What is it that cancer does to the body that causes so much pain?
112939
Well, cancer is abnormal cells that are growing out of control and will take over healthy tissue and cut off the blood supply.  I have been with three people who died from cancer and it was pretty awful. One brain tumor, one lung cancer and one cancer of the maxillary sinus cavity. \nThe bottom line is that there is abnormal tissue growing where it shouldn't be growing and the body doesn't want it there and it can press on nerves and do all kinds of things to cause pain depending on where it is located. It weakens the body and many times the treatments side effects cause pain too.
335877
Tumors have a number of obnoxious effects. I shall assume that you mean cancerous tumors, here, though some of this would apply to benign tumors, too.\n\nFirst of all, the tumor--whether benign or malignant--takes resources away from other tissues.  What the tumor takes, it takes away from all else.  It's being the biological equivalent of a power drain.\n\nNext, as it grows, the tumor can push on healthy structures--again, that's whether it's benign or malignant.  Depending on where they are, they can impair blood flow, lymphatic return, swallowing, emptying of the stomach (Or anything else), they can sometimes cause seizures, weaken bones, block off breathing, etc.  Oh, and if they're visible, they can be cosmetically disfiguring.\n\nSpecifically with malignant tumors--read that cancer, if you please--they can and often do spread elsewhere, the presence of the "daughter tumors" (Doctors call them metastases) causing an increase in the metabolic load and an increase in the number of places that get squeezed on.\n\nMoreover, many cancers produce chemicals of control--polypeptide hormones, like gastrin or insulin or antidiuretic hormone or cortisone or parathormone or, oh enough--that can play merry hob with the metabolism...\n\nThat's what comes to mind off the top of my ol' head...
181559
This could be caused from breast strain.  Maybe you need a bra with better support.  Another possibility could be fibroids caused by too much caffeine consumption.  They can be painful.  If it is really bothering you, go to your doctor.  Breast pain can be caused by a lot of things, and what might not normally hurt a different part of your body could cause you tremendous pain in your breast area because they are so sensitive.
661247
basically cancer at the larger portion of the pancreas where it meets up with the duodenum (small intestine) that has been going long enought to diseminate via lymphatic system (mestastasise) to other organs. \nnot good.
1057304
NO!  People can truly be in pain because something is going on in their bodies.  I think it's possible to make the pain worse by dwelling on it, but believing that pain is only in the mind is simply ridiculous.  Just ask a cancer patient, or someone with kidney stones, or a gall bladder problem....
1166019
Cancer is a class of diseases or disorders characterized by uncontrolled division of cells and the ability of these cells to invade other tissues, either by direct growth into adjacent tissue through invasion or by implantation into distant sites by metastasis. Metastasis is defined as the stage in which cancer cells are transported through the bloodstream or lymphatic system. Cancer may affect people at all ages, but risk increases with age. It is one of the leading causes of death in developed countries.\n\nThere are many types of cancer. Severity of symptoms depends on the site and character of the malignancy and whether there is metastasis. A definitive diagnosis usually requires the histologic examination of tissue by a pathologist. This tissue is obtained by biopsy or surgery. Most cancers can be treated and some cured, depending on the specific type, location, and stage. Once diagnosed, cancer is usually treated with a combination of surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. As research develops, treatments are becoming more specific for the type of cancer pathology. Drugs that target specific cancers already exist for several cancers. If untreated, cancers may eventually cause illness and death, though this is not always the case.\n\nThe unregulated growth that characterizes cancer is caused by damage to DNA, resulting in mutations to genes that encode for proteins controlling cell division. Many mutation events may be required to transform a normal cell into a malignant cell. These mutations can be caused by chemicals or physical agents called carcinogens, by close exposure to radioactive materials, or by certain viruses that can insert their DNA into the human genome. Mutations occur spontaneously, or are passed down generations as a result of germ line mutations.\n\nMany forms of cancer are associated with exposure to environmental factors such as tobacco smoke, radiation, alcohol and certain viruses. While some of these can be avoided, there is no known way to entirely avoid the disease, and public health and vaccination programs are also important on a global scale.\n\n\nI hope you find what your looking for.\n\nGood Luck!\n\n=)
374204
Yes, DEFINETLY GO TO YOUR DOCTOR, It could be something that when you were young you were supposed to keep and eye on for tumors or cancer, if it is hurting that it never a good sign.  Our bodies are way to complicated to take advice on here from these crazy people.  PLEASE talk to your doctor, and make sure he or she is educated, we have all come across those doctors who pass these 6 week courses and think they can be P.A.'s.  (physician assistants) this is a serious matter, and you need to see a real professional.
448313
Is very easy, as you might know our body has a a thing that is called nervous system,Which is the one who allows us to perceive and sense everything around while we are alive and that includes pain.\n When we became sick Nervous System plays an important role, in our bodies by increase the area affected feeling pain or in lack of sensations such as when we have flu or cold  and we can't smell or taste as well as when we are healthy.\n Another example is:\n if you develop prostate cancer you will die in a huge pain  because the prostate is surrounded by many  terminal nerves.\nIn the opposite way if you die of cancer in the intestine you won't feel pain at all because  that area lack of nerves.\nIf you became quadruplegic the pain won't affect all you body, but from a heart attack you will die fast but in pain because all your body enter in a shock stage until you'll collapse.\n When people fall in comma or vegetable stage they can't feel anything their brain is in total shock( but in this topic are many controverses that points to two sides)\nWhen comatose persons came back to normality they don't remeber anything not even sorrow so they can't give testimoniy and that indicate to experts that their nervous system was blocked at that moment so if  some relatives of a comma patient decide disconect the artificial machine that help them to still alive is when  the experts will say  that THEY DIED IN PAINLESS.\nSo in order to understand better or nervous system experts can determinate from people who experience pain and people who doesn't
100133
Obviously, I wouldn't be able to give you a firsthand account, but my mother died last autumn from cancer. I was with her the last 3 weeks of her life day and night and I can tell you what it was like when she died. \nWhen my mother was released from hospital to be able to die at home she got better for nearly two weeks, eating a bit more every day, feeling better and stronger and being able to enjoy a beautiful time with her family. \nSome three days before her death she started being in pain especially at night. The first night we did not have efficient painkillers and it was terrible. She suffered very much. We luckily were getting in touch with a hospice service next day and she was supplied with a little pump that would release morphine into her bloodstream on demand when she needed it. I do not believe she could have died at home otherwise, the pain was very bad and watching her suffer was nearly impossible. With the pump she felt fine. I do not believe she was more than uncomfortable until she finally died. \nThat first night of pain her breathing changed. It became shallower and louder, as if she could not get enough breath. It was a bit hacking and irregular. It staid like this until her death three days later. She did not seem in pain or terribly inconvenienced by it and did not complain of not having enough air. \nThe last day of her life her legs were filling with water, she was swelling up from her toes to her hips. Again, this did not seem to cause discomfort. It is quite typlical when you die. \nThe evening of the beginning of her death her breathing got more laboured and she asked us to help her sit up straight and pull her arms up front so she could breathe more deeply - at that point she felt a shortage of breath. \nShe wasn't in any pain and was awake til her brother and my older sister came to see her, we had called them in the morning to call them to her deathbed. After she had seen them and said hello and goodbye, she lost consciousness at aroun d 10 pm and never regained it til she died at 10 am. \nThe dying itself was terrible but I believe mostly for us, not for her. Even though her body was destroyed by cancer it did not want to give up and her heart remained strong and just kept on beating. Her breathing was hard and would occasionaly stop but always start again. 11 hours after she lost consciousness did her heartbeat finally get weaker and her blood pressure dropped. Slowly her body temperature sank  and then she finally died. \nShe had not been alone at any point in the last three days of her life and after talking with all the others that were around in that time (half of my family are doctors and nurses) her death was as quiet and peaceful as you can hope for. \nI am sorry if this is not assuring, but it didn't feel terrible either. \nI wish you and your mother all the best
1118891
Yes it can spread or "metastasize".  One of my first cousins recently died of it.  He was in his early 50's and by the time he died the cancer had spread to his bones, [mainly his spine] as well as to his brain.    Anytime it spreads to the bones you can expect significant pain.\n\nIf you are interesting in learning more, http://www.lungcanceronline.org/\n\nhas lots of info.
286070
Melanoma can cause joint pain but it's not a very common symptom. What is much more common is for treatment of this cancer with the drug Interferon to cause a whole range of side effects, including pain in the joints. I'm not a doctor and I've no idea if you're the patient or if it's someone close to you, but if the melanoma sufferer is being treated with Interferon it is highly likely the drug is causing the joint pain as a side effect of treatment. Again, this is something to be discussed between patient and doctor.\n\nAddendum: Thank you very much for your (extremely) generous words of support and encouragement. Unfortunately, while you used the IM function in YA to send the message, you have designated your account to NOT allow receipt of such messages (nor do you list a 360 page account or an email address). I am thus unable (literally) to reach you and would like to do so. If you could please follow up with another IM and include an email address, I would appreciate it. Thanks again.
681108
It's probably gas, constipation or nervous pains.  Don't stress too much, stress causes ulcers which cause stomach cancer.  A healthy diet helps!  Excercise, eat only fruit before noon.  A lot of esparagus and vegetables!  Cut down on meat, dairy, diet drinks and White bread!  Good Luck!
135235
cancer that goes from one body part to another
1115942
Fatty tumors (lipomas) rarely are cancerous.  They're common in older people.  If they are in the muscle they can affect motion and can be painful if they get big.  I had one and got it cut out, my leg hurt for weeks.\nIf the doctor can't find any cause, look at your diet.  Leg pain can be caused by excessive consumption of diet drinks containing nutrasweet.  Cut out all nutrasweet consumption for 6 weeks and your pain will go away.
200653
Why couldn't it. every part of your body can suffer pain. Whether it be caused by external or internal reasons - yes. But, being that it is set inside very spongy tissue, I do believe it would be difficult to suffer pain due to external reasons. If there is pain for any reason, I suggest consulting a doctor.
694050
you began to have a lot of pain some times it effects people so badly it feels like there having a heart attack . so lit it rip
802818
CANCER - Yes I can give lot of information but without knowing details from you it is difficult. I can only give general inforamtion. read -\n\nCancer is a class of diseases or disorders characterized by uncontrolled division of cells and the ability of these cells to invade other tissues, either by direct growth into adjacent tissue through invasion or by implantation into distant sites by metastasis. Metastasis is defined as the stage in which cancer cells are transported through the bloodstream or lymphatic system. Cancer may affect people at all ages, but risk tends to increase with age, due to the fact that DNA damage becomes more apparent in aging DNA. It is one of the principal causes of death in developed countries.\n\nThere are many types of cancer. Severity of symptoms depends on the site and character of the malignancy and whether there is metastasis. A definitive diagnosis usually requires the histologic examination of tissue by a pathologist. This tissue is obtained by biopsy or surgery. Most cancers can be treated and some cured, depending on the specific type, location, and stage. Once diagnosed, cancer is usually treated with a combination of surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. As research develops, treatments are becoming more specific for the type of cancer pathology. Drugs that target specific cancers already exist for several cancers. If untreated, cancers may eventually cause illness and death, though this is not always the case.\n\nThe unregulated growth that characterizes cancer is caused by damage to DNA, resulting in mutations to genes that encode for proteins controlling cell division. Many mutation events may be required to transform a normal cell into a malignant cell. These mutations can be caused by chemicals or physical agents called carcinogens, by close exposure to radioactive materials, or by certain viruses that can insert their DNA into the human genome. Mutations occur spontaneously, and may be passed down from one generation to the next as a result of mutations within germ lines.\n\nMany forms of cancer are associated with exposure to environmental factors such as tobacco smoke, radiation, alcohol and certain viruses. While some of these risk factors can be avoided or reduced, there is no known way to entirely avoid the disease.\n\nif you require any specific information please post your question accoringly and there are persons like me to answer your qurries in details-.