A group of diseases in which abnormal cells grow and divide uncontrollably and can invade surrounding tissues or spread to other parts of the body.
Cancer develops when genetic and cellular changes disrupt normal controls over cell growth, division, survival, and repair. Different cancers arise from different tissues and have distinct biological characteristics, causes, treatments, and outcomes.
Some cancers remain localized, while others can invade nearby tissues or spread through the blood or lymphatic system. Cancer is not a single disease, and its behavior varies considerably between cancer types and even between people with the same cancer.
COMMONLY CONFUSED WITH
- Tumor: an abnormal mass of tissue; tumors can be benign or malignant, and not every cancer forms a solid tumor.
- Malignant: describes a cancerous growth capable of invading tissues and potentially spreading.
- Benign: describes a non-cancerous growth that does not behave like a malignant tumor.
SEE ALSO
