Webster's New World Medical Dictionary

cancer, bladder
See 
bladder cancer.
cancer, bone
See 
bone cancer.
cancer, brain
See 
brain cancer.
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cancer, brain
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cancer, breast
See 
breast cancer.
cancer, breast, familial
See 
breast cancer,
familial.
cancer, breast, susceptibility gene
See 
breast
cancer susceptibility gene.
cancer, causes
Causes of cancer. In most indi-
vidual cases, the exact cause of cancer is unknown.
It’s likely that each case represents an interplay of
several factors, which may include increased
genetic susceptibility; environmental insults, such as
chemical exposure or smoking cigarettes; lifestyle
factors, including diet; and damage caused by infec-
tious disease. Although they are not causes per se, a
number of factors—including gender, race, age,
and the health of the patient’s immune system—can
influence the development of cancer. When com-
mon causes for a type of cancer are discovered, this
information can be very helpful in prevention and
sometimes in treatment. For example, the link
between overexposure to the sun and skin cancer is
well known, and individuals can easily reduce their
risk of skin cancer by avoiding sun tanning and sun-
burns. Alcohol is associated with an increased risk
of cancer of the esophagus, mouth, pharynx, larynx,
liver, breast, rectum, and pancreas.
cancer, cervical
A malignant tumor of the cervix,
the lowest part of the uterus, which forms a canal
that opens into the vagina. Regular pelvic exams and
Pap tests are of great importance and can detect
precancerous changes in the cervix. The most com-
mon symptom is abnormal bleeding. Cancer of the
cervix can be diagnosed by using a Pap test or other
procedures that sample the cervix tissue.
Precancerous changes in the cervix may be treated
with cryosurgery, cauterization, or laser surgery.
Women who begin having sexual intercourse before
age 18 and have many sexual partners are at
increased risk. Furthermore, women whose part-
ners begin having sexual intercourse at a young age
and have many sexual partners, especially one who
had cervical cancer, are at increased risk. The
human papillomavirus (HPV) is a sexually transmit-
ted virus that is a known cause of cervical cancer.
Other risk factors include exposure before birth to
the drug diethylstilbestrol (DES), smoking, and
immunodeficiency. See also 
Pap test.
cancer, colon
A malignant tumor arising from
the inner wall of the large intestine (the colon). In
the US, colon cancer is the third leading type of can-
cer in males and the fourth in females. Risk factors
for cancer of the colon and rectum (colorectal can-
cer) include colon polyps, long-standing ulcerative
colitis, and genetic family history. Most colorectal can-
cers develop from polyps. Removal of colon polyps
can prevent colorectal cancer. Colon polyps and early
colon cancer can have no symptoms. Therefore, reg-
ular screening is important, starting at age 50 (or ear-
lier, if added risk factors are present). Diagnosis can
be made by barium enema or by colonoscopy, with
biopsy confirmation of cancer tissue. Surgery is the
most common treatment for colorectal cancer.