Group items tagged

Over time

die. Unlike these

cancer cells just continue to grow

where they keep growing and

they're

and divide out of control and

don't die when

supposed to

normal cells

Sometimes cancer cells break away from the original tumor and

travel to other areas of the body,

can go on to form new tumors. This is how cancer spreads. The

spread of a tumor to a new place in the body is called metastasis

You can't catch it from someone else who has it — cancer isn't caused by germs,

unhealthy habits, especially cigarette smoking or drinking too much alcohol every day, can make you a lot more likely to get cancer when you become an adult

The sooner cancer is found and treatment begins, the better someone's chances are for a full recovery and cure.

Cancer is treated with surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation — or sometimes a combination of these treatments. The choice of treatment depends on:

Cancer is actually a group of many related diseases that all have to do with cells. Cells are the very small units that make up all living things, including the human body. There are billions of cells in each person's body

Surgery is the oldest form of treatment for cancer

Chemotherapy (say: kee-mo-ther-uh-pee) is the use of anti-cancer medicines (drugs) to treat cancer

Radiation (say: ray-dee-ay-shun) therapy uses high-energy waves, such as X-rays (invisible waves that can pass through most parts of the body), to damage and destroy cancer cells