What causes cancer?
Cancer begins when cellular DNA mutates. As the DNA changes, it disrupts the normal growth cycle, making the cells grow rapidly and uncontrollably.
You can inherit a genetic mutation, or your DNA can change throughout your lifetime. For example, cellular DNA mutates from exposure to substances such as tobacco smoke, ultraviolet light, and air pollution.
What are the most common cancers?
The 10 most common types of cancer include:
- Breast cancer
- Lung and bronchus cancer
- Prostate cancer
- Colon and rectum cancer
- Melanoma (skin cancer)
- Bladder cancer
- Non-Hodgkin lymphoma
- Kidney cancer
- Endometrial cancer
- Leukemia
Prostate cancer is the most common in men, while breast cancer tops the list for women. The next most common cancers in both genders are lung and colorectal cancer.
What symptoms does cancer cause?
Skin cancer causes visible changes in skin lesions, and breast cancer results in noticeable lumps. Otherwise, most cancers don’t cause symptoms until they reach an advanced stage. Then you experience:
- Fatigue and chronic tiredness
- Unexplained weight loss
- Unexplained muscle pain
- Persistent pain
- Fever that occurs at night
- Sore that doesn't go away
- Cough
- Indigestion
- Difficulty swallowing
- Hoarseness
Unfortunately, these symptoms are generic and not exclusive to cancer, so you should see your physician if they don’t improve.
What causes cancer pain?
Cancer pain arises from several causes:
Tumor growth
You develop pain when the tumor gets large enough to push against nerves, organs, and other tissues. Pain may be one of the last symptoms because it doesn’t occur until the tumor significantly enlarges.
Or pain could be an early sign because the tumor doesn’t have much room to grow. For example, it only takes a small tumor to cause severe pain when the growth is inside a bone.
Cancer treatments
You can end up with nerve pain following surgery to remove the tumor. Chemotherapy and radiation therapy cause numerous painful problems, from severe muscle and joint pain to mouth sores, peripheral neuropathy, and tissue damage.
Breakthrough pain
Cancer patients typically have a constant level of pain called background pain. They also experience temporary, unpredictable, and often excruciating episodes of breakthrough pain.
How does medical cannabis help with cancer pain?
Pain management is an essential part of your cancer care. Your oncologist takes care of pain medications, but medical marijuana complements medications and improves other symptoms.
Medical cannabis helps cancer patients by:
- Relieving nausea and vomiting (due to chemotherapy and radiation therapy)
- Decreasing inflammation
- Reducing pain
- Diminishing anxiety
- Improving appetite
One study showed that cannabis eased the pain in patients who didn’t get enough relief from opioids.
If you need better relief from cancer symptoms, call Remix420 or book an appointment online today.
