Cancer Health Channel

	Feature Article Cancer Definition Cancer is the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells in the body. Cancerous cells are also called malignant cells. Alternative Names Carcinoma; Malignant tumor Causes, incidence, and risk factors Cells are the building blocks of living things. Cancer grows out of normal cells in the body. Normal cells multiply when the body needs them, and die when the body doesn't. Cancer appears to occur when the growth of cells in the body is out of control and cells divide too rapidly. It can also occur when cells “forget” how to die. There are many different kinds of cancers. Cancer can develop in almost any organ or tissue, such as the lung, colon, breast, skin, bones, or nerve tissue. There are multiple causes of cancers, including: Radiation Sunlight Tobacco Certain viruses Benzene Certain poisonous mushrooms and aflatoxins (a poison produced by organisms that can grow on peanut plants) However, the cause of many cancers remains unknown. The most common cause of cancer-related death is lung cancer. The three most common cancers in men in the United States are prostate cancer, lung cancer, and colon cancer. In women in the U.S., the three most frequently occurring cancers are breast cancer, lung cancer, and colon cancer. Certain cancers are more common in particular geographic areas. For example, in Japan, there are many cases of gastric cancer, while in the U.S. this type of cancer is relatively rare. Continue reading this article

More Articles

Breast cancer (31 Videos, 8 Images, 1 Slideshow) Average Rating: (Doctor-Reviewed information)
Breast cancer is a cancer that starts in the tissues of the breast. There are two main types of breast cancer: Ductal carcinoma starts in the tubes (ducts) that move milk from the breast to the nipple. Most breast cancers are of this type; Lobular carcinoma starts in parts of the breast, called lobules, that produce milk. In rare cases, breast cancer can start in other areas of the breast. Many breast cancers are sensitive to the hormone estrogen. This means that estrogen causes the breast cancer tumor to grow. Such cancer is called estrogen receptor positive cancer or ER positive cancer. Some women have what's called HER2-positive breast cancer. HER2 refers to a gene that helps cells grow, divide, and repair themselves. When cells have too many copies of this gene, cells - including cancer cells - grow faster. Experts think that women with HER2-positive breast cancer have a more aggressive disease and a higher risk of recurrence than those who do not have this type. Reviewer: Rita Nanda, M.D., Department of Medicine, Section of Hematology/Oncology, University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, IL. Review provided byVeriMed Healthcare Network.Date: 04/03/2007
Email  |  Save

Leukemia (1 Video, 9 Images) (Doctor-Reviewed information)
Leukemia is a group of bone marrow diseases involving an uncontrolled increase in white blood cells (leukocytes. For information about a specific type of leukemia, see the following: Hairy cell leukemia; Chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML; Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL; Acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL; Acute myelogenous leukemia (AML. See also leukemia resources. Reviewer: Mark Levin, MD, Hematologist and Oncologist, Newark, NJ. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.Date: 03/09/2007
Email  |  Save

Lung cancer - small cell (18 Images) (Doctor-Reviewed information)
Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is a fast-growing type of lung cancer. It tends to spread much more quickly than non-small cell lung cancer. There are three different types of small cell lung cancer: Small cell carcinoma (oat cell cancer; Mixed small cell/large cell carcinoma; Combined small cell carcinoma. Most small cell lung cancers are the oat cell type. Reviewer: Rita Nanda, M.D., Department of Medicine, Section of Hematology/Oncology, University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, IL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.Date: 07/31/2006
Email  |  Save

Skin cancer (6 Videos, 15 Images) (Doctor-Reviewed information)
Skin cancer is the uncontrolled growth of skin cells. If left unchecked, these cancer cells can spread from the skin into other tissues and organs. There are different types of skin cancer. Basal cell carcinoma is the most common. Melanoma is less common, but more dangerous. Reviewer: Michael S. Lehrer, M.D., Department of Dermatology, University of Pennsylvania Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.Date: 10/26/2006
Email  |  Save

Prostate cancer (6 Videos, 5 Images, 1 Slideshow) Average Rating: (Doctor-Reviewed information)
Prostate cancer is cancer that grows in prostate gland. The prostate is a small, walnut-sized structure that makes up part of a man's reproductive system. It wraps around the urethra, the tube that carries urine out of the body. Reviewer: Rita Nanda, M.D., Department of Medicine, Section of Hematology/Oncology, University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, IL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.Date: 09/11/2006
Email  |  Save

Cervical cancer (5 Images) (Doctor-Reviewed information)
Cervical cancer is cancer that starts in¿the cervix,¿the¿lower part of the uterus (womb)¿that opens at¿the top of the vagina.¿ Reviewer: Rita Nanda, M.D., Department of Medicine, Section of Hematology/Oncology, University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, IL. Review provided byVeriMed Healthcare Network.Date: 06/09/2006
Email  |  Save

Endometrial cancer (7 Images) (Doctor-Reviewed information)
Endometrial cancer is cancer that starts in the endometrium, the lining of the uterus (womb. Reviewer: Rita Nanda, M.D., Department of Medicine, Section of Hematology/Oncology, University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, IL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.Date: 09/11/2006
Email  |  Save

Colon cancer (7 Videos, 11 Images, 1 Slideshow) (Doctor-Reviewed information)
Colon cancer is cancer that starts in the large intestine (colon) or the rectum (end of the colon. Such cancer is sometimes referred to as "colorectal cancer." Other types of colon cancer such as lymphoma, carcinoid tumors, melanoma, and sarcomas are rare. In this article, use of the term "colon cancer" refers to colon carcinoma and not these rare types of colon cancer. Reviewer: Updated by: A.D.A.M. Editorial Team: Greg Juhn, M.T.P.W., David R. Eltz, Kelli A. Stacy. Previously reviewed by Rita Nanda, M.D., Department of Medicine, Section of Hematology/Oncology, University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, IL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. (October 31, 2006)Date: 03/06/2007
Email  |  Save

Bladder cancer (3 Images) (Doctor-Reviewed information)
Bladder cancer is a malignant tumor within the bladder. In the United States, bladder cancers usually¿start from the cells lining the bladder (transitional cells. These tumors may be classified based on their growth pattern: Papillary tumorshave a wart-like appearance and are attached to a stalk; Nonpapillary tumors are much less common, but they are more invasive and have a poorer prognosis. Reviewer: Rita Nanda, M.D., Department of Medicine, Section of Hematology/Oncology, University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, IL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.Date: 12/01/2005
Email  |  Save

Ovarian cancer (1 Video, 8 Images) (Doctor-Reviewed information)
Ovarian cancer is cancer that starts in the ovaries. The ovaries are the female reproductive organs that produce eggs. Reviewer: Rita Nanda, M.D., Department of Medicine, Section of Hematology/Oncology, University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, IL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.Date: 09/11/2006
Email  |  Save

Esophageal cancer (2 Images) (Doctor-Reviewed information)
Esophageal cancer is a malignant (cancerous) tumor of the esophagus, the muscular tube that transports food from the mouth to the stomach. Reviewer: Rita Nanda, M.D., Department of Medicine, Section of Hematology/Oncology, University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, IL. Review provided byVeriMed Healthcare Network.Date: 05/26/2006
Email  |  Save

Oral cancer (2 Images) (Doctor-Reviewed information)
Oral cancer is cancer of¿the mouth. Reviewer: William Matsui, MD, Assistant Professor of Oncology, Division of Hematologic Malignancies, The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, Baltimore, MD. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.Date: 05/03/2006
Email  |  Save

Pancreatic carcinoma (4 Images, 1 Slideshow) (Doctor-Reviewed information)
Pancreatic carcinoma is cancer of the pancreas. Reviewer: Rita Nanda, M.D., Department of Medicine, Section of Hematology/Oncology, University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, IL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.Date: 09/11/2006
Email  |  Save

Thyroid cancer (4 Images) (Doctor-Reviewed information)
Thyroid cancer is a malignancy (cancerous growth) of the thyroid gland. Reviewer: Rita Nanda, M.D., Department of Medicine, Section of Hematology/Oncology, University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, IL. Review provided byVeriMed Healthcare Network.Date: 05/26/2006
Email  |  Save

Testicular cancer (2 Images) (Doctor-Reviewed information)
Testicular cancer is an abnormal, rapid, and invasive growth of cancerous (malignant) cells in the testicles (male sex glands adjacent to the penis. Reviewer: Rita Nanda, M.D., Department of Medicine, Section of Hematology/Oncology, University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, IL. Review provided byVeriMed Healthcare Network.Date: 05/26/2006
Email  |  Save

Gastric cancer (3 Images, 1 Slideshow) (Doctor-Reviewed information)
Gastric cancers are malignancies of the stomach. Reviewer: Rita Nanda, M.D., Department of Medicine, Section of Hematology/Oncology, University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, IL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.Date: 09/11/2006
Email  |  Save

Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (16 Videos, 2 Images) (Doctor-Reviewed information)
Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma is cancer that starts in the lymphoid tissue. Such tissue makes up the lymph nodes, spleen, and other organs of the immune system. Reviewer: Corey Cutler, MD, MPH, FRCP(C), Assistant Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.Date: 09/11/2006
Email  |  Save

Hepatocellular carcinoma (3 Images) (Doctor-Reviewed information)
Hepatocellular carcinoma is cancer of the liver. Reviewer: Rita Nanda, M.D., Department of Medicine, Section of Hematology/Oncology, University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, IL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.Date: 09/11/2006
Email  |  Save

Cancer - penis (2 Images) (Doctor-Reviewed information)
Cancer of the penis is cancer that starts in the penis, an organ that makes up part of the male reproductive system. Reviewer: Rita Nanda, M.D., Department of Medicine, Section of Hematology/Oncology, University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, IL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.Date: 10/31/2006
Email  |  Save

Vaginal tumors (3 Images) (Doctor-Reviewed information)
A vaginal tumor is an abnormal growth of tissue in the vagina, a female reproductive organ. Reviewer: Rita Nanda, M.D., Department of Medicine, Section of Hematology/Oncology, University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, IL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.Date: 09/11/2006
Email  |  Save

Diet - cancer treatment (Doctor-Reviewed information)
People with cancer need special nutritional planning and management. Reviewer: Cynthia Dennison Haines, MD, family physician specializing in nutrition, fitness, and preventive health, St. John's Mercy Medical Center, St. Louis, MO, and Assistant Clinical Professor, St. Louis University's School of Medicine, Department of Community and Family Medicine.Date: 08/06/2007
Email  |  Save

Cancer - resources (Doctor-Reviewed information)
Reviewer: A.D.A.M. Editorial Team: Greg Juhn, M.T.P.W., David R. Eltz, Kelli A. Stacy.Date: 10/11/2006
Email  |  Save

Cancer treatment information (Doctor-Reviewed information)
Reviewer: Rita Nanda, M.D., Department of Medicine, Section of Hematology/Oncology, University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, IL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.Date: 10/31/2006
Email  |  Save

Cell phones - do they cause cancer? (Doctor-Reviewed information)
Reviewer: Rita Nanda, M.D., Department of Medicine, Section of Hematology/Oncology, University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, IL. Review provided byVeriMed Healthcare Network.Date: 09/25/2006
Email  |  Save

Use Healthline to search the web for more Cancer information.

Health Experts, Healthline's Network of Health Experts

Smoking and Lung Cancer. in Freedom from Smoking - 45 days ago

It is essentially the DNA damage, and the inability of the body to repair that damage, that results in cells starting to divide and multiply in a deviant w... Email  |  Save

The Language of Cancer. in Cancer Treatment and Survivorship - 1 year 266 days ago

A benign tumor is a non-cancerous tumor while a malignant tumor is a cancerous tumor which can invade other tissues and organs. Pathologists are put to tas... Email  |  Save

Lung Cancer. in Freedom from Smoking - 193 days ago

November is lung cancer awareness month aiming to increase awareness of lung cancer, and its causes and to stimulate activities aimed at preventing and tre... Email  |  Save