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Cancer begins in your cells, which are the building blocks of your body. Normally, your body
forms new cells as you need them, replacing old cells that die. Sometimes this process goes
wrong. New cells grow even when you don't need them, and old cells don't die when they
should. These extra cells can form a mass called a tumor. Tumors can be benign or malignant.
Benign tumors aren't cancer while malignant ones are. Cells from malignant tumors can invade
nearby tissues. They can also break away and spread to other parts of the body.
Cancer is not just one disease but many diseases. There are more than 100 different types of
cancer. Most cancers are named for where they start. For example, lung cancer starts in the lung,
and breast cancer starts in the breast. The spread of cancer from one part of the body to another is
called metastasis. Symptoms and treatment depend on the cancer type and how advanced it is.
Most treatment plans may include surgery, radiation and/or chemotherapy. Some may involve
hormone therapy, biologic therapy, or stem cell transplantation.
NIH: National Cancer Institute
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What Is Cancer?
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Angiogenesis Inhibitors
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(National Cancer
(National Cancer
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Specifics
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Genetics
Annual Report to the Nation on the Status of Cancer, 1975-2010: Questions and Answers
(National Cancer Institute)
Cancer Data and Statistics Tools (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
Cancer Statistics
NIH Study Offers Insight into Why Cancer Incidence Increases with Age
Institute of Environmental Health Sciences)
Technologies Enhance Tumor Surgery: Helping Surgeons Spot and Remove Cancer
(National Institutes of Health)
Clinical Trials
ClinicalTrials.gov: Carcinoma
ClinicalTrials.gov: Neoplasms
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Also in Spanish
(National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
(National Cancer Institute) Also in
Children
Men
Cancer and Men (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) Also in Spanish
Women
Reducing Your Risk of Cancer (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists) PDF
Seniors
Patient Handouts