Cancer Control Month - April
The number of new
cases of cancer in the United States is increasing each year. People of all ages
get cancer, but nearly all types are more common in middle-aged and elderly
people than in young people. Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer for
both men and women. The next most common type among men is prostate cancer;
among women, it is breast cancer. Lung cancer, however, is the leading cause of
death from cancer for both men and women in the United States. Brain cancer and
leukemia are the most common
cancers in children and young adults.
The more we can learn about what causes cancer, the more
likely we are to find ways to prevent it. Scientists study patterns of cancer in
the population to look for factors that affect the risk of developing this
disease. In the laboratory, they explore possible causes of cancer and try to
determine what actually happens when normal cells become cancerous.
For in-depth and up-to-date information about cancer, cancer
causes, and cancer prevention, please see the following MedicineNet.com areas:
Last Editorial Review: 4/9/2004