cancer
Sign in to saveCancer is a group of diseases involving uncontrolled cell growth typically resulting in tumors with the potential to invade or spread to other parts of the body. These malignant tumors contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread. Over 100 types of cancers affect humans.
AI overview
Cancer is a disease in which cells in the body grow out of control and can form tumors that spread to other parts of the body, unlike benign tumors that stay in one place. It matters because there are more than 100 different types of cancer that can affect people, making it a serious health concern.
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Key facts
- Medical condition.field
- Oncology
- Medical condition.synonyms
- Malignant tumor, malignant neoplasm
- Medical condition.symptoms
- Lump, abnormal bleeding, prolonged cough, unexplained weight loss, change in bowel movements
- Medical condition.risks
- Exposure to carcinogens, tobacco, obesity, poor diet, lack of physical activity, excessive alcohol, family history, certain infections, genetics
- Medical condition.treatment
- Radiation therapy, surgery, chemotherapy, targeted therapy
- Medical condition.prognosis
- Average five-year survival 66% (US)
- Medical condition.frequency
- 24 million annually (2019)
- Medical condition.deaths
- 10 million annually (2019)
- Medical condition.caption
- A coronal CT scan showing a malignant mesotheliomaLegend: → tumor ←, ✱ central pleural effusion, 1 & 3 lungs, 2 spine, 4 ribs, 5 aorta, 6 spleen, 7 & 8 kidneys, 9 liver
- Medical condition.name
- Cancer
Article
51 sectionsContents
- Etymology and definitions
- Signs and symptoms
- Local symptoms
- Systemic symptoms
- Metastasis
- Causes
- Chemicals
- Diet and exercise
- Infection
- Radiation
- Heredity
- Physical agents
- Hormones
- Autoimmune diseases
- Mechanism
- Genetics
- Epigenetics
- Metastasis
- Metabolism
- Diagnosis
- Classification
- Prevention
- Dietary
- Medication
- Vaccination
- Screening
- Recommendations
- U.S. Preventive Services Task Force
- Japan
- Genetic testing
- Management
- Chemotherapy
- Radiation
- Surgery
- Palliative care
- Immunotherapy
- Laser therapy
- Alternative medicine
- Prognosis
- Epidemiology
- History
- Society and culture
- Economic effect
- Effect on divorce
- Research
- Pregnancy
- Other animals
- See also
- References
- Further reading
- External links
Cancer is a group of diseases involving uncontrolled cell growth typically resulting in tumors with the potential to invade or spread to other parts of the body. These malignant tumors contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread. Over 100 types of cancers affect humans.
About 33% of deaths from cancer are caused by tobacco and alcohol consumption, obesity, lack of fruit and vegetables in diet and lack of exercise. Other factors include certain infections, exposure to ionizing radiation, and environmental pollutants. Infection with specific viruses, bacteria, and parasites causes approximately 16–18% of cancers worldwide. These infectious agents include Helicobacter pylori, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, HPV, Epstein–Barr virus, Human T-lymphotropic virus 1, Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus and Merkel cell polyomavirus. Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) does not directly cause cancer, but it causes immune deficiency that can increase the risk of cancer from other infections, sometimes up to several thousandfold (in the case of Kaposi's sarcoma). Importantly, vaccination against the hepatitis B virus and the human papillomavirus have been shown to nearly eliminate the risk of cancers caused by these viruses in persons successfully vaccinated prior to infection.