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Other tumours, however, are often difficult to detect early. For
example, it has been estimated that some lung tumours and breast
tumours may grow for a period of ten years before they are detectable.
Present methods of detecting these tumours involve techniques such as
the use of diagnostic X-rays. These techniques often are unable to
detect a tumour smaller than about one centimetre in diameter. Some
tumours take about ten years to develop to the one centimetre stage
that contains about one billion cells. At this stage, tumour-spread
has sometimes already occurred. Thus, some types of cancer that
currently kill a lot of people, such as lung and breast cancer, may not
be detectable until they have been growing for ten years. It is
likely that in the near future detection of these tumours will improve
with improving technology. Such improved diagnosis should facilitate
an increased cure rate as seen in the cervical cancer story.
Cancer is treated by many well established and some new
experimental methods. The well established methods include surgery,
radiation therapy and chemotherapy. The newer experimental methods
include immunotherapy and bone marrow transplants.
Surgery is the treatment of choice if the tumour can be removed
without excessive danger to the individual. Surgery is a curative
treatment of many tumours, espezially those that have not spread to
distant parts of the body.
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