Cancer

Cancer

Cancer is a large group of diseases with one thing in common: They happen when normal cells become cancerous cells that multiply and spread. Your genes send instructions to your cells — like when to start and stop growing, for example. Normal cells follow these instructions, but cancer cells ignore them.

Cancer is the second most common cause of death in the U.S. But few people  are dying of cancer now than 20 years ago. Early detection and innovative treatments are curing cancer and helping people with cancer live longer.

Types of cancer

There are over 100 types of cancer. Healthcare providers categorize them according to where they start in your body and the type of tissue they affect. There are three broad cancer classifications:

  • Solid cancers: This is the most common type of cancer, making up about 80% to 90% of all cases. This includes carcinoma that forms in epithelial tissue (like your skin, breast, colon and lungs) and sarcoma that forms in bone and connective tissues.
  • Blood cancers: These are cancers that start in your blood cells or lymphatic system. Examples include leukemia, lymphoma and multiple myeloma.
  • Mixed: Cancers that involve two classifications or subtypes. Examples include carcinosarcoma and adenosquamous carcinoma.

The most common cancers in the U.S. are:

  • Breast cancer.
  • Lung cancer.
  • Prostate cancer.
  • Colorectal cancer.
  • Blood cancers.

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