ONCOLOGY
CANCER 101
Covering the Basics.
Nearly 40% of men and women will
be diagnosed with cancer at some
point during their lifetimes. Although
there are more than 100 types
of cancer, they all share certain
basic characteristics.
WHAT IS CANCER?
The term cancer describes diseases
in which cellular changes cause the
uncontrolled growth and division of
cells. Some types of cancer cause
rapid cell growth, while others cause
cells to grow and divide at a slower
rate. Certain forms of cancer result in
visible growths called tumors, while
others, such as leukemia, do not.
Most of the body's cells have specific
functions and fixed lifespans. While it
may sound like a bad thing, cell death
is part of a natural and beneficial
phenomenon called apoptosis. Cancerous
cells lack the components that
instruct them to stop dividing and
to die. As a result, they build up in
the body, using oxygen and nutrients
that would usually nourish other cells.
Cancerous cells can form tumors,
impair the immune system and cause
other changes that prevent the body
from functioning regularly. Cancerous
cells may appear in one area, then
spread via the lymph nodes. These
are clusters of immune cells located
throughout the body.
WHAT CAUSES CANCER?
There are many causes of cancer, and
some are preventable. For example,
over 480,000 people die in the U.S.
each year from smoking cigarettes,
according to data reported in 2014.
In addition to smoking, risk factors for
cancer include:
• heavy alcohol consumption
• excess body weight
• physical inactivity
• poor nutrition
LINKS: www.cancer.org | www.cancer.gov | www.nccn.org/patients
6 COMMUNITY HEALTHCARE DIGEST • APR–JUN 2019 | WWW.CHDIGEST.COM
/www.cancer.org
/www.cancer.gov
/patients
/WWW.CHDIGEST.COM
