Cancer Health Center

Soft tissue sarcoma is a rare type of cancer that forms in the soft tissues of the body. Soft tissues include the muscle, tendons, fat, lymph, blood vessels, and nerves. Sarcomas can appear anywhere in the body but are usually encountered in the arms, legs, chest, abdomen, head, and neck. Although the condition primarily affects adults, it can rarely affect children.

<p>Anal cancer, cancer located at the end of the large intestine, has symptoms that include anal or rectal bleeding, anal pain or pressure, anal discharge or itching, a change in bowel movements, and/or a lump in the anal region. Treatment for anal cancer may involve radiation, chemotherapy, or surgery and depends upon the stage of the cancer, its location, whether cancer is eradicated after the first treatment, and whether the patient has HIV.</p><p>Anal cancer is usually curable when found localized. Early detection remains the key to long-term survival as it is in many forms of cancer.</p>

A preventative mastectomy is usually recommended for women older than 25 years old. Check out the center below for more medical references on breast cancer, including multimedia (slideshows, images, and quizzes), related disease conditions, treatment and diagnosis, medications, and prevention or wellness.

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) progresses slowly, and patients in the early stages do not require immediate treatment. CLL is treated when the disease is in the intermediate to advanced stages.

The decision to use chemotherapy may vary depending on the aggressiveness, stage and type of cancer. Usually, chemotherapy may be used for all stages in most cancer types. Chemotherapy is a type of medicine or combination of medications that is used to treat or kill cancer cells.

Bile duct cancer (cholangiocarcinoma) is a rare type of cancer that arises from cells that line the drainage system from the liver and gallbladder to the intestine. Symptoms and signs of bile duct cancer include jaundice, itching, weight loss, and abdominal pain. Physical examination, specialized blood tests, and imaging tests may be used to diagnose bile duct cancer. Treatment for bile duct cancer may include chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and photodynamic therapy. Bile duct cancer typically has a poor prognosis. Preventing liver damage may decrease the risk of developing bile duct cancer.

<p>Treatment for bladder cancer depends on the stage of the disease, the grade of the tumor, and the type of bladder cancer. Options for treatment include surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and biological therapy.</p>

Bone cancer is a rare type of <a href="https://www.medicinenet.com/cancer/article.htm" rel="dt" onclick="wmdTrack('embd-lnk');">cancer</a> that occurs in cells that make up the bones. Primary bone <a href="https://www.medicinenet.com/cancer_101_pictures_slideshow/article.htm" rel="slide" onclick="wmdTrack('embd-lnk');">cancer</a> that arises in bone cells is different than metastatic bone <a href="https://www.medicinenet.com/cancer_quiz/quiz.htm" rel="quiz" onclick="wmdTrack('embd-lnk');">cancer</a>, which is cancer that arises in another part of the body and then spreads to the bones. Hereditary and environmental factors likely contribute to the risk of bone cancer. Signs and symptoms of bone cancer may include pain, the presence of a mass or lump, and bone fractures. There are different types of bone cancer (osteosarcoma, chondrosarcoma, Ewing's sarcoma, pleomorphic sarcoma, fibrosarcoma). Treatment for bone cancer may include surgical removal of the <a href="https://www.medicinenet.com/tumor_grade/article.htm" rel="dt" onclick="wmdTrack('embd-lnk');">tumor</a>, <a href="https://www.medicinenet.com/chemotherapy/article.htm" rel="proc" onclick="wmdTrack('embd-lnk');">chemotherapy</a>, radiation, and/or a stem cell transplant. The prognosis for bone cancer depends on the type of cancer and the extent of spread.

Cancers that form from brain tissue are called primary brain tumors. Brain tumors may be malignant (brain cancer) or benign. Certain risk factors, such as working in an oil refinery, as a chemist, or embalmer, increase the likelihood of developing brain cancer. Symptoms include headaches, weakness, seizures, difficulty walking, blurry vision, nausea,vomiting, and changes in speech, memory, or personality. Treatment may involve surgery, radiation therapy, or chemotherapy.

<p>Breast cancer is an invasive tumor that develops in the mammary gland. Breast cancer is detected via mammograms, breast self-examination (BSE), biopsy, and specialized testing on breast cancer tissue. Treatment of breast cancer may involve surgery, radiation, hormone therapy, chemotherapy, and targeted therapy. Breast cancer risk may be lowered by managing controllable risk factors.</p>

Being diagnosed with breast cancer is stressful. Learning relaxation techniques, exercising, eating well, getting adequate sleep, receiving psychotherapy, and maintaining a positive attitude can help you cope. Creating documents, such as an advance directive, living will, and durable power of attorney will outline your wishes in the event that you are no longer able to make decisions regarding your care.

Lymphedema is a common chronic, debilitating condition in which excess fluid called lymph collects in tissues and causes swelling in them. It is common after a mastectomy, lumpectomy or breast cancer surgery and radiation therapy.

Lifestyle changes, a healthy antioxidant-rich diet, exercise, and weight reduction can help reduce a woman's risk of developing breast cancer. It's important to be aware of how risk factors such as family history, lifestyle factors, breast conditions, radiation therapy, and hormonal factors may influence your chances of developing breast cancer. Mammography and breast self-examinations are crucial steps in breast cancer prevention.

Breast cancer most often recurs within the first 3-5 years after the initial treatment. Changes in the look, feel, or appearance of the breast may indicate breast cancer recurrence. Factors related to recurrence include tumor size, tumor grade, hormone receptor status, lymph node involvement, and oncogene expression. Check out the center below for more medical references on breast cancer, including multimedia (slideshows, images, and quizzes), related diseases, treatment, diagnosis, medications, and prevention or wellness.

Learn about breast cancer treatment at stage 4, 3, 2, 1a, and 0. Discover how breast cancer staging determines a patient's course of treatments. Surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, hormone therapy, adjuvant HER2-targeted therapy, and neoadjuvant therapy are standard breast cancer treatments.

There are multiple types of Burkitt lymphoma. Burkitt lymphomas are types of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma that affect the bone marrow and central nervous system. Symptoms of Burkitt lymphoma may include nausea, vomiting, headache, fatigue, enlarged lymph nodes, and many other symptoms. Diagnosis involves lab testing, imaging studies, patient history, and cytogenic evaluation. There are multiple staging systems used to stage Burkitt lymphoma. Treatment consists of chemotherapy. The prognosis tends to be more favorable in children than in adults.

Your immune system is your body's way of fighting off sickness, germs, and infection. Medical research suggests that a strong immune system does protect against cancer.

Your immune system plays a vital role in maintaining your health. Although some cancers are caused by genetic mutations, some other factors like old age and a weakened immune system can also play a significant role in causing the disease.

While blood tests can’t absolutely detect all cancers, certain blood tests can give your doctor an idea of how your organs are functioning and if they have been affected by cancer. </p><p> No blood test can detect colon cancer. However, your doctor may order blood tests to get a picture of your overall health and use other screening methods to look for signs of colon cancer.

While doctors may perform a variety of tests to help diagnose cancer, except for blood cancers, blood tests alone cannot diagnose cancer. However, they can give clues about the health condition of the body.

Leiomyosarcoma (LMS) is a malignant tumor that originates in smooth muscle cells. Leiomyosarcoma (LMS) is not hereditary, which means it does not run in families. However, LMS can be part of many genetic syndromes that can be inherited.

Liver cancer is not detected by blood tests alone. Certain substances present in the blood called the blood markers may be elevated in patients with liver cancer. Raised levels of a tumor marker called alpha fetoprotein (AFP) can indicate diseases of the liver, including liver cancer.

Lymphomas are considered to be a treatable form of cancer if detected early. The overall 5-year survival rate for non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) is 62%, whereas the 5-year survival rate for Hodgkin lymphoma is 92% if detected early.

With early diagnosis and treatment, nasopharyngeal cancer is curable. Check out the center below for more medical references on cancer, including multimedia (slideshows, images, and quizzes), related disease conditions, treatment and diagnosis, medications, and prevention or wellness.

Currently, there is no blood test to confirm the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. A doctor may suggest doing a blood tumor markers test for pancreatic cancer along with routine blood tests and radiological tests to confirm the diagnosis.

Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in men. Due to routine screening of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels in the United States, nearly 90% of prostate cancers get detected in early stages. When found early, there are several treatment options available and prostate cancer has a high chance of getting cured.

Yes. Like any other cancer, prostate cancer is a potential killer. However, this is true of the metastasized prostate cancer that has remained undiagnosed for a long time. The disease is vastly curable when diagnosed early.

Synovial sarcoma can be cured if detected in the early stages. Learn about treatment and survival rates for this rare type of cancer.

Testicular cancer can be aggressive, growing and spreading rapidly. However, testicular cancer is highly treatable even after it spreads. Hence, the prognosis for men with testicular cancer is good because the disease can usually be treated successfully.

In the early stages, thyroid cancer may not show signs or symptoms, but when cancer is in its advanced stage, an unusual lump may form making a person feel sick.

When vulvar cancer is detected and treated early, the cure rate is greater than 90 percent.

White spots on the throat rarely indicate cancer; however, they may be the result of the following medical conditions.

You may not be able to feel the tumor because the mass of stomach cancer develops slowly. However, an abdominal mass related to a stomach tumor is most often felt during a routine physical exam by the doctor.

Yes, it is possible to have a long life with cancer. Though being diagnosed with cancer is still presumed as a death sentence, most cancers are treatable. Millions of people with cancer are living in the United States.

With today's advanced treatment and early detection, breast cancer survivors can live a long and full life after breast cancer treatment.

Cardiac sarcomas are difficult to treat and often fatal. Even after treatment, chances of recurrence and spread to other organs are high.

The average five-year relative survival rate for people with ependymoma is very good at 83 to 84 percent. The survival rate is highest for individuals aged 20 to 44 years (91 percent) and decreases with increasing age on diagnosis (58 percent at age 75 or older).

Once cancer spreads to other parts of the body (metastasis), it is much harder to treat, which means metastatic lung cancer typically has a five-year survival rate of seven percent.

Cancer research has progressed rapidly in the last few years. If a person seeks proper treatment and has no serious co-existing health conditions, there is a good chance to survive stage III throat cancer. The lifespan of individuals with cancer is predicted using a score called five-year survival rate.

Colon cancer is the fourth most common cancer. Noticeable changes to your poop that occur with colon cancer may include blood in the stool, loose stools, hard stools, and narrow stools.

Cancer is a disease caused by an abnormal growth of cells, also called malignancy. It is a group of 100 different diseases, and is not contagious. Cancer can be treated through chemotherapy, a treatment of drugs that destroy cancer cells.

Cancer pain is a common experience that may result from the disease, treatment, or diagnostic procedure. Check out the center below for more medical references on cancer, including multimedia (slideshows, images, and quizzes), related disease conditions, treatment and diagnosis, medications, and prevention or wellness.

Though it's difficult to say why some people develop cancer while others don't, research shows that certain risk factors increase a person's odds of developing cancer. These risk factors include growing older, family history of cancer, diet, alcohol and tobacco use, and exposure to sunlight, ionizing radiation, certain chemicals, and some viruses and bacteria.

Castleman disease is a group of related conditions. It is a rare disease with an unknown prevalence. Castleman disease is caused by an abnormal growth of lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell. There are two types of Castleman disease; 1) unicentric, and 2) multicentric. Castleman disease is diagnosed by biopsy of the suspected lymph nodes. Castleman disease is treated with medications (for example, corticosteroids, chemotherapy drugs, immunodilating drugs, interferon-alfa, and antiviral medications), surgery, and radiation therapy. The life expectancy for a person with Castleman disease is difficult to determine because the condition is rare and takes different forms.

Cervical cancer is cancer of the entrance to the womb (uterus) caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV). Regular pelvic exams, Pap testing, and screening can detect precancerous changes in the cervix. Cervical cancer can be prevented by a vaccine. The most common signs and symptoms are an increase in vaginal discharge, painful sex, and postmenopausal bleeding. The prognosis and survival rate depend upon the stage at which the cancer was diagnosed.

Colon Cancer (Colorectal Cancer) is a malignancy that arises from the inner lining of the colon. Most, if not all, of these cancers, develop from colonic polyps. Removal of these precancerous polyps can prevent colon cancer.

<p>Colorectal cancer is both curable and preventable if it is detected early and completely removed before the cancerous cells metastasize to other parts of the body. Colonoscopy and flexible sigmoidoscopy (along with digital rectal examination and stool occult blood testing) are both effective at preventing colo-rectal cancers and detecting early colo-rectal cancers.</p>

Colon cancer usually does not cause signs or symptoms in the early stages. As the cancer grows, signs may include blood in the stool, bowel habit changes, abdominal pain, and fatigue. Learn about stages and treatment of colon cancer.

Early diagnosis and treatment of cancer increase the chances of recovery and gives a better chance of survival. No single test can accurately diagnose cancer. An accurate diagnosis of cancer and the extent of its spread inside the body usually involves many tests. Blood tests are usually done in all cases of suspected cancer and may also be done routinely in healthy individuals. Not all cancers show up on blood tests. Blood tests can give information about the overall health status, such as thyroid, kidney and liver functions.

Blood tests are often used in combination with other clinical assessments and tests to diagnose pancreatic cancer.

Breast cancer usually does not cause symptoms in the early stages. Constantly feeling sick with nausea or fatigue may be a sign that the cancer has spread.

The 5-year survival rate is a percentage indicating the proportion of people with a particular disease that will be alive after five years. No, it doesn't mean you have five years to live.

Stomach cancer, also known as gastric cancer, develops in the lining of the stomach. Stomach cancer tends to develop slowly over many years.

Penile cancer is a relatively rare type of cancer arising from the skin and tissues of the penis. It affects the skin and tissues of the penis. It occurs when normal cells in the penis become cancerous and grow rapidly out of control, forming a tumor. Penile cancer can spread to other parts of the body.

Colon or colorectal cancer may not cause any symptoms during the early stages of the disease. A person may have polyps or colon cancer but may not have any symptoms till the late stages of the disease.

Esophageal cancer is a disease in which malignant cells form in the esophagus. Risk factors of cancer of the esophagus include smoking, heavy alcohol use, Barrett's esophagus, being male and being over age 60. Severe weight loss, vomiting, hoarseness, coughing up blood, painful swallowing, and pain in the throat or back are symptoms. Treatment depends upon the size, location and staging of the cancer and the health of the patient.

Gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma is cancer at the esophagus-stomach junction. Learn the symptoms, stages & treatment.

Graft versus host disease (GVHD) is a condition that happens when immune cells from transplanted donor tissue attack the recipient's tissues. Signs and symptoms of acute GVHD include <a href="https://www.medicinenet.com/crohns_disease/article.htm" rel="dt" onclick="wmdTrack('embd-lnk');">enteritis</a>, <a href="https://www.medicinenet.com/viral_hepatitis/article.htm" rel="dt" onclick="wmdTrack('embd-lnk');">hepatitis</a>, and <a href="https://www.medicinenet.com/eczema_facts/article.htm" rel="dt" onclick="wmdTrack('embd-lnk');">dermatitis</a>. Chronic GVHD symptoms and signs include <a href="https://www.medicinenet.com/rash/article.htm" rel="dt" onclick="wmdTrack('embd-lnk');">rash</a>, skin discoloration, <a href="https://www.medicinenet.com/dry_mouth/article.htm" rel="dt" onclick="wmdTrack('embd-lnk');">dry mouth</a> or eyes, <a href="https://www.medicinenet.com/image-collection/jaundice_picture/picture.htm" rel="img" onclick="wmdTrack('embd-lnk');">jaundice</a>, <a href="https://www.medicinenet.com/fatigue/article.htm" rel="dt" onclick="wmdTrack('embd-lnk');">fatigue</a>, and <a href="https://www.medicinenet.com/wheezing/symptoms.htm" rel="sym" onclick="wmdTrack('embd-lnk');">wheezing</a>, among others. The standard of GVHD treatment is immunosuppressant medications.

Both Hodgkin's disease (sometimes referred to as Hodgkin's lymphoma) and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma are cancers that originate in a type of white blood cell known as a lymphocyte, an important component of the body's immune system.

While it’s not always possible to prevent peritoneal cancer, certain healthy lifestyle choices can help lower your risk factors, such as quitting smoking and staying active.

About 30% of breast cancers metastasize to nearby blood vessels and lymph nodes, a process called lymphovascular invasion.

Esophageal cancer or cancer of the food pipe is an aggressive cancer. In most cases, esophageal cancer is a treatable disease, although cure rates are low.

Colon cancer can't be seen or felt, it reveals itself through some early symptoms. Colon cancer poop may look like loose stools, constipated stools, or bloody stool.

After considering your medical history and symptoms, your doctor will rule out other causes of back pain before determining if it’s a result of cancer or not.

Prostate cancer is highly treatable in its early stages. Thanks to the increase in cancer screening, cancer is also being diagnosed early.

The diagnosis of esophageal cancer is done by the doctor based on medical history, physical examination, and investigations.

Performing self-examinations of your mouth, tongue, and cheeks is one of the best ways to routinely detect oral cancer.

Although patients may not experience symptoms during the initial stages of cancer, understanding the C.A.U.T.I.O.N. acronym can help spot the early signs.

Vaginal cancer can be ruled out or confirmed through an analysis of your medical history, symptoms, pelvic exam, pap test, and biopsy if necessary.

Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) is a type of treatment for prostate cancer that uses medications or surgery to lower the levels of male hormones or androgens made by the testicles.

Leukemia is a cancer of the white blood cells of the bone marrow. Patients with leukemia have an over-production of a particular blood cell type in the body, the white blood cells (cells that fight infection, and provide immunity).

In its early stages, a pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor may cause no symptoms. However, depending on the type and location of the tumor, symptoms may include the following.

Prostate cancer is cancer of the prostate gland in men. Death from prostate cancer most often happens when cancer cells spread (metastasized) to other organs in the body and affect their ability to function.

Kidney cancer is usually asymptomatic in earlier stages. The tumor is usually found when a patient undergoes medical tests for another reason. A doctor may order the following tests to confirm the diagnosis.

The FDA approved the drug Piqray (alpelisib) for the treatment of PIK3CA mutations associated with advanced breast cancer. Learn about PIK3CA mutation and Piqray drug side effects.

Progressive cachexia is often a sign of a poor prognosis and a relatively shorter survival time.

The five-year survival rate of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) has more than doubled in recent years with 70 percent of patients surviving for more than 5 years.

The International Waldenstrom's Macroglobulinemia Foundation finds that Waldenstrom's Macroglobulinemia survival rate is about 78 percent, with half of the patients living for 14 to 16 years.

Stage IV cancer means the disease has already spread to distant organs. In most patients diagnosed with stage IV ovarian cancer, the 5-year survival rate is approximately 17%.

When diagnosed and treated during the early stages, most people with bone cancer can have long and productive lives. Learn the five-year survival rate, types, and warning signs of bone cancer.

Cancer research has progressed by leaps and bounds in the last few years. Cancer, even advanced stage, does not mean a death stage anymore. Survival in esophageal cancer depends on your overall health, symptoms and stage at the age of diagnosis and existing comorbidities.

Stomach cancer typically starts in the stomach lining and grows slowly over several years without causing noticeable symptoms.

Recovery after a lumpectomy may vary from person to person. It depends on several factors, such as the size of the lump to be removed, type of anesthesia, general health of the patient, and age of the patient. Generally, the healing time varies from a few days to a week.

The survival rate depends on the stage of cancer at diagnosis and other health issues. Overall, 70 to 90 percent of people with localized bladder cancer will live for at least five years or more. The physician calculates this with the help of survival rates. Survival rates indicate the percentage of people who live with a certain type of cancer for a specific time.

Carcinoma is a type of cancer that develops on the skin or cells that cover internal organs. Learn about 6 of the most common types of carcinomas.

Penile cancer typically grows slowly over many years. However, in some cases it can grow more quickly depending on the grade of cancer.

Prostate cancer can take up to eight years to spread from the prostate to other parts of the body (metastasis), typically the bones. In other cases, it may be more aggressive.

Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors account for fewer than two percent of all pancreatic tumors although they have a better outlook than more common types. The most common type of pancreatic tumor is pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

The severity of endometrial cancer is closely associated with the stage of the disease. Check out the center below for more medical references on cancer, including multimedia (slideshows, images, and quizzes), related disease conditions, treatment and diagnosis, medications, and prevention or wellness.

Read about inflammatory breast cancer rash, survival rates, treatment, and diagnosis. Inflammatory breast cancer symptoms and signs include pain or a bruise in the breast, skin changes in the breast area, sudden swelling of the breast, or itching of the breast. Learn more about prognosis, treatments, and diagnosis.

Anal fissures are small tears in the lining of the anus and can form a lump or skin tag. While not cancerous itself, an anal fissure may be formed due to anal cancer.

A gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) is a form of soft tissue sarcoma that begins in the digestive system. Some GISTs develop slowly over time and may never present a problem for a patient, but others grow and spread rapidly.

Mastectomy is a surgical procedure that involves either partial or total removal of breast tissue to treat or prevent breast cancer and reduce the chances of developing breast cancer. Breast reconstruction may be done along with this surgery.

Neuroendocrine tumors, which may be either benign (non-cancerous) or malignant (cancer), may not always be pancreatic cancer, which is always malignant.

An islet cell tumor is also known as a pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor. Check out the center below for more medical references on tumors, including multimedia (slideshows, images, and quizzes), related disease conditions, treatment and diagnosis, medications, and prevention or wellness.

Stage IV cancer is rarely curable. However, not all stage IV cancers are terminal, and survival rates vary depending on the specifics of each case and available treatment options.

Pancreatic cancer is cancer that begins in the tissues of the pancreas, an organ located behind the stomach. Pancreatic cancer occurs when the healthy pancreatic cells grow out of control, forming a tumor.

Cancer is an abnormal growth of cells. A variety of parasites and viruses have been linked to various cancers. Cancer may metastasize, spreading from its original location to other organs. If you have cancer, you should seek medical care immediately if you experience high fever, shortness of breath, intense headaches, vomiting blood or passing blood rectally, chest pain or moderate to severe weakness, passing out (fainting), mental status changes, or seizures.

Chemotherapy is usually the main treatment for pancreatic cancer since it can sometimes shrink or slow the growth of cancer, prolonging one’s lifespan.

Leukemia is the cancer of the white blood cells of the bone marrow (spongy part of long bones). Patients with leukemia have an overproduction of a type of blood white cell in the body. In chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), the bone marrow produces too many immature lymphocytes (a type of white cells).