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Cancer |
| Cancer is a term for diseases in which abnormal cells divide without control and can invade other tissues. Cancer cells can spread to other parts of the body through the blood and lymph systems. Often cancer has no specific symptoms. According to the Centers for Disease Control, cancer is the second leading cause of death in White, Black, and Hispanic males and females, and the leading cause of death in Asian/Pacific Islanders. The cancers that are most common in women are breast, lung, colon, endometrial (uterine), ovarian, cervical, and skin cancers. In men, skin, prostate, lung, and colon cancers occur most often. Cancer in childhood rarely occurs, and cancer deaths in children have declined in recent years. However, the American Cancer Society estimates that 10,730 new cases of cancer will occur in children ages 0-14 in 2008. One-third of the estimated 1,490 cancer deaths in children in 2008 will occur as a result of leukemia. Early detection is typically the most effective way to treat cancer effectively. Two-thirds of cancer patients survive for at least five years after diagnosis, but the survival rate varies greatly by type of cancer and the stage at diagnosis. In recent years, there have been great strides in detecting cancer at earlier stages and improvements in treatment and primary prevention. In fact, the first vaccine to prevent several types of the Human Papillomavirus (HPV), the leading cause of cervical cancer, received FDA approval in June 2006. PreventionTreatmentTypes |
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