Cancer is the growth of too many cells in a certain part of the body, and depending on which part of the body it occurs, it is given different names. The colon, better known as the large intestine, is a part of the body that assists in digestion. It is the last organ involved in the digestive tract. Colon cancer is a malignancy that occurs in the inner lining of the colon or the rectum, the end part of the colon. Colon cancer has become a common ailment in today?s world.

Under normal circumstances, all cells in a human being undergo the process of cell birth and death. Cancer occurs when this cell growth becomes uncontrolled and when the body?s natural defense mechanism, the immune system, cannot control it. These cells then form a mass, better known as tumors. Tumors can be either benign or malignant. Benign tumors do not spread or invade any other part of the body. Malignant tumors on the other hand keep dividing uncontrollable and can invade other parts of the body and destroy the healthy cells in the body.

Like all other cancers there are known risk factors that increase a person?s chance of being affected by colon cancer. Those over the age of 40 are said to be at a higher risk of developing colon cancer, and colon cancer has rarely been diagnosed in those under forty. Having a family history of colon cancer can also increase the chances of developing the disease. Other factors like having had benign tumors or polyps removed before, having a diet that is high in fat but low in fiber and having another illness that may increase chances of developing colon cancer are all considered to be risk of getting colon cancer.

There are many symptoms that are linked with the presence of colon cancer but having one or more of them does not necessarily mean colon cancer is present. Bleeding from the rectum does not always mean colon cancer but this bleeding should never be ignored. Changes in bowel habits, pain in the abdomen or rectum and a feeling that bowel movement cannot be completed are also symptoms. Again having these symptoms does not mean you have colon cancer but they should be taken seriously and a doctor has to be consulted to find out what may be causing these irregularities.

Advances in science and the field of medicine mean that cure rates for this type of cancer are quite high. Treatments for colon cancer include surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy, and usually a combination of these therapies is given to a patient to increase the efficiency of treatment.

Bones help in movement, giving structure to our body and hence are known as the supporting framework of the body.

To understand more about what bone cancer is, knowing more about the structure of the bone would be ideal.

Bone consists of a fibrous tissue called matrix on which calcium salts are laid down, as its outer part. This fibrous tissue is part of the outer membrane of the bone- the Periosteum.

Inside hollow bones, there is a soft tissue known as bone marrow. The bone marrow is found in a space called the Medullary cavity. The bone marrow can be either a fatty tissue only or a mixture of fat cells as well as blood generating cells. These blood generating cells in the bone marrow are responsible for the production of Erythrocytes, Leukocytes and Platelets, which are important components of blood.

At the two ends of a bone, there is a tissue known as cartilage which is soft but firm, acting as a cushion between bones.
The bone tissue or the osseous tissue contains two different kinds of cells. They are, Osteoblast and Osteoclast which are functionally known as the ?bone forming cells? and cells that dissolve or breakdown bone tissues, respectively.

The term tissue was commonly mentioned in the description of the structure of the bone. A tissue can be defined simply, as a group of cells who have a common function. Therefore, it is obvious that there are many cells forming a bone and any one of these cells mentioned above can develop in to a cancer.

There are several types of bone cancer, such as ?metastatic cancer? (which is a cancer that was spread from somewhere else to the bone), cancers formed in the bone marrow that generates blood cells such as ?multiple myeloma?, leukemia (though it is commonly thought of as a blood cancer) and lymphomas (though it is often found in lymph nodes, there are occasions when it starts in the bone marrow).

A bone tumor that starts in the bone is known as primary bone tumors and they are usually the main type of bone cancers. Though most primary bone tumors lead to bone cancer, not all are cancerous.

Some cancerous primary bone tumors are: Osteosarcoma- (also known as Osteogenic sarcoma) one of the most common primary bone cancers that start in the bone cells
Chondrosarcoma a bone cancer that starts in the cartilage cells (the second most common primary bone cancer).
Ewing tumor (which is a bone cancer starting off either in bones or in other tissues).
Malignant fibrous histiocytoma (MFH) mostly starting off in soft tissues than in bones
Fibrosarcoma (which is also similar to MFH)
Giant cell tumor of bone (which is less often found as a bone cancer – as it takes the non cancerous form)
Chordoma (a bone cancer that develops in the skull and bones of the spine).

All different types of bone cancers can be treated using, radiotherapy, chemotherapy and surgery.

The bladder is an important part of a human’s body as it is one of the main organs which deals with detoxifying the body. As the organ that stores urine, and thus helps remove excess nutrients and waste products from the body, the bladder plays an integral role in many bodily functions.

Bladder cancer can be of three main types, depending on which area of the bladder it forms in, and what type of cells are affected. There are no exact causes of bladder cancer but there have been many risk factors that have been identified to increase the chances of bladder cancer which include use of tobacco, infections or irritations in the bladder, age, gender and possibly family history. Use of tobacco is said to increase the chances of bladder cancer by two or three times. Although a person may have one or more of the above mentioned risk factors, they are not definite causes for developing the disease. Symptoms of bladder cancer include needing to urinate often, pain during urinating, and blood mixed with urine. Again, having these symptoms does not mean that bladder cancer is present, as infections, bladder stones and benign tumours can cause similar symptoms, can but it is advisable to check with a doctor if symptoms like such appear. Doctor?s use physical tests, urine tests and, in some cases, biopsies, to diagnose the cause of symptoms that appear. In most cases biopsies can be the best way to say if a patient has bladder cancer or not.

Bladder cancer occurs in four stages, separated as such due to the extent of penetration of cancer cells in the bladder. Stage 0 is when the cancer cells appear only in the inner lining of the bladder, whereas Stage IV is when the cancer cells have spread through the body and reached other organs, like the lungs or pelvis. The three stages in between refer to how far the cancer cells have spread in the bladder or to the rest of the body, in their various levels.

There are a range of treatments for bladder cancer which patients can ask their doctor?s about, from chemo or radiation therapy to surgery. A combination of a number of therapies can also be used. It is always better to ask for the doctor?s advice on which kind of treatment would work best for the patient. As an after-effect of bladder cancer treatment, patients may lose their appetites or suffer from nausea but it is important for patients to be able to take in proper nutrition into their body so that they have enough calories and protein. Talking to a doctor or dietician will give the patient more information on the diet that the patient needs to follow, so that recovery can be made faster and easier.

The body is made up of different types of cells that in turn are grouped into different tissues and organs. There are more than 200 different types of body cells. Cancer is a disease caused by the changing of these normal cells in an uncontrolled way, thus forming a lump, which, if not treated medically, will spread into adjacent normal cells or apply pressure on other body structures. Cancer research is all about identifying what causes cancer and working out ways and means for the diagnosis, treatment, cure and prevention of this deadly disease.

In the world today, there are many NGO?s and government sponsored institutions engaged in comprehensive cancer research work. Billions of dollars are spent annually on such work by these institutions. Normally such research work is spread from epidemiology, molecular bioscience to the carrying out of clinical trials of different treatment applications so as to evaluate and compare the efficacy of such applications. However, since 1990?s, the focus of these research has been centered on immunotherapy and gene therapy.

Some non-governmental organizations such as American Institute for Cancer Research (AIR) and Cancer Research UK have been funding thousands of scientists, doctors, and other research students in cancer research. Their research work covers almost all aspects of cancer-related subjects through extensive programmes of world-class research in hospitals, universities and other institutes all over the world.

More and more promising researchers, students, and scientists are joining in cancer research work in order to fight this deadly disease that afflicts millions of patients globally. The aspiring students of cancer research may well remember that they could find very insightful and educative research articles and source material from the World Wide Web. At the same time, if they are looking for some research grant or fellowship to carry out cancer research work to save the lives of millions of cancer patients in the world, they have a ready reference guide in the Internet where a simple search will give them a plethora of websites of such organizations that are all too ready to grant such assistance.

Everybody concerned about cancer, be it patients or academics, are keen on finding the latest news on the types of new therapy and information on treatments. Internet has all these. However, it is always useful to corroborate this evidence of the latest from many sources before accepting a single research paper. Mind you, cancer research is an ongoing process.

Being diagnosed with cancer is one of the scariest things that can happen to a person. It?s easy to lose all hope and just give up then and there, but it is important to keep in mind that the number of cancer survivors has increased over the last few years, and with proper treatment, it is possible to be one of them.

There are several types of cancer, and even in a smaller subset such as skin cancer there?s more than one type.

Skin cancer can be either a carcinoma or a melanoma. As the name suggests, the melanoma is a form of skin cancer that begins in the melanocytes. It is more likely than the carcinomas to spread to other parts of the body, but fortunately is the rarest form of skin cancer. The most common forms of skin cancer are basal and squamous cell carcinomas.

So what are basal and squamous cells and melanocytes? The epidermis (top layer of the skin) is made up of three types of cells:
Squamous cells ? These are thin, flat cells that make up the topmost layer.
Basal cells ? Found under the squamous cells, these are round.
Melanocytes ? These produce melanin, the pigment that colours skin.

Factors that increase the risk of skin cancer include having fair skin, chronic inflammations or ulcers, scars or burns, having had radiation therapy and being exposed to a lot of either artificial (as in tanning booths) or natural UV rays. Keep in mind, that just because one of the risk factors applies to you, it doesn?t mean that you will definitely get skin cancer. Unfortunately, the reverse is also true and people who don?t show any of the risk factors may also get skin cancer.

One of the best ways of preventing skin cancer is by minimizing damage to the skin through overexposure to sunlight, so wearing sunscreen is recommended. Also, the quicker a cancer is caught and treated, the higher the chances of success. Skin cancer looks different depending on which type it is, so if anything suspicious is spotted, it?s a good idea to see a physician and get a professional opinion.

If diagnosed with skin cancer, there are several organisations out there that provide support and information. A good source of information is the National Cancer Institute, which has a comprehensive and clear website, and experts available to assist by telephone, email, post or chat.