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