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A
Acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) is a cancer of the blood in which too many lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell, are produced by the bone marrow and by organs of the lymph system.
Acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) is a cancer of the blood usually in which too many granulocytes, a type of white blood cell, are produced in the bone marrow.
B
Biliary cirrhosis is a rare form of liver cirrhosis, caused by disease or defects of the bile ducts.
Bladder cancer occurs when there are abnormal, cancerous cells growing in the bladder. According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), 70,530 cases of bladder cancer will be diagnosed in the U.S. in 2010.
Breast cancer is a cancer that starts in the tissues of the breast. There are several types of breast cancer, including ductal carcinoma, lobular carcinoma, Paget's disease and inflammatory breast cancer.
C
If abnormal cells on the surface of the cervix spread deeper into the cervix, or to other tissues or organs, the disease is then called cervical cancer, or invasive cervical cancer. Cervical cancer occurs most often in women younger than the age of 55.
Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is a cancer of the blood in which too many lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell, are produced by the bone marrow and by organs of the lymph system.
Chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) is a cancer of the blood in which too many granulocytes, a type of white blood cell, build up in the bone marrow.
Colorectal cancer is malignant cells found in the colon or rectum. The colon and the rectum are parts of the large intestine, which is part of the digestive system.
E
Esophageal cancer is cancer that develops in the esophagus, the muscular tube that connects the throat to the stomach.
H
Hodgkin disease causes the cells in the lymphatic system to abnormally reproduce, eventually making the body less able to fight infection. Hodgkin disease cells can also spread to other organs.
K
Most cancers are named after the part of the body where the cancer first begins, and kidney cancer is no exception. Kidney cancer begins in the kidneys -- two large, bean-shaped organs -- one located to the left, and the other to the right of the backbone.
L
Laryngeal cancer includes cancerous cells found in any part of the larynx--the glottis, the supraglottis, or the subglottis.
When cells in the liver become abnormal, grow out of control, and form a cancerous tumor, the disease is called primary liver cancer. Primary liver cancer is also called malignant hepatoma or hepatocellular carcinoma.
Lung cancer is the most common type of cancer in both men and women in this country. According to the American Cancer Society, almost 220,000 people are diagnosed with it each year. It is the leading cause of cancer death.
M
Melanoma is a disease of the skin in which cancer cells are found in the melanocytes, the cells that produce color in the skin or pigment known as melanin. Melanoma usually occurs in adults, but it may occasionally be found in children and adolescents.
Merkel cell cancer is also known as neuroendocrine cancer of the skin, or trabecular cancer. Characterized by firm, shiny skin lumps, this rare cancer develops on or just beneath the skin and in the hair follicles.
Myeloma cells collect in the bone marrow and the outer layer of the bone. Because the cells begin in the blood plasma, myeloma is not a bone cancer, but is cancer that affects bones.
N
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) is a cancer in the lymphatic system. Non-Hodgkin lymphoma causes the cells in the lymphatic system to abnormally reproduce, eventually causing tumors to grow. Non-Hodgkin lymphoma cells can also spread to other organs.
O
Oral cancer is cancer found in the oral cavity (the mouth area) and the oropharynx (the throat area at the back of the mouth). Oral cancer is estimated to be diagnosed in almost 36,720 US adults in 2009, according to the American Cancer Society.
Ovarian cancer is a disease in which malignant cells are found in an ovary. There are three types of ovarian tumors, named for the tissue in which they are found: epithelial cell, germ cell and stromal cell.
P
Pancreatic cancer is the fourth most common cause of cancer death in men and women in the U.S. According to the American Cancer Society, 43,140 new cases of pancreatic cancer and 36,800 deaths were expected in 2010.
Although rare, most pituitary tumors are noncancerous (benign). However, because of the location of the pituitary gland, at the base of the skull, many pituitary tumors will press against the optic nerves, causing vision problems.
There are usually no specific signs or symptoms of early prostate cancer. A prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test and digital rectal exam (DRE) can provide the best chance of identifying prostate cancer in its earliest stages, but these tests can have drawbacks.
S
Squamous cell skin cancer (sometimes referred to as a type of non-melanoma skin cancer) may appear as nodules, or as red, scaly patches of skin. They often appear on sun-exposed parts of the body.
Stomach cancer, also known as gastric cancer, is cancer that starts in any part of the stomach. The exact cause of stomach cancer is not known, although there are many risk factors believed to contribute to cells in the stomach becoming cancerous.
T
Cancer that develops in a testicle is called testicular cancer. The American Cancer Society estimates that in the year 2010 about 8,480 new cases of testicular cancer will be diagnosed in the United States. An estimated 350 men will die of testicular cancer in the year 2010.
U
Cancers that occur in each part of the uterus have their own names, such as cervical cancer or endometrial cancer, but are sometimes broadly defined as uterine cancer because the structure is part of the uterus.
V
Cancer of the vagina, a rare kind of cancer in women, is a disease in which malignant cells are found in the tissues of the vagina. According to the American Cancer Society, about 2,300 cases of vaginal cancer will be diagnosed in the U.S. in 2010.
Vulvar cancer is a malignancy that can occur on any part of the external organs, but most often affects the labia majora or labia minora. Cancer of the vulva is a rare disease, which accounts for 0.6 percent of all cancers in women, and may form slowly over many years.
