Cancer basics

Cancer is defined as a disease in which some of the body’s cells grow uncontrollably and spread to other parts of the body.

Sometimes, the normal and orderly process of human cell growth breaks down, and abnormal or damaged cells grow and multiply when they shouldn’t. These cells may form tumors, which are lumps of tissue, and tumors can be cancerous (malignant) or not cancerous (benign).

  • Cancerous tumors spread into or invade nearby tissues and can travel to distant places in the body to form new tumors (a process called metastasis). Even when removed, these tumors sometimes grow back.
  • Benign tumors do not spread into or invade nearby tissue, and usually don’t grow back when removed. Benign tumors can sometimes be quite large, however, and some can cause serious symptoms or be life-threatening, such as benign tumors in the brain.

 

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Cancer Care Options

There are many types of cancer treatment, but the type of treatment that you have will depend on the type of cancer you have, how advanced it is, and how your treating physician decides to treat your cancer.

Some people with cancer will have only one treatment. However, most people have a combination of treatments, such as surgery with chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy. Clinical trials might also be an option for you. Clinical trials are a type of research that looks at new ways to prevent, detect, or treat disease and may offer treatment options that all eligible patients should be aware of. Doctors rely on these studies to ensure that medical treatments work for all people.  Understanding what they are and how they work can help you decide if taking part in a trial is a good option for you. Visit the Basics of Clinical Trials in the next topic section to learn more. 

To see a more complete list of the different types of cancer treatment visit: https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/types