Neuro Oncololgy Cancer (Brain and Spinal)
More than 40,000 Americans are diagnosed with brain tumors each year, making them the second most common type of cancer. Spinal cord tumors are less common, with about 10,000 cases in the United States every year. Brain cancer begins in the tissue inside the skull, while spinal cancer is found along the bony part of the spinal column.
Head and Neck Cancer
Head and neck cancer are commonly found in the mouth, throat, larynx or “Adam’s apple” or voice box, and the salivary glands, which produce saliva. Head cancer attacks the nasal cavities, which are located just behind the nose, and the sinuses, which produce mucous. About 5 percent of all cancers diagnosed in the United States affect the head and neck.
Thoracic Cancer (Lung)
The most common form of cancer found in Europe and the United States is thoracic, or lung, cancer. The rapid growth and division of the cells in the lungs causes lung cancer. Lung cancer can also spread to other areas of the body, including the heart, liver, bones, and brain.
Breast Cancer
Approximately 200,000 American women, or 1 in every 8, are diagnosed each year with breast cancer. Those most at risk are women over 40 years of age. Breast cancer results when there is abnormal cell growth in the breast. This abnormality can appear as a lump or a swelling in the breast. The abnormal cells, or malignancies, in the breast tissue in time can metastasize, or spread, to other areas of the body.
Gastro-Upper Intestinal/Colorectal Cancer
Every year 150,000 Americans are diagnosed with colorectal cancer. Like the stomach, the colon and rectum are part of the body’s digestive system. Located near the abdomen between the small intestine and the anus, the colon and rectum make up the large intestine, or bowel. Because the two organs are so closely situated, these forms of cancer are often diagnosed and treated as one.
Urologic Cancer (Includes Prostate Cancer)
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer affecting American men. Approximately 230,000 men, or one in six, develop prostate cancer every year. The risk of developing this cancer increases with age and it is thus more common in men over age of 60.
A variety of others forms of cancer affect the female urinary and the male reproductive systems, such as bladder and kidney cancer and cancer of the penis, testicles, and urethra.
Gynecologic Cancer
Gynecologic cancers affect the the female reproductive system, including the cervix, uterus, ovaries, fallopian tubes, and vagina. Annual statistics for American women vary depending on the type of cancer.
Like all malignancies, gynecologic cancers are treated in three ways: surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy.
Hemotologic Cancer (Blood, Leukemia)
Hemotologic cancers affect the blood. The most common form of this cancer is leukemia, which is a disorder of the blood cells. When progressing in the blood stream, leukemia causes a rise or decline in the number of blood cells. Although the total number of blood cells may be higher in a person with leukemia due to the overproduction of cancerous cells, there are fewer healthier blood cells present. The disease, in turn, reduces the overall production of normal blood cells in the body.
Dermatologic Cancer (Skin)
Skin cancer affects about 700,000 Americans. This cancer is usually found in the outer layers of the skin.
Melanoma occurs when malignant cells invade the cells that color the skin. The cancer can be found in the arms and the legs, in the area between the shoulders and the hips, or in moles. Melanoma is different from other forms of skin cancer. The main difference is that melanoma can metastasize, or spread, to other parts of the body.