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Health and
Fitness
Ulcer and Cancer
Ulcer and cancer are highly undesirable conditions that can manifest on
any human body. But the peculiar nature and treatment of these two
diseases can provoke interesting thoughts in anyone’s mind. In fact, the
terms –cancer and ulcer- can conjure up many ideas to many people in many
fields. More than mere physical conditions that can harm our body or even
kill us, their distinct characteristics are highly representative of a
wide variety of disorders in other fields as well. Something being
cancerous or ulcerous explains quite a lot about it. This is equally true
whether one is talking about an ideology or person or organization or
issue. Let us take the two terms out of the realm of doctors for an
interesting study. Since we are outside the field of medicine, a little
bit of imagination is also allowable in the usage of these terms.
Cancer represents a malignant growth caused by uncontrolled cell division
and it can spread to other parts of the body through the lymphatic or
blood streams. And an ulcer is a circumscribed inflammatory and
suppurating lesion on the skin resulting in necrosis of tissue. In simpler
terms, cancer is caused by the uncontrolled multiplication of cells by
themselves and ulcer is something that results from an unwelcome external
intervention. While both result in discomfort for the victim, the progress
and end results can be quite different. Both are caused by external agents
and both are undesirable as far as the victim is concerned. On a broader
perspective, the victim can be a family, society, nation or even humanity
as such. And the external factor that initiates a cancerous or ulcerous
growth can be an ideology or organization. It may be noted that the cells
that become cancerous or ulcerous are those present in the host’s body
itself and not brought in from outside. Only the influence or reason has
come from outside. But once a substantial number have turned cancerous or
ulcerous, there is absolute disaster that awaits the victim. The progress
to discomfort is much faster in the case of ulcer than cancer and there
are cases where repeated ulcers at the same location can lead to fatal
cancer.
Ulcer and cancer have more striking differences than similarities. Ulcers
are ugly, localized and easily noticeable. Quite in contrast, cancer
usually escapes notice for a long time and it is something that shakes the
entire edifice of the victim. Years ago, some Indian doctors had concluded
that cancer has a ‘herdity’ factor attached to it. People of a particular
herd fall easy prey to cancer and individuals in a herd get drawn into
cancer by the ‘herdity’ factor. Ulcer develops only in a location that has
been hurt but cancer can manifest on any location. And ulcer does not
usually spread to other locations but cancer can spread unnoticed and
eventually tie-down the victim in a fatal grip. The secondary attacks of
cancer on the vital organs always take the victim’s life and it is often
the sad price for neglect or complacency.
There is also a lot to be learned from the way the two maladies are
treated. In comparison, ulcers are much easier to treat and cure the
victim. The best option for treatment of ulcers is clean surgery and
removal of the undesirable parts. Ulcers may look ugly but the surgical
method of removing them leaves a healthier body and makes the life of what
remains much happier. In contrast a cancerous attack would leave the
victim half dead if not full. Surgery for a cancer victim is only a part
solution. Spread of the disease is so silent, systematic and strong that
nothing short of full fledged radiation can save the victim. The
collateral damages due to such a treatment can turn out to be more
damaging than delivering. The best solution available to potential victims
of ulcerous and cancerous ideologies is prevention. If you are wounded by
an external force, the first thing to do is to clean it up. If proper care
is taken at that stage the wound will neither turn ulcerous nor cancerous.
But if it is left unattended or allowed to aggravate, the consequences can
be much damaging. Ulcerous tendencies operate more openly and it is easier
to recognize them. They are not much resourceful and can be easily tackled
by shear physical force especially in the beginning. A quick and forceful
wash at the very beginning by a good antiseptic can kill all the ulcerous
tendencies that may be eyeing a fresh wound. But one has to be much more
careful to avoid the cancerous tendencies. They are tactful, treacherous,
silent and sophisticated.
Ideologies that influence our individuals and society operate on similar
lines. There are ideologies that are ulcerous which takes out a part of
our mind. Unchecked growth of such ideologies often ends up in surgical
separation of the ulcerous part. But the cancerous ideologies that spread
in organized but silent ways can cause internal damage, weaken and
eventually destroy the whole society. The sheer diversity of our Indian
nation is giving easy refuge to many such ulcerous and cancerous
ideologies. One can easily notice cancer cells spreading on almost all the
vital organs of our democracy through the loopholes of electoral politics
and disaster is not far away if we are not vigilant.
–
J. Ajithkumar
May 8, 2005
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