Hippocrates, the ancient Greek physician, is credited with being the first to recognize the difference between benign and malignant tumors. The invasion of tumors reminded him of crab claws. He called the disease karkinos, the Greek name for crab. In English, we use the term carcinoma. We also use the word cancer, which is the Latin word for crab.

Every minute, ten million cells divide in the human body. Most cells know exactly what to do. Cancer is a disease of the cells. When cancer forms, cells forget what they are suppose to do. Cancer develops from a single cell that has undergone mutations in its DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid). This is the genetic material which carries the body's hereditary instructions. When cancer forms, cells reproduce without restraint. It is an abnormal growth of the cells. They never stop dividing. They fail to mature. When cancer spreads, it is called metastasizing. When removed from the body and placed in a laboratory dish with nutrients, they actually seem to be immortal. They would reproduce forever, if allowed to.

Cancer is also called malignancy. A cancerous growth or tumor is sometimes referred to as a malignant growth or tumor. A non-malignant growth or tumor is referred to as benign. Benign tumors are not cancer. Cancer is not just one disease. It is composed of more than 100 different diseases. Breast cancer has different characteristics than lung cancer. Liver cancer is different from lung cancer. Cancer is NOT contagious.

Cancer can involve any tissue of the body and have many different forms in each area. Most cancers are named for the type of cell or organ in which they start. If a cancer spreads (metastasizes), the new tumor bears the same name as the original tumor, the place where it first began.

Skin cancer is the most common type of malignancy for both men and women. Skin cancers are often curable. The second most common type in men is prostate cancer and in women, breast cancer. But lung cancer is the leading cause of death from cancer for both men and women in the United States today. Cancer does not always lead to death. Today, nearly half of all cancer patients can expect to live for five or more years after the diagnosis of cancer.

However, scientists are still not able to pinpoint a "cause" for cancer. Instead, cancer researchers now believe that cancer can be triggered by many factors, such as our genetics, diet, occupation and stress level. We know that our chances of developing cancer can be significantly reduced if we choose to live a healthy lifestyle, not smoke, avoid certain foods, and reduce our levels of stress.

The good news is that there is a natural way to deal with cancer, without surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation treatments. It does involve homeopathy, changing your diet good nutrition, reducing stress levels and taking supplements. For more information on natural cancer treatments, click here.

Cancer Facts”