Dictionary

cancer, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma See lymphoma, non-Hodgkin’s.

cancer, oral A malignant tumor of the mouth area. A sore in the mouth that does not heal can be a warning sign of oral cancer. A biopsy is the only way to determine whether an abnormal area in the oral cavity is cancerous. Oral cancer is almost always caused by tobacco (smoking and chewing)…

cancer, ovarian A malignant tumor of the ovary, the egg sac in a female. Women who have a family history of ovarian cancer are at an increased risk of developing ovarian cancer. Hereditary ovarian cancer makes up a small percentage of all cases of ovarian cancer. Three hereditary patterns have been identified: ovarian cancer alone,…

cancer, pancreatic A malignant tumor of the pancreas. Pancreatic cancer has been called a “silent” disease because early pancreatic cancer usually does not cause symptoms. If the tumor blocks the common bile duct, and bile cannot pass into the digestive system, the skin and whites of the eyes may become yellow (jaundiced), and the urine…

cancer, penis A malignant tumor in which cancer cells develop in the tissues of the penis. It is rare in the US. A physician should be consulted for growths or sores on the penis, any unusual discharge from the penis, or bleeding. If warranted, a biopsy is performed. If cancer is found, more tests are…

cancer, prostate A malignant tumor of the prostate, the gland that produces some of the components of semen. Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of death of males in the US. It is often first detected as a hard nodule found during a routine rectal examination. The PSA blood test is a screening test…

cancer, rectal A malignant tumor arising from the inner wall of the end of the large intestine (rectum). In the US, it is the third leading cause of cancer in males and the fourth in females. Risk factors include heredity, colon polyps, and long-standing ulcerative colitis. Most rectal cancers develop from polyps in the colon….

cancer, renal cell A malignant tumor that develops in the lining of the kidney tubules that filter the blood and produce urine. Also known as renal cell carcinoma and renal adenocarcinoma. See also cancer, kidney.

cancer, skin A malignant tumor of the outer surface of the body. Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the US. There are many types of skin cancer; the three most common types are basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and the most deadly, melanoma. The main cause of skin cancer is ultraviolet light…

cancer, stomach See cancer, gastric.

cancer, testicular A malignant tumor of the male sex organ (testicle) that normally produces the hormone testosterone. It is one of the most common cancers in young men. Most testicular cancers are found by men themselves, as lumps in the testicles. The risk of testicular cancer is increased in males whose testicles did not move…

cancer, thyroid A malignant tumor of the gland in front of the neck that normally produces thyroid hormone, which is important to the normal regulation of the metabolism in the body. There are four major types of cancer of the thyroid gland: papillary, follicular, medullary, and anaplastic. Persons who received radiation to the head or…