Cancer Basics - Overview
What is cancer?
When the body's cells become abnormal and duplicate out of control a tumor is formed, these may be cancerous (spreading) or benign (non-cancerous). Normal body cells divide in a controlled and relatively slow rate, in malignant cells the duplication is uncontrolled and often at a very rapid rate. If the tumor is malignant the disease may develop in other parts of the body where secondary tumors may form (known as metastasis).
Cancer is not a single disease but a wide range of different diseases of which there well over a hundred types. cancer can be classified into two broad types: hematological (malignancies of the blood) or solid tumors. The name of the cancer depends on the type of tissue and/or site it develops in. For example a sarcoma is a cancer arising from bone, muscle, or connective tissue. Carcinoma is cancer arising from epithelial tissue (cells of the glands and the outer layer of skin that lines blood vessels, hollow organs and the body's orifices).
Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States. Nearly half of all men and a little over one third of all women in the United States will develop cancer during their lifetime. Today, millions of people are living with cancer or have had cancer. The risk of developing most types of cancer can be reduced significantly by changes in a person's lifestyle. For example, by quitting smoking and eating a better diet, can greatly lower the chance for cancer to occur. Also, make sure you get regular medical check-ups, because the sooner a cancer is found and treatment begins, the better are the chances for curing cancer.
Some cancers are particular to men and women. Breast
cancer is one of the most common neoplasms. Breast Cancer
predominantly found in women (1% are in males). Associated with
the female reproductive system are cervical, ovarian,
and other genealogical cancers. In men prostate
cancer is one of the major neoplasms, other cancers of the
male reproductive system include testis
and penile cancer.
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