Cancer (Malignant Tumor) Types, Facts, Survival Rates, Statistics and Information on MedicineNet.com

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Cancer

Pancreatic Cancer Slideshow

Questions to Ask Your Doctor After a Cancer Diagnosis

Medical Author: Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD
Medical Editor: William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR

Learn what questions to ask your doctor when facing a diagnosis of cancer. 1. What type of cancer do I have? How was the diagnosis established? Are there any other diagnostic tests that could provide useful information?

2. What is the extent of spread (stage) of the cancer? To what extent does the stage of the cancer influence treatment?

3. Should I get a second opinion? Can you recommend someone who could provide a second opinion?

4. What are the treatment options? How do you decide among the different options? Are there investigational treatments or clinical trials available for this type of cancer?

5. How much is known about the type of cancer that I have? How common is this cancer and the type of treatment I am to receive? Would I be better off being treated in a more specialized center?

6. What is your experience in treating this type of cancer? What have been the results of this treatment, in your experience?

7. How much time should I take to make a decision about treatment?

8. What is the goal of treatment (for example, to completely eradicate the tumor, to reduce the size of the tumor, to alleviate symptoms)?

9. How often must I receive treatment? How will I feel after treatment? If there will be side effects of treatment, are there any medications that can help prevent or lessen the severity of these? How soon can I return to normal activities after treatment?

Learn other questions to ask when facing a cancer diagnosis »

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Defining cancer

Cancer is a term used for diseases in which abnormal cells divide without control and are able to invade other tissues. Cancer cells can spread to other parts of the body through the blood and lymph systems.

Cancer is not just one disease but many diseases. There are more than 100 different types of cancer. Most cancers are named for the organ or type of cell in which they start -- for example, cancer that begins in the colon is called colon cancer; cancer that begins in basal cells of the skin is called basal cell carcinoma.

Cancer types can be grouped into broader categories. The main categories of cancer include:

Carcinoma - cancer that begins in the skin or in tissues that line or cover internal organs.

Sarcoma - cancer that begins in bone, cartilage, fat, muscle, blood vessels, or other connective or supportive tissue.

Leukemia - cancer that starts in blood-forming tissue such as the bone marrow and causes large numbers of abnormal blood cells to be produced and enter the blood.

Lymphoma and myeloma - cancers that begin in the cells of the immune system.

Central nervous system cancers - cancers that begin in the tissues of the brain and spinal cord.

Origins of cancer

All cancers begin in cells, the body's basic unit of life. To understand cancer, it's helpful to know what happens when normal cells become cancer cells.

The body is made up of many types of cells. These cells grow and divide in a controlled way to produce more cells as they are needed to keep the body healthy. When cells become old or damaged, they die and are replaced with new cells.

However, sometimes this orderly process goes wrong. The genetic material (DNA) of a cell can become damaged or changed, producing mutations that affect normal cell growth and division. When this happens, cells do not die when they should and new cells form when the body does not need them. The extra cells may form a mass of tissue called a tumor.

Not all tumors are cancerous; tumors can be benign or malignant.

Benign tumors aren't cancerous. They can often be removed, and, in most cases, they do not come back. Cells in benign tumors do not spread to other parts of the body.

Malignant tumors are cancerous. Cells in these tumors can invade nearby tissues and spread to other parts of the body. The spread of cancer from one part of the body to another is called metastasis.

Some cancers do not form tumors. For example, leukemia is a cancer of the bone marrow and blood.