What is cancer?

The body is made up of millions and millions of cells. The cell is the building block for everything in the body. The body grows normal cells to replace old or dead cells. Cancer s a disease in which the cells of the body become abnormal and reproduce rapidly to form a tumor.

What is a tumor?

A tumor can invade the body and destroy normal cells. A tumor may grow slow or fast. Over time a tumor may grow into nearby organs and spread to other parts of the body this spread is called “metastasis.” Tumors that are made up of cancer cells are called “malignant tumors.” Tumors that are made up of cells that are not cancerous are called “benign tumors.” Benign tumors do not grow and spread in the same way that malignant tumors do. Benign tumors are not dangerous.

There are more than 100 types of cancer. Cancer can happen in any cell in the body. The place in the body that cancer starts to grow tells you what type of cancer it is.

What causes cancer?

The cause of cancer is not clear. Cancer is not contagious. You cannot get cancer from another person. Here are some factors that may lead to cancer:

• The use of tobacco products.
• Living or working around or near some chemicals.
• Skin damage caused by too much sunlight.
• A family history of cancer.
• The diet and age of the person.

How can cancer be treated?

Depending on the type of cancer the person has, there are different ways to stop or slow down the growth

of cancer. These ways can be used alone or together:

• Surgery can be done to remove or decrease the size of the malignant tumor.
• Radiation or x-rays can be used to kill cancer cells.
• Drugs called “chemotherapy” can be used to kill the cancer cells.