What is cancer?

What is cancer?

Cancer is a disorder of cell growth (uncontrolled cell division) that results in an abnormal mass of tissue (tumor) without a purpose. The growth exceeds that of normal tissue, is un-coordinated, and persists after the cause has gone. There are many different types of cancers.

A few definitions

• "Neoplasia" is Greek for "new growth". Not all neoplasms are malignant. In fact, many are not life threatening and are referred to as "benign".
• "Malignant" means "life threatening". Malignancy is often shown by tumor names ending in "carcinoma" or "sarcoma".
• "Cancer" is the Latin word for 'crab' and the name describes the way the cancer adheres to adjacent tissues. Another more descriptive name for cancer is "malignant neoplasia".
• "Tumor" is Latin for a swelling. Tumors may include swellings that are due to non-neoplastic causes.
• Oncology" is the study of neoplasia.