When considering the effectiveness of a treatment for cancer, it is essential to understand the nature of the body’s defense mechanism. The body’s blood vessels contain a selective barrier between the brain and blood. This barrier is normally healthy, regulating brain metabolism while keeping harmful toxins and chemotherapy drugs out. In contrast, cancer cells and chemotherapy drugs cannot penetrate this barrier. A tumor is classified according to its grade by a pathologist, who makes the grade after the tumor is removed during surgery or biopsy.
The two types of tumors are benign and malignant. Both develop when cells divide too rapidly, disrupting the balance of healthy cells. Normally, your body regulates cell growth by replacing old cells with new ones, and allowing healthy cells to replace damaged ones. When the body’s balance between the growth and death of cells becomes disturbed, tumors result. Some tumors are more common in one sex than in the other. Others are related to environment, family history, and diet.
