Cancer

What Is Cancer?

Cancer is a disease of abnormal cells, which grow and spread, and can invade other parts of the body—a process called metastasis. There are many types of cancer—more than 100. Most are named for the organ or type of cell in which they start: lung cancer, brain cancer, colon cancer, basal cell carcinoma (skin cancer). There are various treatment options.

Doctors Classify Cancer by Different Categories

Common Types of Cancer

Follow these links to access the information and resources for each type.

Your body is made up of different types of cells. Sometimes, the genetic material within a cell can become damaged, affecting the cell’s growth and causing mutations (abnormal changes in the gene material). These cells may not die or stop growing, like they should, and new cells can form—even though the body does not need them. These extra cells can form a mass of tissue called a tumor. A tumor is often the first step in cancer development.

Tumors can be benign (non-spreading, removable) or malignant (spreading, invasive). Not all cancers form tumors. Leukemia, a cancer of the bone marrow and blood, does not produce tumors. Instead, it makes a lot of abnormal cells that replace the healthy cells in the bone marrow (the tissue in bones that makes new blood and immune cells).

Healthy lifestyle habits, such as eating a healthy diet, getting regular exercise, and not smoking can help reduce your risk for cancers. Regular use of sun block or sunscreen with an SPF (sun protection factor) of at least 15 can help prevent skin cancer.

Early Detection

The most important factor in cancer prevention is knowing your risk factors. Talk to your doctor about your family medical history to see if you are prone to certain types of cancer. Then set up regular screenings. The earlier cancer is found, the sooner treatment can begin. Early treatment generally improves your chances of success.

Today, there are many treatment options for cancer. If you have been diagnosed with cancer, talk to your doctor about your options. Only you and your doctor can choose the best course of treatment that meets your needs.

Chemotherapy is treatment of an area of cancer with medications that kill cancerous cells. Unfortunately, most chemotherapy also harms the normal cells near the cancer, or if it is given generally, can harm cells throughout the whole body. The goal is to kill the cells that are growing most rapidly in the body—this is typically the fast-growing cancer cells. The most common side effects of chemotherapy are loss of blood cells, inflammation of the lining of the digestive tract, and hair loss, as these cells are the normal body cells that grow more quickly than other body cells, and so are also affected by the chemotherapy.

Radiation therapy is use of high-energy radiation or radioactive substances to shrink tumors and kill cancer cells. Unfortunately, radiation therapy also harms the normal cells near the cancer. Unlike chemotherapy, which generally is given in ways that affect the whole body, radiation therapy can usually be targeted to the location of the tumor. However, any organ near the tumor in the target area cannot be shielded, and is likely to be affected by the radiation. The most common side effects of radiation therapy are scar tissue, damage to the bowels, memory loss, and infertility, again depending on the site of the targeted area.

Targeted cancer therapy is treatment of cancer with new drugs that are created for specific types of cancer cells and block the growth of these abnormal cancer cells. Most of these drugs involve immune therapy (such as monoclonal antibody drugs). The most common side effects of targeted therapy are fatigue, nausea, loss of appetite, rashes, and diarrhea.

New treatments are being developed regularly to fight cancer, and prevent cancer as well. When a person receives the diagnosis of cancer, it is not a “death sentence” as it has been considered in the past. There is hope now, and hope for the future.