Types of Cancer
Types of Cancer
The most common sites in which cancer develops include the skin, lungs, female breasts, prostate, colon and rectum, cervix and uterus.
Following are examples of common types of cancers named for their primary site. This is not a comprehensive list of cancers.
Bladder cancer refers to any of several types of malignant growths of the urinary bladder. It is a disease in which abnormal cells multiply without control in the bladder. The bladder is a hollow, muscular organ that stores urine; it is located in the pelvis. The most common type of bladder cancer begins in cells lining the inside of the bladder and is called urothelial cell or transitional cell carcinoma (UCC or TCC.)
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The growth of abnormal cells in the tissues of the brain. Brain tumors can be benign (non-cancerous) or malignant (cancerous.)
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It has been estimated that in the U.S., about 1 in 8 women will eventually develop breast cancer in her life time. Most breast cancers are ductal carcinomas. Women most likely to develop the disease are those over the age of 50; those who have already had cancer in one breast; those whose mother or sister had breast cancer; those who never had children; and those who had their first child after the age of 30. Other risk factors include being overweight; a high-fat diet; early menarche (age menstruation begins) and late menopause (age menstruation ceases.) Monthly breast self-examination is recommended as a way to detect breast cancer early. Most of the lumps found in the breasts are not cancerous, but women should see their physicians to find out for sure. Annual mammograms (or breast X-rays) for all women over the age of 40 are recommended, as well as an annual physical examinations of the breast by a health professional for all women over the age of 20.
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Of the cancers that affect the large intestine, about 70 percent occur in the colon and about 30 percent in the rectum. These cancers are the third most common cancers overall. Symptoms include blood in the stool which can be tested for by a simple fecal occult blood test) or a change in bowel habits, such as severe constipation or diarrhea.
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Cancer that arises in the head or neck region (in the nasal cavity, sinuses, lip, mouth, salivary glands, throat, or larynx [voice box].)
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Cancer that starts in blood-forming tissue such as the bone marrow, and causes large numbers of blood cells to be produced and enter the bloodstream. There is no known way to prevent leukemia, but it can be treated effectively.
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Primary liver cancer is cancer that forms in the tissues of the liver. Secondary liver cancer is cancer that spreads to the liver from another part of the body.
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Cancer that forms in tissues of the lung, usually in the cells lining air passages. The two main types are small cell lung cancer and non-small cell lung cancer. These types are diagnosed based on how the cells look under a microscope.
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Lymphomas are cancers that begin with the malignant transformation of a lymphocyte in the lymphatic system. Hodgkin lymphoma and all non-Hodgkin lymphomas result from an injury to the DNA of a lymphocyte. Scientists know that the damage to the DNA is acquired (it occurs after birth) rather than inherited. Lymphomas generally start either in lymph nodes or in lymphatic tissue found in organs such as the stomach or intestines. In some cases lymphomas involve marrow and blood. Lymphomas may spread from one site to other parts of the body.
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Myeloma is a cancer of plasma cells. Plasma cells, part of the body's immune system, are one type of white blood cells. They are found primarily in bone marrow but also in many other tissues of the body. Normal plasma cells are formed from B lymphocytes. In myeloma, a developing plasma cell becomes malignant. The number of myeloma cells increases, especially in the marrow, crowding out normal blood cell production, destroying normal bone tissue and causing pain. Myeloma interferes with normal plasma cell production of proteins called immunoglobulins or antibodies. Immunoglobulins (antibodies) are an important part of the body's natural defense against infection. They recognize and destroy microbes that invade the body. Myeloma cells produce an abnormal immunoglobulin called M protein, for monoclonal immunoglobulin, which does not function and makes myeloma patients susceptible to infections. The cause of myeloma is not known.
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Cancer that forms in tissues of the ovary (one of a pair of female reproductive glands in which the ova, or eggs, are formed). Most ovarian cancers are either ovarian epithelial carcinomas (cancer that begins in the cells on the surface of the ovary) or malignant germ cell tumors (cancer that begins in egg cells.)
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A disease in which malignant (cancer) cells are found in the tissues of the pancreas. Also called exocrine cancer.
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Cancer of the prostate is found mainly in older men. As men age, the prostate may enlarge and block the urethra or bladder. This may cause difficulty in urination or interfere with sexual functions. This condition is called benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH.) Although BPH is not cancerous, surgery may be needed to correct it. The symptoms of BPH, or of other problems in the prostate, may be similar to symptoms for prostate cancer. Individuals should consult a physician if any of the following symptoms appear: weak or interrupted flow of urine; urinating often (especially at night); difficulty urinating; pain or burning during urination; blood in the urine; or nagging pain in the back, hips, or pelvis. Often there are no symptoms of early cancer of the prostate.
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There are three primary types of skin cancer: basal cell, squamous cell, and melanoma. Basal and squamous cell cancers are derived from the epidermal layers with the same names. Melanomas are derived from the melanocytes, or pigment cells, in the deepest level of the epidermis. Basal cell and squamous cell cancers usually occur on parts of the body exposed to the sun, such as the face, ears, and extremities. These cancers are highly curable, especially if detected and treated early. Melanomas, which form dark moles that spread over the surface of the skin, are more lethal because they metastasize very quickly.
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Testicular cancer is a type of cancer that develops in the testicles, a part of the male reproductive system. In the United States, about 8,000 to 9,000 diagnoses of testicular cancer are made each year. Over his lifetime, a man's chance of getting testicular cancer is roughly 1 in 250 (four tenths of one percent, or 0.4%.) It is most common among males aged 15‚40 years. Testicular cancer has one of the highest cure rates of all cancers: in excess of ninety percent; essentially one hundred percent if it has not spread. Even for the relatively few cases in which the cancer has spread widely, chemotherapy offers a cure rate of at least fifty percent.
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The uterus is the sac in a woman's pelvis which allows a baby to develop from a fertilized egg and protects it until birth. Cancer of the uterus is the most common gynecologic malignancy. This cancer occurs infrequently in women under 40 years of age. It occurs most frequently after the age of 60. The presenting symptom is usually abnormal uterine bleeding. An endometrial biopsy or D&C is often performed to confirm the diagnosis. Currently, there has been little insight into the exact causes for uterine cancer. However, 10-25 percent of malignancies occur in women who received pelvic radiation five to 25 years earlier for benign bleeding. As in other cancers of its type, risk factors for uterine cancer include diabetes, hypertension, obesity, and improper estrogen levels
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Click here for an A to Z List of cancers.
Click here for more information on blood cancers.
