Am I a Cancer patient??

It is a known fact that we all have cancer cells in our bodies all along our life. These are like rotten mangoes and are likely to rot other cells as well. Our body immune system normally prevents these cells from multiplying and forming their colonies. The body defense mechanism has to be in perfect working condition to attack and destroy these cells. This means, I am cancer patient all along my life but my body’s defense system is keeping me protected.

The other important point is that if I have cancer, meaning my body has failed in preventing uncontrolled growth of these cancer cells, then how and when do I notice that? In most of the cases, the sufferer notices the cancer when there are disturbances in normal body functions. In nearly all these cases, the patient wastes a lot of time by making blind eye to the facts, or because of convenient denial saying, ‘it cannot happen to me’.

 The smallest cancer that can be detected by examination, x-ray or scan is a little less than one fourth inch in diameter. A cancer this size contains between 100,000,000 (10⁸) 1,000,000,000 (10⁹) cancer cells. If a cancer starts as a single cell and that cell begins to divide, and if the volume of that mass of cancer cells doubles every 45 days, then it would take about 30 doublings for the mass of cancer cells to reach the size of a mass about one fourth inch in diameter. This could take several years. It would only take 10 more doublings to reach a size considered fatal. Forty doublings would be 1,000,000,000,000 (10¹²) cells or about one kilogram (2.2 pounds) of cancer. Of these forty doublings, the first thirty occurred prior to the time of the cancer being detectable. (Ref: http://www.gyncancer.com/what-is.html)

In my previous blogs on topic of Cancer Prevention, Cancer Causes and Cancer Symptoms, I have tried to give concise information. In short, this fight against cancer is an ongoing process.

There is another wider perspective to answer the question, “ Am I a cancer patient?” The cancer prevalence is much higher than what normal person can imagine. 12.5% of total deaths are due to cancer.  Cancer prevalence in India is estimated to be around 2.5 million which is one in every 4000, with over 2500 new cases and 1500 deaths occurring daily due to this disease. The impact of cancer is far greater than mere numbers. Its diagnosis causes immense emotional trauma and its treatment, a major economical burden. This disease is associated with a lot of fear and despair in India. If we consider our society as one throbbing lively organism, then we all are tiny cells of this live organism. If one part of society has got cancer, then it is going to adversely affect growth of entire society. No one is isolated. We cannot be complaisant by just saying, I am not suffering from cancer or my close relative, friend is not suffering from cancer. We all have to be together in this war against Cancer.

Sadly, the answer is affirmative to question, “Am I A Cancer Patient”?

Apart from all this, our society is suffering from cancer of corruption, nepotism, lawlessness and many other social evils, but to fight that we elect our representatives every five years, employ police force and other government officials with very high expectations but with little hope. 

Happy Mind Is Healthy Mind