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Neuroblastoma Brain: What You Need To Know
Understanding Cancerous Tumors
Tumors are abnormal growths in your body. They form when cells divide more than they should or don't die when they ought to. Tumors can be benign (not cancerous) or malignant (cancerous). Cancerous tumors are of particular concern as they invade nearby tissues and organs, spreading the disease.
Malignant tumors come in many forms. Breast cancer, for example, begins in the cells of breasts. Similarly, lung cancer starts in your lungs' cells. Different types of cancers have different risk factors and treatment options.
Understanding how a tumor grows is key to grasp its potential danger. A single cell becomes two, then four, eight, sixteen and so on - this rapid multiplication results in an excess mass called a tumor. The genes that control this growth process become damaged leading to uncontrolled growth; hence we get a cancerous tumor.
Early detection plays a crucial role in managing malignant tumors effectively. Regular screening tests like mammograms for breast cancer or colonoscopies for colorectal cancer aid early detection before symptoms appear.
Adrenal Glands Role
The adrenal glands have a vital role in your body. They are small, triangle-shaped organs. You find them on top of your kidneys.
Adrenal glands produce hormones, specifically cortisol and adrenaline. These hormones help regulate metabolism, immune system, blood pressure, among other functions.
Cortisol helps control the body's use of fats, proteins and carbohydrates. It suppresses inflammation in the body and regulates blood sugar levels too.
Adrenaline is famous as the 'fight or flight' hormone. It increases heart rate, contracts blood vessels and dilates air passages allowing increased airflow into lungs.
Understanding these roles can make you more aware of how your body works. Awareness leads to better health decisions in life.
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Neuroblasts Description and Function
Neuroblasts are specialized cells. They play a crucial role in the development of the nervous system. Neuroblastoma, a cancer type, starts from these cells.
What are Neuroblasts?
Neuroblasts are stem cells found mostly in embryos. Stem cells have the ability to develop into many different cell types during early life and growth. In particular, neuroblasts give rise to neurons (nerve cells) and glial cells (supporting tissue). They're responsible for forming the complex network that makes up our brain and spinal cord.
How do Neuroblasts function?
Like other stem cells, neuroblasts divide rapidly. One half becomes another neuroblast while the other develops into a neuron or glial cell. This process is called differentiation; it's how all parts of our body form from simple beginnings.
Remember: neuroblast division plays an essential part in building your nervous system!
Cancer Spread in Body
Cancer spreads in the body through a process called metastasis. Metastasis is when cancer cells break away from where they first formed (primary cancer), travel through the blood or lymph system, and form new tumors (metastatic tumors) in other parts of the body. The metastatic tumor is the same type of cancer as the primary tumor.
For example, if breast cancer spreads to the lung, it's not lung cancer. It's metastatic breast cancer. The cells in that metastatic tumor are identical to those of the original breast cancer.
Doctors call these distant areas "sites." Common sites include bones, lungs, liver and brain. But remember: every patient's experience with this disease differs greatly.
Understanding how your doctor identifies these sites helps you understand your diagnosis better. They use imaging tests like MRI or CT scans for this purpose.
Treatment depends on various factors including site location and number of sites affected. Clinical trials provide one option for treatment - offering access to cutting-edge therapies.
Types of Cancer Listed.
Cancer comes in many forms. Each type is named after the organ or tissue where it originates.
Breast cancer starts in the breast tissue, often in milk-producing glands. Lung cancer begins in the lungs, mostly affecting smokers. Prostate cancer affects men's prostate gland and is common among older adults.
You also have colorectal cancers, which begin either in the colon or rectum part of your digestive tract. There's also skin cancers, with melanoma being the most dangerous due to its ability to spread quickly if not treated early.
Other types include kidney cancer, bladder cancer, and pancreatic cancer, all named after the organs they affect first.
Lastly, there are blood cancers like leukemia which start from the bone marrow and lymphomas that originate from immune system cells called lymphocytes.
Each category has subtypes based on cell appearance under the microscope, their growth patterns and locations they can spread to within the body. Understanding these distinctions helps doctors tailor treatment plans for each patient’s unique needs.
Remember: Early detection through regular check-ups increases chances of successful treatment substantially for any type of this disease.