Cancer. It's not a big word, but it sure is scary and it packs quite the punch. Everyone “knows” what cancer is, but do you really know what causes cancer or how it develops?
Cancer is when cells in the body start to grow rapidly and out of control. Instead of normal cells that grow, live, divide, and die in an orderly manner, cancer cells don't die and continue to form new and abnormal cells. It is these cells that cause the “cancer” and result in a plethora of diseases.
That is why there are more than 100 diseases dubbed as “cancer.” Cancer can strike at any time and anywhere in the body because all it takes is the formation and division of abnormal cells.
Luckily, we're getting much better at snuffing out these deviant cells before they spread to other parts of the body. Through clinical oncology we have come a long way in terms of recognizing and treating cancer, but most importantly we believe in treating the person and not just the disease.
Our Oncology Specialists at Alaska Regional Hospital are committed to making strides in cancer treatment and radiation therapy, which is why we have partnered with the Alaska Cancer Care Alliance. This alliance allows cancer patients and survivors to connect and support each other throughout their journey.
Our Anchorage hospital also uses a number of methods to treat cancer and we provide free educational seminars throughout the year. We believe that knowledge is the best tool in curing these diseases and we're here and ready to help you or a loved one become one of the many survivors in the fight against cancer.
You can find more information on detecting and fighting cancer on our Cancer Care page.