CANCER - GENERAL |
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Cancer is a class of diseases or disorders characterized by uncontrolled division of cells and the ability of these cells to invade other tissues, either by direct growth into adjacent tissue through invasion or by implantation into distant sites by metastasis. This unregulated growth is caused by damage to DNA, resulting in mutations to genes that encode for proteins controlling cell division. Many mutation events may be required to transform a normal cell into a malignant cell. These mutations can be caused by chemicals or physical agents called carcinogens, by close exposure to radioactive materials, or by certain viruses that can insert their DNA into the human genome. Mutations occur spontaneously, or are passed down generations as a result of germ line mutations.
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CANCER - SARCOMA |
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A sarcoma is a cancer of the connective or supportive tissue (bone, cartilage, fat, muscle, blood vessels).
The term comes from a Greek word meaning "fleshy growth." Bone tumors (osteosarcomas) are also called sarcomas, but are in a separate category because they have different clinical and microscopic characteristics and are treated differently. Osteogenic sarcoma or osteosarcoma is one of the most common childhood bone cancers. Soft tissue sarcomas are more common in adults than in children. In all, sarcomas constitute less than 1% of all cancers. Its treatment is made more difficult with the existence of more than 70 varieties. Gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) is the most common form of sarcoma, with approximately 3000-3500 cases per year in the United States.
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