What does 'severely ill' mean?

People suffering from a terminal or incurable disease, such as cancer, are often described as being 'severely ill'. Those who carry a chronic disease such as asthma, rheumatism, or diabetes which influences or grossly hampers their normal routine in some way or other are also considered to be severely ill. Many such patients become dependent on others for help or change their lifestyle to meet the requirements of the treatment.

What is Cancer?

Cancer is a condition in which the body cells of the affected area keep multiplying at an abnormal rate, instead of growing normally; cancerous cells destroy other normal cells and create new tissues called tumours. The tumour subsequently affects the surrounding healthy tissues and damages them. Unlike benign tumours, the malignant ones always try to spread throughout the body by forming secondary growths known as 'metastases'. For instance, in the malignant stage, skin cancer can reach the bones and vital organs and wrack havoc on the patient's health. How and why cancer occurs is not clear yet. But research has confirmed that environmental pollution, smoking, and hereditary traits can favor its occurrence.

How can cancer be cured?

The earlier the cancer is detected, the better are the chances of recovery. There are different methods for treating this disease, some of which are applied in combination with other methods. In one method, the tumour is surgically removed, and subsequently the patient undergoes oral or intravenous medication treatment (chemotherapy). In another method, the tumour is irradiated with strong rays and gradually rendered non-functional. The aim of both the methods is to destroy the cancerous cells in the body, but both have drastic side-effects such as loss of hair and nausea. After the therapy is over, the side-effects vanish and the lost hair grow back.