Understand Cancers
Frequently Asked Questions and Answers
20 questions covering diagnosis, treatment, side effects, risk assessment and practical arrangements.
What is cancer?
Cancer is a general term for a large group of diseases. The core characteristic is that the genes of cells mutate, causing cells to divide and grow uncontrollably. They may invade nearby tissues or spread to other parts of the body through the blood and lymph. Cancer is not a single disease, and different types vary widely in causes, symptoms, and responses to treatment.
What causes cancer?
Cancer is often caused by a long-term combination of factors, including inherited genetic mutations, smoking, alcohol consumption, unhealthy diet, obesity, lack of exercise, certain viral infections (such as HPV, hepatitis B), radiation, and environmental carcinogens. Age also increases the risk, but having risk factors does not mean you will definitely develop cancer.
Is cancer hereditary?
Only a small number of cancers are linked to clear inherited gene mutations, such as BRCA1/2 and breast cancer, ovarian cancer, or Lynch syndrome and colorectal cancer. Most cancers are caused by genetic mutations that accumulate throughout life and are not directly inherited; people with a significant family history may consider receiving genetic counseling and evaluation.
What are the most common types of cancer?
Common cancers include breast cancer, lung cancer, colorectal cancer, prostate cancer, liver cancer, stomach cancer, pancreatic cancer, thyroid cancer, lymphoma and endometrial cancer. The ranking of incidence in different regions will vary depending on population structure, living habits and screening popularity.
How is cancer diagnosed?
Diagnosis usually starts with a history and physical examination, followed by imaging tests (X-ray, ultrasound, CT, MRI, PET-CT) to identify suspicious lesions. Ultimately, a biopsy is needed to identify cancer cells under a microscope, and may include genetic or molecular testing to determine the type and stage of the cancer.
What are the best cancer treatments?
There is no “best” solution for everyone, and treatment will depend on the type of cancer, stage, tumor biomarkers, age, and overall health. Common methods include surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy and metabolism-related treatments. In clinical practice, a combination of methods is often used. It is recommended that a personalized plan be developed after evaluation by an interdisciplinary team.
Can cancer be cured?
Some cancers (especially if detected early) can be cured through surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, etc.; for advanced cancers, the goals are to control the disease, prolong survival and maintain quality of life. Whether it can be cured depends on the type of cancer, stage, response to treatment and personal constitution, and needs to be evaluated by the treating doctor.
What is cancer metastasis?
Metastasis means that cancer cells break away from the primary tumor, travel to other organs of the body through the blood or lymphatic system, and continue to grow in new locations to form secondary tumors. Metastasis is one of the main reasons why cancer is difficult to treat, so early detection and timely treatment are important.
What are early cancer symptoms?
Early-stage cancer may have no obvious symptoms, but common warning signs include unexplained weight loss, persistent tiredness, persistent pain, unusual bleeding or bruising, skin changes, changes in bowel or urinary habits, chronic coughing, or difficulty swallowing. These symptoms do not necessarily indicate cancer, but if they persist or worsen, you should seek medical attention as soon as possible.
What are chemotherapy side effects?
Chemotherapy drugs also affect rapidly dividing normal cells, so fatigue, nausea and vomiting, hair loss, mouth ulcers, loss of appetite, diarrhea or constipation, a decrease in white blood cells that increase the risk of infection, and numbness of the hands and feet may occur. The degree of side effects varies depending on the drug, dosage and individual constitution, and most can be alleviated through medication and lifestyle adjustments.
What is cancer immunotherapy?
Immunotherapy uses drugs to help the body’s immune system identify and attack cancer cells. Common mechanisms include immune checkpoint inhibitors, CAR-T cell therapy, and cancer vaccines. It can produce a longer-lasting response to some cancers, but it may also cause immune-related side effects and is not suitable for all cancers or patients.
How can I support someone with cancer?
You can first listen and accompany, respect the other person’s willingness to talk about the condition, and avoid over-comforting or making decisions for the other person. Practical assistance such as accompanying for follow-up visits, preparing meals, handling housework and transportation arrangements is often more helpful than words; at the same time, the caregiver should also pay attention to his or her own physical and mental status and seek professional support when necessary.
What is a tumor?
Tumors are tissue masses formed by abnormal proliferation of cells and can be divided into benign (which will not invade surrounding tissues or metastasize) and malignant (i.e., cancer, which will invade adjacent tissues and may metastasize). Benign tumors may also cause symptoms by compressing surrounding organs. Whether treatment is needed depends on the doctor’s judgment.
What are cancer risk factors?
Risk factors are conditions or behaviors that increase the chance of developing cancer, including age, family history, genetic mutations, smoking, alcohol use, obesity, physical inactivity, unhealthy diet, certain infections, radiation and environmental pollution. Risk factors only represent an increased chance, but do not necessarily mean you will develop cancer; reducing modifiable risk factors can help reduce your chance.
What is cancer survival rate?
Survival rate is a statistic that describes the proportion of patients with a cancer who are still alive after a certain period of time (usually five years) after diagnosis. It is affected by cancer type, stage, treatment method and regional medical level. It can only be used as a group reference and cannot accurately predict the outcome of individual patients.
What is cancer hospice care?
Palliative care is holistic support for patients with advanced or incurable cancer, focusing on relieving pain and discomfort, maintaining dignity and quality of life, and providing emotional and grief support to family members. It does not mean giving up treatment, but changing the goal of care from extending life to comfort and holistic care.
What is the difference between cancer cure and remission?
“Cure” means that the cancer has completely disappeared after treatment, and the chance of future recurrence is very low; “remission” means that the signs and symptoms of cancer are significantly reduced or temporarily disappeared, but there may still be hidden cancer cells in the body and require continuous monitoring. Remission can be partial or complete and does not necessarily equate to permanent cure.
Why is there no universal cancer test?
Cancer encompasses more than a hundred diseases, each with different genetic mutations, biomarkers, and growth patterns, making it difficult to accurately identify all cancers simultaneously with a single test. If the sensitivity is too high, it will cause false positives and over-diagnosis, while if the sensitivity is too low, diagnosis may be missed; therefore, screening methods for different cancers are still the main ones.
Why are cancer rates rising?
The main causes include an aging population and longer lifespans, changes in lifestyle (sedentary, obesity, dietary habits), exposure to environmental carcinogens, and advances in screening and diagnostic technology that are allowing more cases to be detected. The increased incidence does not mean that everyone is at the same risk. Maintaining a healthy life and following recommended screening can help with early detection.
Does insurance cover cancer treatment?
Whether it is covered depends on the policy terms, cancer type and treatment items. Generally, hospitalization, surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy are more commonly covered. Some targeted drugs, immunotherapy or experimental treatments may require prior approval or be self-paid items. It is recommended to confirm coverage and claims procedures with your insurance company before treatment, and keep all medical reports and receipts.