What is the exact definition of cancer?

The Definition of Cancer Cancer is a disease in which some of the body’s cells grow uncontrollably and spread to other parts of the body. Cancer can start almost anywhere in the human body, which is made up of trillions of cells.

What is cancer in simple words?

Cancer is the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells in the body. Cancer develops when the body’s normal control mechanism stops working. Old cells do not die and instead grow out of control, forming new, abnormal cells. These extra cells may form a mass of tissue, called a tumor.

What is the most accurate definition of cancer?

Cancer: An abnormal growth of cells which tend to proliferate in an uncontrolled way and, in some cases, to metastasize (spread). Cancer is not one disease. It is a group of more than 100 different and distinctive diseases. Cancer can involve any tissue of the body and have many different forms in each body area.

What does the Latin word for cancer mean?

The Latin word cancer, meaning “crab,” was also given as a name to several diseases. One of the diseases was the abnormal, spreading mass of tissue we call a tumor.

Which is not cancer?

A benign tumor is not a malignant tumor, which is cancer. It does not invade nearby tissue or spread to other parts of the body the way cancer can. In most cases, the outlook with benign tumors is very good. But benign tumors can be serious if they press on vital structures such as blood vessels or nerves.

Why do healthy people get cancer?

The main reasons are genetics and certain environmental or behavioral triggers. The tendency to develop some types of cancer is believed to be inherited — that is, the genes you were born with might carry a predisposition for cancer.

What is the 7 warning signs of cancer?

Signs of Cancer

• Change in bowel or bladder habits.
• A sore that does not heal.
• Unusual bleeding or discharge.
• Thickening or lump in the breast or elsewhere.
• Indigestion or difficulty in swallowing.
• Obvious change in a wart or mole.
• Nagging cough or hoarseness.

How do you treat cancer?

Cancer treatment options include:

1. Surgery. The goal of surgery is to remove the cancer or as much of the cancer as possible.
2. Chemotherapy. Chemotherapy uses drugs to kill cancer cells.
3. Radiation therapy.
4. Bone marrow transplant.
5. Immunotherapy.
6. Hormone therapy.
7. Targeted drug therapy.
8. Cryoablation.

Which is not a cancer?

Benign, or noncancerous, tumors do not spread to other parts of the body, and do not create new tumors. Malignant, or cancerous, tumors crowd out healthy cells, interfere with body functions, and draw nutrients from body tissues.

Do we all have cancer cells?

No, we don’t all have cancer cells in our bodies. Our bodies are constantly producing new cells, some of which have the potential to become cancerous. At any given moment, we may be producing cells that have damaged DNA, but that doesn’t mean they’re destined to become cancer.

Why do they call cancer cancer?

Origin of the word cancer In Greek, these words refer to a crab, most likely applied to the disease because the finger-like spreading projections from a cancer called to mind the shape of a crab. The Roman physician, Celsus (28-50 BC), later translated the Greek term into cancer, the Latin word for crab.

How do cancers spread?

When cancer spreads, it’s called metastasis. In metastasis, cancer cells break away from where they first formed, travel through the blood or lymph system, and form new tumors in other parts of the body. Cancer can spread to almost anywhere in the body. But it commonly moves into your bones, liver, or lungs.

What is the definition of cancer in medical terms?

Cancer refers to any one of a large number of diseases characterized by the development of abnormal cells that divide uncontrollably and have the ability to infiltrate and destroy normal body tissue.

Who was president when the National Cancer Act was passed?

October 18, 1971 —President Nixon converted the Army’s former biological warfare facilities at Fort Detrick, Maryland, to house research activities on the causes, treatment, and prevention of cancer. December 23, 1971 —President Nixon signed the National Cancer Act of 1971.

What does NCI Dictionary of Cancer Terms mean?

NCI Dictionary of Cancer Terms. A rare, genetic disorder marked by a lack of tissue connecting the left and right halves of the brain, seizures, lesions on the back of the eye (retina), and other brain and eye abnormalities. Other problems may include unusual facial features, defects of the hands, spine, and ribs,…

What is the abbreviation for National Cancer Institute?

National Cancer Institute at the National Institutes of Health. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. National Institutes of Health. National Cancer Institute. USA.gov.