CANCER

Cancer is the common term for a group of more than 100 diseases in which cells in one location of the body start growing the wrong way.  All cancer has the common characteristic of abnormal cells growing out of control.

The body is full of normal cells that typically die off and get replaced.  Cancer cells differ in that instead of dying, these cells continue growing and adding more abnormal cells.  Cancer cells also have the ability to invade other cells and organs and this is what makes cancer so serious and even deadly.

The type of cancer that an individual has is determined by the location where the cancer started.  Cancer in the lungs can still be called breast cancer because that is where it started.  Metastasis is the process of cancer spreading to other parts of the body.  This happens when cancer cells get into either the blood stream or the lymph vessels.

Here is your health hotline to get the care you need when you need it:  1-800-227-2345

Here is a list of resources to help you learn more about cancer and get the help you need:

American Cancer Society – Nonprofit dedicated to educating and supporting those with cancer.