What is Cancer?

Cancer can be considered as a disease acquired from genetic damage that disturbs the mechanisms that maintain normal cellular behavior, disrupt the normal control of cell division and death, and result in abnormal growth. Cancer or malignancy differs from a benign tumor in the rate and pattern of growth as well as the characteristic of the malignant cells. This is discussed further under the characteristics of Benign and Malignant Tumors.

continue reading What is Cancer? Development, Growth and Spread of Malignancy

Secondary bone cancer is a group of diseases, which arise in different tissues of the body, but end with cancerous transformation of bone tissue. Contrary to popular belief, secondary bone cancers are more common than primary bone cancers. Although it does reflect the less susceptibility of the bone tissue to cancerous transformation, such that only advanced cancers in other parts of the body are able to penetrate it. It is rather due to the staggeringly large numbers of people affected with cancers, like breast cancer, lung cancer, prostate cancer, and so on, which later on lead to secondary bone cancer. Hence, even if only a small percentage of cancers spread to bones, the numbers are still quite high.
continue reading Secondary Bone Cancer

Osteoporosis is a common health problem in elderly females. This is mostly because of the abrupt hormonal changes taking place after menopause, and so is called postmenopausal osteoporosis. The word “osteoporosis” perfectly describes the disease, which consists of cellular changes leading to thinning (increased porosity) of bones (Gk. osteon = pertaining to bones). This is followed by bone pains, fractures from trivial falls, and so on. The spectrum of symptoms in osteoporosis is endless, but the cause is frequently the same, a functional imbalance in bone tissue.
continue reading Bisphosphonates in Osteoporosis

Multiple myeloma treatment is a highly complicated issue. Not only is the procedure cumbersome, but with each option there are a significant number of pro’s and con’s attached. Understanding the significance is perhaps the last thing on the mind of the affected person due to the life-threatening nature of the disease itself. However, it is this process that decides the ultimate fate of an individual. Surprisingly, it is quite true that treatment options like stem cell transplant, which seem to offer a complete cure, are strongly associated with mortality themselves. Hence, treatment options must be wisely chosen !
continue reading Multiple Myeloma Treatment

The symptoms of multiple myeloma range from mild fatigue to renal failure and paralysis. It is quite intriguing how an abnormality of a single type of cells can lead to such disastrous consequences. Apart from less morbid variants like an isolated plasmacytoma (single plasma cell tumor), multiple myeloma invariably leads to early death of an individual. Though, newer modalities of treatment claim to provide a complete cure, it is practically not demonstrated as yet. Thus, providing symptomatic relief to the patient is of utmost importance in treatment of multiple myeloma.
continue reading Multiple Myeloma – Symptoms and Staging