Cancer is a disease in which some of the body's cells grow uncontrollably and spread to other parts of the body. If it is not destroyed or removed, cancer can spread very rapidly, and eventually lead to death.
Your body constantly produces new cells. Normal cells follow a typical cycle: They grow, divide and die. Cancer cells, on the other hand, don't follow this cycle. Instead of dying, they multiply and continue to reproduce other abnormal cells. These cells can invade body parts, such as the breast, liver, lungs and pancreas. They may also flow through your blood and lymphatic system and spread to other parts of the body.
No. Since cancer is not caused by a germ, it is not "catching", and cannot be transmitted from one person to another.
There are three primary ways tumors can spread to distant organs : Through the circulatory (blood) system (hematogenous) Through the lymphatic system. Through the body wall into the abdominal and chest cavities (transcoelomic).
There is no definite rate of growth of cancer tissue. Some cancers grow fast and some are slow growing. For example it takes 2 to 5 years for breast cancer to develop to 1 cm. This is the window period of screening when cancer can be picked up early.
Lump or area of thickening that can be felt under the skin. Weight changes, including unintended loss or gain. Skin changes, such as yellowing, darkening or redness of the skin, sores that won't heal, or changes to existing moles. Changes in bowel or bladder habits.
Some types of cancer can run in families. For example, your risks of developing certain types of breast cancer, bowel cancer or ovarian cancer are higher if you have close relatives who developed the condition.
Approximately 39.5% of men and women will be diagnosed with cancer at some point during their lifetimes (based on 2015-2017 data). In 2020, an estimated 16,850 children and adolescents ages 0 to 19 will be diagnosed with cancer and 1,730 will die of the disease.
