaths = approximately 11.5 million by 2030 all over the world
 Types
 More than 100 types of cancer have been recognized.

 Named for the organs or tissues where they arise.

 Lung cancer, Brain Cancer, Skin cancer, Breast cancer, Carcinoma (develop in
epithelial cells), Leukemia, (group of blood cancers that usually begin in the bone
marrow).

 Cancers of prostate, colon and rectum, lung and bronchus, and urinary bladder are
more common in men.

 Breast, lung and bronchus, uterine corpus, colon and rectum, and thyroid cancers are
the main kinds detected in women.

 Prostate and breast cancer are the two principal types of cancer identified in men
and women, respectively
 Exposure to Ionizing and non-ionizing radiations (X-rays, UV rays)
 Exposure to Toxins (benzene, beryllium, asbestos, vinyl chloride, arsenic,
Cadmium, Formaldehyde, mustard gas, vinyl chloride, Herbicides, Chlorophenols,
leather dust, wood dust etc.)
 Chronic infections from
helicobacter pylori, hepatitis B virus
(HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV)
and some types of human
papillomavirus (HPV)
 Smoking and Alcohol consumption
 Obesity
 Physical inactivity
 Dietary factors (including inadequate fruit and vegetable consumption)
 Some food-related factors, (such as nitrites and poly aromatic hydrocarbons
generated by barbecuing food).
 Excessive consumption of Read meat (Barbecues and charred meat) increase
the risk of cancer due to formation of heterocyclic amines. Marinate meat
using garlic and vinegar.
 Use of tap water for drinking (contains heavy metals such as Arsenic and
Cadmium).
 Cancer Council recommends eating no more than 455g cooked red meat per
week.
 Biological or internal factors, such as age, gender, and inherited genetic
defects.
 Some drugs may increase the risk of cancer (certain antineoplastic agents,
medicines that cause immune deficiency, certain hormones)
Signs and symptoms caused by cancer will vary depending on what part of the body is affected.
Some general signs and symptoms associated with, but not specific to, cancer, include:

 Fatigue

 Lump or area of thickening that can be felt under the skin

 Weight changes, including unintended loss or gain

 Skin changes, such as yellowing, darkening or redness of the skin, sores that won't heal, or
changes to existing moles

 Changes in bowel or bladder habits

 Persistent cough or trouble breathing

 Difficulty swallowing

 Hoarseness (abnormal voice changes)

 Persistent indigestion or discomfort after eating

 Persistent, unexplained muscle or joint pain

 Persistent, unexplained fevers or night sweats

 PREVENTION
About 30-50% of all cancer cases are preventable. Prevention offers the most cost-effective long-term
strategy for the control of cancer.

 Don't use tobacco (types of cancer — including cancer of the lung, mouth, throat, larynx, pancreas,
bladder, cervix and kidney).

 Eat a healthy diet (Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables).

 Avoid obesity. Eat lighter and leaner by choosing fewer high-calorie foods, Avoid refined sugars
and animal fats.

 Limit processed meats. (According to International Agency for Research on Cancer, the cancer
agency of the World Health Organization eating large amounts of processed meat can increase the
risk of certain types of cancer)

 Maintain a healthy weight and be physically active (lower the risk of various types of cancer,
including cancer of the breast, prostate, lung, colon and kidney)

 Protect yourself from the sun (Stay out of the sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., when the sun's rays
are strongest)

 Get vaccinated (against Hepatitis B, Human papillomavirus HPV,)

 Get regular medical care (Regular self-exams and screenings for various types of cancers
— such as cancer of the skin, colon, cervix and breast — can increase your chances of
discovering cancer early)

 Environmental pollution (Pollution of air, water and soil with carcinogenic chemicals

contributes to the cancer burden )

 Make quality sleep a priority (poor and insufficient sleep is associated with weight gain,

which is a cancer risk factor)

 Get enough vitamin D (Evidence suggests that vitamin D may help to reduce the risk of

prostate cancer, colon cancer, and other malignancies, recommended dose = 20-25

mcg/day).
 1. Chemotherapy (cancer treatment that uses one or more anti-cancer drugs, US Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) recommended about 150 anticancer drugs from 1949 to 2014. e.g.
Procarbazine Hydrochloride, Fluorouracil, Cisplatin, Carboplatin etc.

 Chemotherapeutic agents function through apoptosis induction and proliferation inhibition.

 Side effects include Fatigue, Hair loss, Infertility, Nausea and vomiting, secondary neoplasm,
Gastrointestinal disorders

 2. Radiotherapy (high-powered energy beams, such as X-rays or protons are used to kill cancer
cells).

 Side effects: fatigue, sore, red skin, loss of appetite, a sore mouth, diarrhoea

 3. Surgery. To remove the cancer or as much of the cancer as possible.

 4. Hormone therapy. Some types of cancer are fueled by our body's hormones. Examples include
breast cancer and prostate cancer. Removing those hormones from the body or blocking their
effects may cause the cancer cells to stop growing.

.
 5. Immunotherapy. uses your body's immune system to fight cancer. Cancer
can survive unchecked in your body because your immune system doesn't
recognize it as an intruder. Immunotherapy can help your immune system
"see" the cancer and attack it.

 6. Targeted therapy uses drugs, works by targeting the cancer's specific

genes, proteins, or the tissue environment that contributes to cancer growth
and survival.
References