Understanding Cancer What is Cancer Cancer is a

Understanding Cancer

What is Cancer? � Cancer is a group of more than 100 diseases that develop over time › Involve the uncontrolled division of the body’s cells � Cancer the US is the 2 nd leading cause of death in

What is Cancer? � More than 2, 300 years ago, Hippocrates observed that the veins off of some breast tumors looked like limbs of a crab so the Latin word for crab was eventually used for all tumors

What is Cancer? � Tumor: mass of cells › May remain within the tissue in which it originated (in situ or benign cancer) › May begin to invade nearby tissues (invasive or malignant cancer) › Cells can move through the blood or lymph system and create tumors elsewhere in the body (metastatic cancer)

What is Cancer? � Stages of tumor development: › › › Mutation Hyperplasia Dysplasia In situ cancer (benign tumor) Invasive cancer (malignant cancer) Cells can move through the blood or lymph system and create tumors elsewhere in the body (metastatic cancer)

What is Cancer? � The type of cancer depends on it’s location � Each type of cancer has its own growth rate, prognosis, and treatability

How Likely are You to get Cancer? � Lifetime Risk › The probability that you will develop cancer › Men have a one in two lifetime risk › Women have a one in three lifetime risk � Relative Risk › Your individual risk based on genetics and risk factors

Surviving Cancer � Incidence Rate: › The number of new cases per 100, 000 people � Mortality Rate: › The number of deaths per 100, 000 people per year � Survival Rate: › The proportion of patients alive at a given point after their diagnosis of cancer �The chance of surviving cancer increases with earlier detection and treatment

Cancer in Children � Cancer in children is relatively rare; only 14. 1 cases per 100, 000 children under the age of 15 � However, after accidents, Cancer is the second leading cause of childhood death in the US. � Leukemias and cancers of the brain and nervous system account for more than ½ the cancers among children.

Preventing Cancer � Levels of cancer prevention › Individual behavior changes is critical › Health care providers – provide both counseling and screening › National level – government regulations to minimize public exposure to known carcinogens › International level – actions of developed countries can effect the incidence of cancer worldwide

Lung Cancer

Liver Cancer

Mouth and face Cancer

Intestinal Cancer

Skin Cancer

Ovarian Cancer

Thyroid Cancer