Cancer is a group of diseases characterized by uncontrolled growth and spread of abnormal cells.
Q: Are all growths or tumors cancerous?
A: No. A tumor can be either benign (noncancerous) or malignant (cancerous). Benign tumors do not metastasize (spread) to other parts of the body and, with very rare exceptions, are not life-threatening.
Q: Who is at risk of developing cancer?
A: Everyone. Anyone can develop cancer, but risk increases with age. About 77 percent of all cancers are diagnosed at 55 and older.
Q: What percentage of people survive cancer?
A: The five-year survival rate for all cancers diagnosed between 1996 and 2004 is 66 percent, up from 50 percent in 1975-1977.
Q: Can cancers be found early?
A: Yes. Regular screenings can help detect cancers of the breast; colon; rectum; cervix; prostate; testis; oral cavity and pharynx; and skin at early stages, when treatment is more likely to be successful.
Q: How is cancer treated?
A: There are four main ways:
• Chemotherapy: Anticancer drugs injected into a vein or taken by mouth.
• Immunotherapy: Also known as biologic therapy, stimulates the cancer patient’s immune system to recognize and attack cancer cells.
• Radiation: High energy rays or particles to destroy cancer cells or slow their rate of growth.
• Surgery: Removes the cancerous tumor by cutting it out.
— Source: American Cancer Society
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9:56 AM, 10/18/2009