Cancer
What is cancer and what causes it?
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.
Is cancer a virus or a disease?
Some viruses and bacteria are linked to certain cancers. For example, people with persistent infection with the hepatitis B virus or the hepatitis C virus have an increased risk of developing cancer of the liver. Another example is the link between the human papillomavirus (HPV) and cervical cancer.
Types
Symptoms
Treatment
Treatment Types
Find out what you need to know about the most common types of cancer treatment, such as surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and many others.
Surgery
Surgery can be used to diagnose, treat, or even help prevent cancer in some cases. Most people with cancer will have some type of surgery. It often offers the greatest chance for cure, especially if the cancer has not spread to other parts of the body.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy (chemo) is the use of medicines or drugs to treat cancer. The thought of having chemotherapy frightens many people. But knowing what chemotherapy is, how it works, and what to expect can often help calm your fears. It can also give you a better sense of control over your cancer treatment
Radiation Therapy
Radiation therapy uses high-energy particles or waves to destroy or damage cancer cells. It is one of the most common treatments for cancer, either by itself or along with other forms of treatment. Learn more about radiation therapy in this sectioncancer.
Targeted Therapy
Targeted therapy is a newer type of cancer treatment that uses drugs or other substances to more precisely identify and attack cancer cells, usually while doing little damage to normal cells. Targeted therapy is a growing part of many cancer treatment regimens.
Hyperthermia
The idea of using heat to treat cancer has been around for some time, but early attempts had mixed results. Today, newer tools allow more precise delivery of heat, and hyperthermia is being studied for use against many types of cancer.
Photodynamic Therapy
Photodynamic therapy or PDT is a treatment that uses special drugs, called photosensitizing agents, along with light to kill cancer cells. The drugs only work after they have been activated or "turned on" by certain kinds of light.
Lasers in Cancer Treatment
Lasers, which are very powerful, precise beams of light, can be used instead of blades (scalpels) for very careful surgical work, including treating some cancers
Blood Product Donation and Transfusion
Transfusions of blood and blood products temporarily replace parts of the blood when a person's body can't make its own or has lost them from bleeding. Here, we describe blood and its components and why they are important.
Immunotherapy
Immunotherapy is treatment that uses your body's own immune system to help fight cancer
Preventation
How many cancers could be prevented?
In the UK, more than 1 in 2 people will develop cancer at some point in their lives. Every year, more than 331,000 people are diagnosed with the disease. But experts estimate that more than 4 in 10 cancer cases could be prevented by lifestyle changes, such as:
- not smoking
- keeping a healthy bodyweight
- cutting back on alcohol
- eating a healthy, balanced diet
- keeping active
- avoiding certain infections (such as HPV)
- enjoying the sun safely
- occupation (avoiding cancer risks in the workplace)
Surveys of the population have shown that people aren’t necessarily aware that all of these things are linked to cancer. For example, the Cancer Research UK funded Perceptions of Risk Survey in 2008 found that only 3% of the people polled knew that being overweight or obese could increase their risk of cancer.
