Thanks to modern day medicine’s advanced treatment regimens, the early diagnosis and treatment of cancer can often result in the restoration of whole and healthy bodies and productive lives for those inflicted by this once unstoppable disease. Unfortunately, doctors sometimes miss the early warning signs and fail to correctly diagnose the patient’s condition, losing precious treatment time in the process, and sadly allowing the cancer to spread beyond the point of no return. Among the many types of cancer that can take an awful toll when left unchecked, two of the most troubling examples are breast cancer and colon cancer. If you or your loved one has suffered such misfortune, contact Cancer Malpractice Lawyer NJ Patrick Amoresano for a free and confidential consultation.
Cancer Malpractice Lawyer NJ: The Basics
Cancer is actually the name for more than a hundred diseases. However, all cancers begin with abnormal cell growth.
The body has trillions of cells. Normal cells grow in an orderly fashion. During our early years, our cells grow rapidly and multiply. Once we reach adulthood, our cells replace themselves as needed. However, cancerous cells can multiply randomly and out of control. Worse, they can invade and take over other healthy tissues, the hallmark of a cancer cell.
Abnormal cell growth is attributable to damaged DNA, a substance embedded in every cell designed to regulate growth. Normal DNA replaces or discards damaged cells as needed. Damaged DNA does not do this. Instead, it allows the cell to make new, unneeded cells that can be bad for the body. Worse, these unneeded cells also have the damaged DNA.
It’s possible for people to inherit damaged DNA, but more often it comes from breakdowns in the normal cell reproduction process, or from adverse environmental conditions. Cigarette smoking, asbestos, and overexposure to the sun are oft-cited examples.