Diet and Cancer

DIET AND CANCER

Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States. It is a disease characterized by abnormal cell growth and can occur in any organ. In some way the genes lose control of cell growth, and reproduction becomes unstruc-tured and excessive. The developing mass caused by the abnormal growth is called a tumor, or neoplasm. Cancer is also called neoplasia. Cancerous tumors are malignant, affecting the structure and consequently the function of organs. When cancer cells break away from their original site, move through the blood, and spread to a new site, they are said to metastasize. The mortality rate for cancer clients is high, but cancer does not always cause death. When it is found early in its development, prompt treatment can eradicate it. Oncology is the study of cancer, and a physician who specializes in cancer cases is called an oncologist.