Skin Cancer

Kidney Cancer

The kidneys are a pair of organs at the back of the abdomen that filter the blood to remove waste products which they convert into urine. This urine is carried from the kidneys to the bladder by tubes called the ureters.

When the bladder is full the urine then passes out of the body through a tube called the urethra. The urethra opens immediately in front of the vagina in women and at the tip of the penis in men.

Colorectal Cancer

Colorectal cancer includes cancers of both the large intestine (colon), the lower part of your digestive system, and the rectum, the last 8 to 10 inches of the colon.

Most colon and rectal cancers begin as small, noncancerous (benign) clumps of cells called adenomatous polyps. Over time some of these polyps become cancerous.

Polyps may be small and produce few, if any, symptoms, so it's important to get regular screening tests to help prevent colorectal cancer. If signs and symptoms of cancer do appear, they may include a change in bowel habits, blood in your stool, persistent cramping, gas or abdominal pain.

Colorectal cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States. Only lung cancer claims more lives. Each year, more than 135,000 Americans are diagnosed with colorectal cancer and 56,000 die.

Still, there's good news about colorectal cancer. Screening tests, along with a few simple changes in your diet and lifestyle, can dramatically reduce your overall risk of developing the disease.

Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer in women living in England and Wales. It is also the most common cause of cancer-related death in women, around 11,500 women died from breast cancer in England and Wales in 2002.

1 in 9 women and 1 in 300 men will have breast cancer at some time in their life. Breast cancer accounts for nearly one third of all cancers in women. There are 41,000 new cases of breast cancer each year.

Cancer of the breast becomes more common with age, with approximately 80% of breast cancers occurring in women over the age of 50.

The breasts contain lobes and ducts, which connect the lobes to the nipple. In breast cancer the cells in part of the breast grow in a chaotic way. Instead of growing and dividing in a regular, ordered way, they become out of control. If the cancer is not treated, the cells can spread within the breast or even break off and travel to other parts of the body.

If the cancer cells have not spread at all, not even into the surrounding breast tissue, this is called non-invasive breast cancer.

Depending on whether the cancer cells develop in the ducts or lobules of the breast, these cancers are called ductal carcinomas in situ (DCIS) or lobular carcinomas in situ (LCIS). If the cancer cells have spread into the surrounding breast tissue, this is called invasive breast cancer and this is what is usually meant when people talk about breast cancer. Invasive breast cancer can be of different stages depending on how big the cancer is, if it has spread to the lymph glands in the armpit or if it has spread further within the body.

Brain Cancer

Adult brain tumor is a disease in which cancer (malignant) cells begin to grow in the tissues of the brain. Your brain controls memory and learning, senses (hearing, sight, smell, taste, and touch), and emotion. It also controls other parts of the body, including muscles, organs, and blood vessels.

This PDQ statement covers tumors that start in the brain (primary brain tumors). Often cancer found in the brain has started somewhere else in the body and has spread (metastasized) to the brain. This is called brain metastasis (see the PDQ patient information statement on brain metastasis).

Like most cancer, adult brain tumor is best treated when it is found (diagnosed) early. You should see your doctor if you have headaches often, vomiting, or difficulty walking or speaking.

If you have symptoms, your doctor may order a computed tomographic scan, a special x-ray that uses a computer to make a picture of your brain. A magnetic resonance imaging scan, which uses magnetic waves to make a picture of your brain, may also be done. Often surgery is required to determine if you have a brain tumor and to see what type of tumor you have.

Your chance of recovery (prognosis) and choice of treatment depend on your general state of health and the type of brain tumor you have.

Main Sturctures and Functions of the Brain

Bone Cancer

The human body is made up of over 200 bones of different shapes and sizes. Bones have living cells (called osteocytes) bound together by a hard, calcium-like material. This makes the bone strong and rigid. The bones are hollow and filled with a spongy material called marrow, which produces the blood cells.

The joints of the bones are covered in cartilage – a tough, flexible material, rather like gristle. As cartilage is more elastic than bone it allows the bones to move freely at the joints. It also cushions the bones at the joints to stop them rubbing against each other.The bones have several important functions. The skeleton gives the body rigid support and the joints act as levers so that the body can move. The bones also protect organs in the body: for example, the ribcage protects the heart and lungs. They also store some of the body’s essential minerals, especially calcium.

What is Bladder Cancer?

Bladder cancer is cancer of the sac that collects and holds urine until it exits your body. It's the fourth most frequently diagnosed cancer in men and the 10th most frequently diagnosed cancer in women. Most people who develop the disease are older adults — less than 1 percent of cases occur in people younger than 40.

Smoking is the greatest single risk factor for bladder cancer. Exposure to certain toxic chemicals and drugs also makes it more likely you'll develop the disease. Although some of these risk factors can be controlled, the incidence of bladder cancer hasn't decreased significantly in recent years. Even so, increased understanding of the disease means the outlook for people with this type of cancer is brighter now than in the past.

If the cancer is detected early — before it has moved beyond the lining of your bladder — you have a better chance of a successful treatment with minimal side effects. Treating bladder cancer that has spread is more difficult and involves more extensive procedures. But several new approaches can offer a better quality of life. In addition, researchers are studying ways to help prevent the disease in the first place.

Anal Cancer