Cancer Info

Cancer Types

2008-12-29T09:29:00.003+07:00

Adrenal Cancer
Bile Duct Cancer
Also see Extrahepatic Bile Duct Cancer
Bladder Cancer
Bone Cancer
Brain Cancer
Breast Cancer
Cervical Cancer
Colon Cancer
Also see Colorectal Cancer
Esophageal Cancer
Gallbladder Cancer
Gastric Cancer
Head & Neck Cancer
Hodgkin's Disease
Also see Lymphoma
Intestinal Cancer
Kidney Cancer
Laryngeal Cancer
Leukemia
Also see ALL, AML, CLL
Liver Cancer
Lung Cancer
Also see Small Cell, Non-Small Cell
Lymphoma
Also see B-Cell Lymphoma
Melanoma
Mesothelioma
Multiple Myeloma
Oral Cancer
Ovarian Cancer
Pancreatic Cancer
Pharyngeal Cancer
Prostate Cancer
Rectal Cancer
Also see Rectum Cancer
Skin Cancer
Also see Basal Cell, Squamous Cell
Stomach Cancer
Testicular Cancer
Throat Cancer
Thyroid Cancer
Uterine Cancer
Vaginal Cancer
Vulvar Cancer
Other Cancer

Cancer

2008-12-16T17:57:00.001+07:00

Cancer (medical term: malignant neoplasm) is a class of diseases in which a group of cells display uncontrolled growth (division beyond the normal limits), invasion (intrusion on and destruction of adjacent tissues), and sometimes metastasis (spread to other locations in the body via lymph or blood). These three malignant properties of cancers differentiate them from benign tumors, which are self-limited, do not invade or metastasize. Most cancers form a tumor but some, like leukemia, do not. The branch of medicine concerned with the study, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of cancer is oncology.

When normal cells are damaged beyond repair, they are eliminated by apoptosis (A). Cancer cells avoid apoptosis and continue to multiply in an unregulated manner (B).

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Cancer

2008-11-29T21:32:00.000+07:00

Cancer may affect people at all ages, even fetuses, but the risk for most varieties increases with age.[1] Cancer causes about 13% of all deaths.[2] According to the American Cancer Society, 7.6 million people died from cancer in the world during 2007.[3] Cancers can affect all animals.

Nearly all cancers are caused by abnormalities in the genetic material of the transformed cells. These abnormalities may be due to the effects of carcinogens, such as tobacco smoke, radiation, chemicals, or infectious agents. Other cancer-promoting genetic abnormalities may be randomly acquired through errors in DNA replication, or are inherited, and thus present in all cells from birth. The heritability of cancers are usually affected by complex interactions between carcinogens and the host's genome. New aspects of the genetics of cancer pathogenesis, such as DNA methylation, and microRNAs are increasingly recognized as important.

Genetic abnormalities found in cancer typically affect two general classes of genes. Cancer-promoting oncogenes are typically activated in cancer cells, giving those cells new properties, such as hyperactive growth and division, protection against programmed cell death, loss of respect for normal tissue boundaries, and the ability to become established in diverse tissue environments. Tumor suppressor genes are then inactivated in cancer cells, resulting in the loss of normal functions in those cells, such as accurate DNA replication, control over the cell cycle, orientation and adhesion within tissues, and interaction with protective cells of the immune system.

Diagnosis usually requires the histologic examination of a tissue biopsy specimen by a pathologist, although the initial indication of malignancy can be symptoms or radiographic imaging abnormalities. Most cancers can be treated and some cured, depending on the specific type, location, and stage. Once diagnosed, cancer is usually treated with a combination of surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. As research develops, treatments are becoming more specific for different varieties of cancer. There has been significant progress in the development of targeted therapy drugs that act specifically on detectable molecular abnormalities in certain tumors, and which minimize damage to normal cells. The prognosis of cancer patients is most influenced by the type of cancer, as well as the stage, or extent of the disease. In addition, histologic grading and the presence of specific molecular markers can also be useful in establishing prognosis, as well as in determining individual treatments.

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When normal cells are damaged beyond repair, they are eliminated by apoptosis (A). Cancer cells avoid apoptosis and continue to multiply in an unregulated manner (B).

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia