Tumors that kill fastest

While until now we considered cardiovascular diseases to be the most dangerous for the health and life of Poles, we have been observing an increase in the number of deaths from cancer for some time. It is now the leading cause of death in high- and middle-income countries, including Poland. Which cancers pose the greatest threat to us?

The slowest and fastest growing types of cancer

Our body is made up of trillions of cells. Under normal circumstances, new cells replace old or damaged ones. In some cases, however, the cell’s DNA becomes damaged. Usually, the immune system is great at dealing with a small number of abnormal cells. When it cannot cope with the number of changed cells, it is called cancer. Instead of dying and getting out of the body, they continue to grow and divide into tumors. Eventually, they can spread to adjacent tissues through uncontrolled growth.

While all types of cancer can spread, some do so more aggressively than others. Usually, the cancer cells with the most damaged DNA spread the fastest.

Among the cancers that grow more slowly there are:

1. certain types of breast cancer, incl. ER-expressing (ER +) and HER2-negative (HER2-) breast cancer;
2. chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL);
3. colorectal cancer;
4. most types of prostate cancer.

Meanwhile, cancers that grow faster include:

1. acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML);
2. certain types of breast cancer such as inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) and triple negative breast cancer (TNBC);
3. large B cell lymphoma;
4. lung cancer; 
5. rare prostate tumors such as small cell carcinomas.

Rapidly developing cancer does not necessarily mean that the patient’s prognosis is bad. Many of these tumors can be successfully treated. On the other hand, there is a group of cancers that do not necessarily grow faster, but are detected late, only after they have metastasized.

Also read: The five cancers of which Polish women die most often

What contributes to cancer?

Cancer results from the transformation of normal cells into cancer cells in a multi-step process. These changes are the result of interactions between genetic and external factors, including:

1. physical carcinogens such as ultraviolet and ionizing radiation; 
2. chemical carcinogens such as asbestos, constituents in tobacco smoke, aflatoxins (food contamination) and arsenic (drinking water contamination);
3. biological carcinogens such as infections with certain viruses, bacteria or parasites. 

Aging is another key factor in the development of cancer. The incidence of neoplastic disease increases dramatically with age, most likely due to the build-up of risk factors as well as less effective cell repair mechanisms.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the cancers that killed the most people in the world in 2018 include:

1. lung cancer (1,76 million deaths);
2. colorectal cancer (862 deaths);
3. stomach cancer (783 deaths);
4. liver cancer (782 deaths);
5. breast cancer (627 deaths).

You haven’t been able to find the cause of your ailments for a long time? Do you want to tell us your story or draw attention to a common health problem? Write to the address [email protected] #Together we can do more

Read also:

1. In ten years it will be the most common cancer. Doctors sound the alarm
2. Cancer patients in Poland still with insufficient medical nutrition. «Time to catch up with Europe»
3. How is cancer treated in Poland? Misdiagnoses, queues, expensive drugs

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