Cancer

Also called: Carcinoma, Malignancy, Neoplasms, Tumor
Cancer begins in your cells, which are the building blocks of your body. Normally, your body forms new cells as you need them, replacing old cells that die. Sometimes this process goes wrong. New cells grow even when you don't need them, and old cells don't die when they should. These extra cells can form a mass called a tumor. Tumors can be benign or malignant. Benign tumors aren't cancer while malignant ones are. Cells from malignant tumors can invade nearby tissues. They can also break away and spread to other parts of the body.
Most cancers are named for where they start. For example, lung cancer starts in the lung, and breast cancer starts in the breast. The spread of cancer from one part of the body to another is called metastasis. Symptoms and treatment depend on the cancer type and how advanced it is. Treatment plans may include surgery, radiation and/or chemotherapy.
National Cancer Institute
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Cancer: Questions and Answers(National Cancer Institute)
Also available in Spanish
Inside Cancer(Dolan DNA Learning Center)
What You Need to Know about Cancer: An Overview(National Cancer Institute)

Liver Cancer

Also called: Hepatocellular carcinoma
Your liver is the largest organ inside your body. It filters harmful substances from the blood, digests fats from food and stores the sugar that your body uses for energy. Primary liver cancer starts in the liver. Metastatic liver cancer starts somewhere else and spreads to your liver.
Risk factors for primary liver cancer include
Having hepatitis
Having cirrhosis, or scarring of liver
Being male
Low weight at birth
Symptoms can include a lump or pain on the right side of your abdomen and yellowing of the skin. However, you may not have symptoms and the cancer may not be found until it is advanced. This makes it harder to treat. Treatment options include surgery, radiation, chemotherapy or liver transplantation.
National Cancer Institute
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What Is Liver Cancer?(American Cancer Society)
Also available in Spanish
What You Need to Know about Liver Cancer(National Cancer Institute)

Kidney Cancer

Also called: Hypernephroma, Renal adenocarcinoma, Renal cell cancer
You have two kidneys. They are fist-sized organs on either side of your backbone above your waist. The tubes inside filter and clean your blood, taking out waste products and making urine. Kidney cancer forms in the lining of tiny tubes inside your kidneys. It happens most often in people over 40. Risk factors include smoking, having certain genetic conditions and misusing pain medicines for a long time.
Often, kidney cancer doesn't have early symptoms. However, see your health care provider if you notice
Blood in your urine
A lump in your abdomen
Unexplained weight loss
Pain in your side
Loss of appetite
Treatment depends on your age, your overall health and how advanced the cancer is. It might include surgery, radiation, chemotherapy or biologic therapy. Biologic therapy boosts your body's own ability to fight cancer.
National Cancer Institute
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What Is Kidney Cancer (Renal Cell Carcinoma)?(American Cancer Society)
Also available in Spanish
What You Need to Know about Kidney Cancer(National Cancer Institute)

Brain Cancer

Also called: Glioma, Meningioma
There are two main types of brain cancer. Primary brain cancer starts in the brain. Metastatic brain cancer starts somewhere else in the body and moves to the brain. Brain tumors can be benign, with no cancer cells, or malignant, with cancer cells that grow quickly.
Brain tumors can cause many symptoms. Some of the most common are
Headaches, usually worse in the morning
Nausea and vomiting
Changes in your ability to talk, hear or see
Problems with balance or walking
Problems with thinking or memory
Muscle jerking or twitching
Numbness or tingling in arms or legs
No one knows the exact causes of brain tumors. Doctors can seldom explain why one person develops a brain tumor and another does not.
National Cancer Institute
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Brain Cancer(Patient Education Institute)
Also available in Spanish
What You Need to Know about Brain Tumors(National Cancer Institute)

Eye Cancer

Cancer of the eye is uncommon. It can affect the outer parts of the eye, such as the eyelid, which are made up of muscles, skin and nerves. If the cancer starts inside the eyeball it's called intraocular cancer. The most common intraocular cancers in adults are melanoma and lymphoma. The most common eye cancer in children is retinoblastoma, which starts in the cells of the retina. Cancer can also spread to the eye from other parts of the body.
Treatment for eye cancer varies by the type and by how advanced it is. It may include surgery, radiation therapy, freezing or heat therapy, or laser therapy.
Start Here
Detailed Guide: Eye Cancer(American Cancer Society)
Intraocular (Eye) Melanoma (PDQ): Treatment(National Cancer Institute)
Also available in Spanish
Retinoblastoma (PDQ): Treatment(National Cancer Institute)
Also available in Spanish

Leukemia, Adult Chronic

Also called: CLL, CML
Leukemia is cancer of the white blood cells. White blood cells help your body fight infection. Your blood cells form in your bone marrow. In leukemia, however, the bone marrow produces abnormal white blood cells. These cells crowd out the healthy blood cells, making it hard for blood to do its work.
Leukemia can develop quickly or slowly. Acute leukemia develops quickly. Chronic leukemia develops slowly. It usually occurs during or after middle age. At first, the abnormal cells still function. Eventually, however, the disease gets worse. It might cause
Infections
Fever
Weight loss
Swollen lymph nodes
Tiredness
You can often control chronic leukemia, but it is hard to cure. You might not need immediate treatment if you don't have symptoms. Treatments may include chemotherapy, radiation, biological therapy, surgery or stem cell transplantation.
National Cancer Institute
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Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (PDQ): Treatment(National Cancer Institute)
Also available in Spanish
Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia (PDQ): Treatment(National Cancer Institute)
Also available in Spanish
Leukemia(Patient Education Institute)
Also available in Spanish

Gallbladder Cancer

Your gallbladder is a pear-shaped organ under your liver. It stores bile, a fluid made by your liver to digest fat. As your stomach and intestines digest food, your gallbladder releases bile through a tube called the common bile duct. The duct connects your gallbladder and liver to your small intestine.
Cancer of the gallbladder is rare. It is more common in women and Native Americans. Symptoms include
Jaundice (yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes)
Pain above the stomach
Fever
Nausea and vomiting
Bloating
Lumps in the abdomen
It is hard to diagnose gallbladder cancer in its early stages. Sometimes doctors find it when they remove the gallbladder for another reason. But people with gallstones rarely have gallbladder cancer. Because it is often found late, it can be hard to treat gallbladder cancer. Treatment options include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation or a combination.
National Cancer Institute
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Gallbladder Cancer (PDQ): Treatment(National Cancer Institute)
Also available in Spanish

Infection Control

Every year, many lives are lost because of the spread of infections in hospitals. Health care workers can take steps to prevent the spread of infectious diseases. These steps are part of infection control.
Proper hand washing is the most effective way to prevent the spread of infections in hospitals. If you are a patient, don't be afraid to remind friends, family and health care providers to wash their hands before getting close to you.
Other steps health care workers can take include
Covering coughs and sneezes
Staying up-to-date with immunizations
Using gloves, masks and protective clothing
Making tissues and hand cleaners available
Following hospital guidelines when dealing with blood or contaminated items

Dengue

Also called: Break-bone fever, Dengue fever
Dengue is an infectious disease caused by a virus. You can get it if an infected mosquito bites you. It is common in warm, wet areas of the world. Outbreaks occur in the rainy season. Dengue is rare in the United States.
Symptoms include a high fever, headaches, joint and muscle pain, vomiting and a rash. Most people with dengue recover within 2 weeks. Until then, drinking lots of fluids, resting and taking non-aspirin fever-reducing medicines might help. Sometimes dengue turns into dengue hemorrhagic fever, which causes bleeding from your nose, gums or under your skin. It can also become dengue shock syndrome, which causes massive bleeding and shock. These forms of dengue are life-threatening.
To lower your risk when traveling in dengue-prone countries
Wear insect repellent with DEET
Wear clothes that cover your arms, legs and feet
Close unscreened doors and windows
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
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Dengue Fever(National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases)

Hepatitis

Also called: Viral hepatitis
Your liver helps your body digest food, store energy and remove poisons. Hepatitis is a swelling of the liver that makes it stop working well. It can lead to scarring, called cirrhosis, or to cancer.
Viruses cause most cases of hepatitis. The type of hepatitis is named for the virus that causes it; for example, hepatitis A, hepatitis B or hepatitis C. Drug or alcohol use can also lead to hepatitis. In other cases, your body mistakenly attacks its own tissues. You can help prevent some viral forms by getting a vaccine. Sometimes hepatitis goes away by itself. If it does not, it can be treated with drugs. Sometimes hepatitis lasts a lifetime.
Some people who have hepatitis have no symptoms. Others may have
Loss of appetite
Nausea and vomiting
Diarrhea
Dark-colored urine and pale bowel movements
Stomach pain
Jaundice, yellowing of skin and eyes
Start Here
Viral Hepatitis(National Women's Health Information Center)
Viral Hepatitis: A through E and Beyond(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)

Hepatitis A

Also called: HAV
Hepatitis A is one type of hepatitis - a liver disease - caused by the hepatitis A virus (HAV). The disease is spread primarily through food or water contaminated by stool from an infected person. You can get HAV from
Eating food prepared by someone with HAV who did not wash their hands after using the bathroom
Having anal/oral sex with someone with HAV
Not washing your hands after changing a diaper
Drinking contaminated water
HAV can cause swelling of the liver, but it rarely causes lasting damage. You may feel as if you have the flu, or you may have no symptoms at all. It usually gets better on its own after several weeks.
The hepatitis A vaccine can prevent HAV. Healthy habits also make a difference. Wash your hands thoroughly before preparing food, after using the toilet or after changing a diaper. International travelers should be careful about drinking tap water.
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
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Hepatitis A(American Academy of Family Physicians)
Also available in Spanish
JAMA Patient Page: Hepatitis A Virus(American Medical Association)
Also available in Spanish
What I Need to Know about Hepatitis A(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)
Also available in Spanish

Hepatitis B

Also called: HBV
Hepatitis B is one type of hepatitis – a liver disease- caused by the hepatitis B virus (HBV). Hepatitis B spreads by contact with an infected person's blood, semen or other body fluid. An infected woman can give hepatitis B to her baby at birth.
If you get HBV, you may feel as if you have the flu, or you may have no symptoms at all. A blood test can tell if you have it. HBV usually gets better on its own after a few months. If it does not get better, it is called chronic HBV, which lasts a lifetime. Chronic HBV can lead to scarring of the liver, liver failure or liver cancer.
There is a vaccine for HBV. It requires three shots. All babies should get the vaccine, but older children and adults can get it too. If you travel to countries where Hepatitis B is common, you should get the vaccine.
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
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Hepatitis B(Patient Education Institute)
Also available in Spanish
What I Need to Know about Hepatitis B(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)
Also available in Spanish

Hepatitis C

Also called: HCV
Hepatitis C is one type of hepatitis - a liver disease - caused by the hepatitis C virus (HCV). It usually spreads through contact with infected blood. It can also spread through sex with an infected person and from mother to baby during childbirth.
Most people who are infected with hepatitis C don't have any symptoms for years. A blood test can tell if you have it. Usually, hepatitis C does not get better by itself. The infection can last a lifetime and may lead to scarring of the liver or liver cancer. Medicines sometimes help, but side effects can be a problem. Serious cases may need a liver transplant.
There is no vaccine for HCV.
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
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Hepatitis C(Patient Education Institute)
Also available in Spanish
Hepatitis C(National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases)
What I Need to Know about Hepatitis C(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)
Also available in Spanish

Fungal Infections

Also called: Mycoses
If you have ever had athlete's foot or a yeast infection, you can blame a fungus. A fungus is actually a primitive vegetable. Mushrooms, mold and mildew are examples. Fungi live in air, in soil, on plants and in water. Some live in the human body. Only about half of all types of fungi are harmful.
Some fungi reproduce through tiny spores in the air. You can inhale the spores or they can land on you. As a result, fungal infections often start in the lungs or on the skin. You are more likely to get a fungal infection if you have a weakened immune system or take antibiotics.
Fungi can be difficult to kill. For skin and nail infections, you can apply medicine directly to the infected area. Oral antifungal medicines are also available for serious infections.
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
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Understanding Microbes in Sickness and in Health(National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases) - Large PDF file

Flu

Also called: Grippe, Influenza
Flu is a respiratory infection caused by a number of viruses. The viruses pass through the air and enter your body through your nose or mouth. Between 5% and 20% of people in the U.S. get the flu each year. The flu can be serious or even deadly for elderly people, newborn babies and people with certain chronic illnesses.
Symptoms of the flu come on suddenly and are worse than those of the common cold. They may include
Body or muscle aches
Chills
Cough
Fever
Headache
Sore throat
Is it a cold or the flu? Colds rarely cause a fever or headaches. Flu almost never causes an upset stomach. And "stomach flu" isn't really flu at all, but gastroenteritis.
The main way to keep from getting the flu is to get a yearly flu vaccine. If you get the flu, your health care provider may prescribe medicine to help your body fight the infection and lessen symptoms.
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
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Flu (Influenza)(National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases)
Influenza(Patient Education Institute)
Also available in Spanish
Key Facts about Seasonal Influenza (Flu)(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

Sexually Transmitted Diseases

Also called: Sexually transmitted infections, STDs, Venereal disease
Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are infections that you can get from having sex with someone who has the infection. The causes of STDs are bacteria, parasites and viruses. There are more than 20 types of STDs, including
Chlamydia
Gonorrhea
Herpes Simplex
HIV/AIDS
HPV
Syphilis
Trichomoniasis
Most STDs affect both men and women, but in many cases the health problems they cause can be more severe for women. If a pregnant woman has an STD, it can cause serious health problems for the baby.
If you have an STD caused by bacteria or parasites, your health care provider can treat it with antibiotics or other medicines. If you have an STD caused by a virus, there is no cure. Sometimes medicines can keep the disease under control. Correct usage of latex condoms greatly reduces, but does not completely eliminate, the risk of catching or spreading STDs.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Sexually Transmitted Diseases(Patient Education Institute)
Also available in Spanish
STDs Today(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
STIs: Common Symptoms & Tips on Prevention(American Academy of Family Physicians)
Also available in Spanish

Common Cold

Sneezing, sore throat, a stuffy nose, coughing - everyone knows the symptoms of the common cold. It is probably the most common illness. In the course of a year, people in the United States suffer 1 billion colds.
You can get a cold by touching your eyes or nose after you touch surfaces with cold germs on them. You can also inhale the germs. Symptoms usually begin 2 or 3 days after infection and last 2 to 14 days. Washing your hands and staying away from people with colds will help you avoid colds.
There is no cure for the common cold. For relief, try
Getting plenty of rest
Drinking fluids
Gargling with warm salt water
Using cough drops or throat sprays - but not cough medicine for children under four
Taking over-the-counter pain or cold medicines - but not aspirin for children
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
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Cold and Flu Guidelines: The Common Cold(American Lung Association)
Colds and the Flu(American Academy of Family Physicians)
Also available in Spanish
Common Cold(National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases)

Yeast Infections

Also called: Candidiasis, Moniliasis
Candida is the scientific name for yeast. It is a fungus that lives almost everywhere, including in your body. Usually, your immune system keeps yeast under control. If you are sick or taking antibiotics, it can multiply and cause an infection.
Yeast infections affect different parts of the body in different ways:
Thrush is a yeast infection that causes white patches in your mouth
Esophagitis is thrush that spreads to your esophagus, the tube that takes food from your mouth to your stomach. Esophagitis can make it hard or painful to swallow
Women can get vaginal yeast infections, causing itchiness, pain and discharge
Yeast infections of the skin cause itching and rashes
Yeast infections in your bloodstream can be life-threatening
Antifungal medicines eliminate yeast infections in most people. If you have a weak immune system, treatment might be more difficult.
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Yeast Infection (Candidiasis)(Logical Images)

Bacterial Infections

Bacteria are living things that have only one cell. Under a microscope, they look like balls, rods or spirals. They are so small that a line of 1,000 could fit across a pencil eraser. Most bacteria won't hurt you - less than 1 percent makes people sick. Many are helpful. Some bacteria help to digest food, destroy disease-causing cells and give the body needed vitamins. Bacteria are also used in making healthy foods like yogurt and cheese.
But infectious bacteria can make you ill. They reproduce quickly in your body. Many give off chemicals called toxins, which can damage tissue and make you sick. Examples of bacteria that cause infections include Streptococcus, Staphylococcus, and E. coli.
Antibiotics are the usual treatment. When you take antibiotics, follow the directions carefully. Each time you take antibiotics, you increase the chances that bacteria in your body will learn to resist them. Later, you could get or spread an infection that those antibiotics cannot cure.
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
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Understanding Microbes in Sickness and in Health(National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases) - Large PDF file

Botulism

Botulism is a rare but serious illness caused by a bacterium called Clostridium botulinum, which occurs in soil. It produces a toxin that affects your nerves. There are three kinds of botulism. Foodborne botulism comes from eating foods contaminated with the toxin. Wounds infected with toxin-producing bacteria result in wound botulism. Infant botulism is caused by consuming the spores of the bacteria, usually from honey. All three forms can be deadly and are medical emergencies.
Symptoms include double vision, blurred vision, drooping eyelids, slurred speech, difficulty swallowing, dry mouth and muscle weakness. Treatment may include antitoxins, intensive medical care or surgery of infected wounds.
To prevent botulism:
Be very careful when canning foods at home
Do not let babies eat honey
Get prompt medical care for infected wounds
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Foodborne Diseases: Botulism(National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases)

Bird Flu

Also called: Avian flu, Avian influenza, H5N1
Birds, just like people, get the flu. Bird flu viruses infect birds, including chickens, other poultry and wild birds such as ducks. Most bird flu viruses can only infect other birds. However, bird flu can pose health risks to people. The first case of a bird flu virus infecting a person directly, H5N1, was in Hong Kong in 1997. Since then, the bird flu virus has spread to birds in countries in Asia, Africa and Europe.
Human infection is still very rare, but the virus that causes the infection in birds might change, or mutate, to more easily infect humans. This could lead to a pandemic, or a worldwide outbreak of the illness.
During an outbreak of bird flu, people who have contact with infected birds can become sick. It may also be possible to catch bird flu by eating poultry that is not well cooked or through contact with a person who has it. Bird flu can make people very sick or even cause death. There is currently no vaccine.
Start Here
Avian Influenza(Patient Education Institute)
Also available in Spanish
Pandemic Flu(Dept. of Health and Human Services)

Anthrax

Anthrax is a disease caused by Bacillus anthracis, a microbe that lives in soil. Many people know about it from the 2001 bioterror attacks. In the attacks, someone purposely spread anthrax through the U.S. mail. This killed five people and made 22 sick.
Anthrax affects farm animals more often than people. But it can cause three forms of disease in people. They are:
Cutaneous, which affects the skin. People with cuts or open sores can get it if they touch the bacteria.
Inhalation, which affects the lungs. You can get this if you breathe in spores of the bacteria.
Gastrointestinal, which affects the digestive system. You can get it by eating infected meat.
Antibiotics often cure anthrax if it is diagnosed early. But many people don't know they have anthrax until it is too late to treat. A vaccine to prevent anthrax is available for people in the military and others at high risk.
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
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Anthrax(Patient Education Institute)
Also available in Spanish
Anthrax(National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases)
Questions and Answers about Anthrax(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

Animal Diseases and Your Health

Also called: Zoonoses
Animal diseases that people can catch are called zoonoses. About 75 percent of the new diseases affecting humans in the past decade can be traced to animals or animal products. You can get a disease directly from an animal, or indirectly, through the environment.
Farm animals can carry diseases. If you touch them or things they have touched, like fencing or buckets, wash your hands thoroughly. Adults should make sure children who visit farms or petting zoos wash up as well.
Pets can also make you sick. Reptiles pose a particular risk. Turtles, snakes and iguanas can transmit Salmonella" />bacteria to their owners. You can get rabies from an infected dog or toxoplasmosis from handling kitty litter of an infected cat. The chance that your dog or cat will make you sick is small. You can reduce the risk by practicing good personal hygiene, keeping pet areas clean and keeping your pets' shots up-to-date.
Start Here
Healthy Pets Healthy People: Browse by Disease(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
Keeping Pets (and People) Healthy(Food and Drug Administration)
Pets and Your Health(Nemours Foundation)

Immunization

Also called: Vaccination
Shots may hurt a little... but the diseases they can prevent can hurt a lot more! Immunization shots, or vaccinations, are essential. They protect against things like measles, mumps, rubella, hepatitis B, polio, diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (whooping cough). Immunizations are important for adults as well as for children. Here's why.
Your immune system helps your body fight germs by producing substances to combat them. Once it does, the immune system "remembers" the germ and can fight it again. Vaccines contain germs that have been killed or weakened. When given to a healthy person, the vaccine triggers the immune system to respond and thus build immunity.
Before vaccines, people became immune only by actually getting a disease and surviving it. Immunizations are an easier and less risky way to become immune.
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
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What Is a Vaccine?(National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases)
What Vaccines Do You Need?(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

Viral Infections

Viruses are capsules with genetic material inside. They are very tiny, much smaller than bacteria. Viruses cause familiar infectious diseases such as the common cold, flu and warts. They also cause severe illnesses such as AIDS, smallpox and hemorrhagic fevers.
Viruses are like hijackers. They invade living, normal cells and use those cells to multiply and produce other viruses like themselves. This eventually kills the cells, which can make you sick.
Viral infections are hard to treat because viruses live inside your body's cells. They are "protected" from medicines, which usually move through your bloodstream. Antibiotics do not work for viral infections. There are a few antiviral medicines available. Vaccines can help prevent you from getting many viral diseases.
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
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Understanding Microbes in Sickness and in Health(National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases) - Large PDF file

AIDS

Also called: Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, HIV, Human immunodeficiency virus
AIDS stands for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. It is the most advanced stages of infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). HIV is a virus that kills or damages cells of the body's immune system.
HIV most often spreads through unprotected sex with an infected person. AIDS may also spread by sharing drug needles or through contact with the blood of an infected person. Women can give it to their babies during pregnancy or childbirth.
The first signs of HIV infection may be swollen glands and flu-like symptoms. These may come and go a month or two after infection. Severe symptoms may not appear until months or years later.
A blood test can tell if you have HIV infection. Your health care provider can perform the test, or call the National AIDS hotline for a referral at (800) 342-AIDS (1-800-342-2437). There is no cure, but there are many medicines to fight both HIV infection and the infections and cancers that come with it. People can live with the disease for many years.
Start Here
HIV / AIDS(National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases)
HIV and AIDS(Patient Education Institute)
Also available in Spanish
JAMA Patient Page: HIV Infection: The Basics(American Medical Association)
Also available in Spanish

Childhood Brain Tumors

Brain tumors are growths inside your skull. They are among the most common types of childhood cancers. Some are benign tumors, which aren't cancer. They can still be serious. Malignant tumors are cancerous.
Symptoms of a brain tumor might include
Headache
Vomiting and nausea
Personality changes
Depression
Trouble controlling muscles
Seizures
Vision or speech problems
Treatment for children is sometimes different than for an adult. Long-term side effects are an important issue. The options also depend on the type of tumor and where it is. Removal of the tumor is often possible. If not, radiation, chemotherapy or both may be used.
Start Here
Childhood Brain Tumors (PDQ): Treatment(National Cancer Institute)
Also available in Spanish
Detailed Guide: Brain/CNS (Spinal Cord) Tumors in Children(American Cancer Society)

Cervical Cancer

The cervix is the lower part of the uterus, the place where a baby grows during pregnancy. Cervical cancer is caused by several types of a virus called human papillomaviruses (HPV). The virus spreads through sexual contact. Most women's bodies are able to fight HPV infection. But sometimes the virus leads to cancer. You're at higher risk if you smoke, have many children, use birth control pills for a long time, or have HIV infection.
Cervical cancer may not cause any symptoms at first, but later, you may have pelvic pain or bleeding from the vagina. It usually takes several years for normal cells in the cervix to turn into cancer cells. Your health care provider can find abnormal cells by doing a Pap test - examining cells from the cervix under a microscope. By getting regular Pap tests and pelvic exams you can find and treat changing cells before they turn into cancer.
A vaccine for girls and young women protects against the four types of HPV that cause most cervical cancers.
National Cancer Institute
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Cervical Cancer Risk: Understanding the Puzzle(National Cancer Institute)
What You Need to Know about Cancer of the Cervix(National Cancer Institute)

Skin Cancer

Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States. The two most common types are basal cell cancer and squamous cell cancer. They usually form on the head, face, neck, hands and arms. Another type of skin cancer, melanoma, is more dangerous but less common.
Anyone can get skin cancer, but it is more common in people who
Spend a lot of time in the sun or have been sunburned
Have light-colored skin, hair and eyes
Have a family member with skin cancer
Are over age 50
You should have your doctor check any suspicious skin markings and any changes in the way your skin looks. Treatment is more likely to work well when cancer is found early. If not treated, some types of skin cancer cells can spread to other tissues and organs.
National Cancer Institute
Start Here
Skin Cancer(Patient Education Institute)
Also available in Spanish
Skin Cancer Risk: Understanding the Puzzle(National Cancer Institute)
What You Need to Know about Skin Cancer(National Cancer Institute)

Lung Cancer

Also called: Bronchogenic carcinoma
Lung cancer is one of the most common cancers in the world. It is a leading cause of cancer death in men and women in the United States. Cigarette smoking causes most lung cancers. The more cigarettes you smoke per day and the earlier you started smoking, the greater your risk of lung cancer. High levels of pollution, radiation and asbestos exposure may also increase risk.
Common symptoms of lung cancer include
A cough that doesn't go away and gets worse over time
Constant chest pain
Coughing up blood
Shortness of breath, wheezing, or hoarseness
Repeated problems with pneumonia or bronchitis
Swelling of the neck and face
Loss of appetite or weight loss
Fatigue
There are many types of lung cancer. Each type of lung cancer grows and spreads in different ways and is treated differently. Treatment also depends on the stage, or how advanced it is. Treatment may include chemotherapy, radiation and surgery.
National Cancer Institute
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Lung Cancer(Patient Education Institute)
Also available in Spanish
What You Need to Know about Lung Cancer(National Cancer Institute)

Intestinal Cancer

Also called: Duodenal cancer, Ileal cancer, Jejunal cancer, Small intestine cancer
Your small intestine is part of your digestive system. It is a long tube that connects your stomach to your large intestine. Intestinal cancer is rare, but eating a high-fat diet or having Crohn's disease, celiac disease, or a history of colonic polyps can increase your risk.
Abdominal pain or lumps, weight loss for no reason or blood in the stool can be symptoms. Imaging tests that create pictures of the small intestine and the area around it can help diagnose intestinal cancer and show whether it has spread.
Surgery is the most common treatment. Additional options include chemotherapy, radiation or a combination.
National Cancer Institute
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Small Intestine Cancer (PDQ): Treatment(National Cancer Institute)
Also available in Spanish
What Are Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors?(American Cancer Society)

Soft Tissue Sarcoma

Your soft tissues connect, support or surround other tissues. Examples include your muscles, tendons, fat and blood vessels. Soft tissue sarcoma is a cancer of these soft tissues. There are many kinds, based on the type of tissue they started in. Sometimes they spread and can press on nerves and organs, causing problems such as pain or trouble breathing.
No one knows exactly what causes these cancers. They are not common, but you have a higher risk if you have been exposed to certain chemicals, had radiation therapy or have certain genetic diseases.
To diagnose soft tissue sarcomas, doctors must remove and look at piece of the tumor under a microscope. Treatments include surgery to remove the tumor, radiation therapy, chemotherapy or a combination.
National Cancer Institute
Start Here
Soft Tissue Sarcomas: Questions and Answers(National Cancer Institute)
What Is a Soft Tissue Sarcoma?(American Cancer Society)

Stomach Cancer

Also called: Gastric cancer
Stomach cancer mostly affects older people – two-thirds of people who have it are over age 65. Your risk of getting it is also higher if you
Have had a Helicobacter pylori infection
Have had stomach inflammation
Are a man
Eat lots of salted, smoked, or pickled foods
Smoke cigarettes
Have a family history of stomach cancer
It is hard to diagnose stomach cancer in its early stages. Indigestion and stomach discomfort can be symptoms of early cancer, but other problems can cause the same symptoms. In advanced cases, there may be blood in your stool, vomiting, unexplained weight loss, jaundice or trouble swallowing.
Because it is often found late, it can be hard to treat stomach cancer. Treatment options include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation or a combination.
National Cancer Institute
Start Here
What Is Stomach Cancer?(American Cancer Society)
Also available in Spanish
What You Need to Know about Stomach Cancer(National Cancer Institute)

Testicular Cancer

Testicular cancer forms in a man's testicles, the two egg-shaped glands that produce sperm and testosterone. Testicular cancer mainly affects young men between the ages of 20 and 39. It is also more common in men who
Have had abnormal testicle development
Have had an undescended testicle
Have a family history of the cancer
Symptoms include pain, swelling or lumps in your testicles or groin area. Most cases can be treated, especially if it is found early. Treatment options include surgery, radiation and/or chemotherapy. Regular exams after treatment are important. Treatments may also cause infertility. If you may want children later on, you should consider sperm banking before treatment.
National Cancer Institute
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Testicular Cancer: Questions and Answers(National Cancer Institute)
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What Is Testicular Cancer?(American Cancer Society)
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Head and Neck Cancer

Head and neck cancer includes cancers of the mouth, nose, sinuses, salivary glands, throat and lymph nodes in the neck. Most begin in the moist tissues that line the mouth, nose and throat. Symptoms include
A lump or sore that does not heal
A sore throat that does not go away
Trouble swallowing
A change or hoarseness in the voice
Using tobacco or alcohol increases your risk. In fact, 85 percent of head and neck cancers are linked to tobacco use, including smoking and smokeless tobacco. If found early, these cancers are often curable. Treatments may include surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy or a combination. Treatments can affect eating, speaking or even breathing, so patients may need rehabilitation.
National Cancer Institute
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Head and Neck Cancer: Questions and Answers(National Cancer Institute)

Thymus Cancer

Also called: Thymic carcinoma, Thymoma
The thymus is a small organ in your upper chest, under your breastbone. Before birth and during childhood, the thymus helps the body make a type of white blood cell. These cells help protect you from infections.
Cancer of the thymus is rare. You are more likely to get it if you have other diseases such as myasthenia gravis, lupus or rheumatoid arthritis. Sometimes there are no symptoms. Other times, thymus cancer can cause
A cough that doesn't go away
Chest pain
Trouble breathing
The most common treatment is surgery to remove the tumor. Other options include radiation and hormone therapy.
National Cancer Institute

Thyroid Cancer

Your thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland in your neck, just above your collarbone. It makes hormones that help the body work normally. Anyone can get cancer of the thyroid gland. But certain factors may increase the risk. These include
Being between ages 25 and 65
Being a woman
Being Asian
Having a family member who has had thyroid disease
Having radiation treatments to your head or neck
You should see a doctor if you have a lump or swelling in your neck. Your doctor can order tests to see if you have cancer and, if so, which type. Treatment depends on the type and how far the cancer has spread. They include surgery, radioactive iodine, hormone treatment, radiation therapy or chemotherapy. Some patients receive a combination of treatments.
National Cancer Institute

Bladder Cancer

The bladder is a hollow organ in your lower abdomen that stores urine. Bladder cancer occurs in the lining of the bladder. It is the sixth most common type of cancer in the United States.
Symptoms include
Blood in your urine
A frequent urge to urinate
Pain when you urinate
Low back pain
Smoking is a major risk factor for bladder cancer. Exposure to certain chemicals in the workplace is another. People with a family history of bladder cancer or who are older, white or male have a higher risk.
Treatments for bladder cancer include surgery, radiation, chemotherapy and biologic therapy. Biologic therapy, or immunotherapy, boosts your body's own ability to fight cancer.
National Cancer Institute

Uterine Cancer

Also called: Endometrial cancer
The uterus, or womb, is an important female reproductive organ. It is the place where a baby grows when a women is pregnant. There are different types of uterine cancer. The most common type starts in the endometrium, the lining of the uterus. This type of cancer is sometimes called endometrial cancer.
The symptoms of uterine cancer include
Unusual vaginal bleeding or discharge
Trouble urinating
Pelvic pain
Pain during intercourse
Uterine cancer usually occurs after menopause. Being obese and taking estrogen-alone hormone replacement therapy also increase your risk. Treatment varies depending on your overall health, how advanced the cancer is and whether hormones affect its growth. Treatment is usually a hysterectomy, which is surgery to remove the uterus. Other options include hormone therapy and radiation.
National Cancer Institute

Vaginal Cancer

Vaginal cancer is a rare type of cancer. It is more common in women 60 and older. You are also more likely to get it if you have a human papillomavirus (HPV) infection or if your mother took diethylstilbestrol (DES) when she was pregnant. Doctors prescribed DES in the 1950's to prevent miscarriages.
It often doesn't have early symptoms. However, see your doctor if you notice
Bleeding that is not your period
A vaginal lump
Pelvic pain
A Pap test can find abnormal cells that may be cancer. Vaginal cancer can often be cured in its early stages. Treatment might include surgery, radiation and chemotherapy.
National Cancer Institute

Vulvar Cancer

Vulvar cancer is a rare type of cancer. It forms in a woman's external genitals, called the vulva. The cancer usually develops slowly over several years. First, precancerous cells grow on vulvar skin. This is called vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia (VIN), or dysplasia. Not all VIN cases turn into cancer, but it is best to treat it early.
Often, vulvar cancer doesn't cause early symptoms. However, see your doctor for testing if you notice
A lump in the vulva
Vulvar itching or tenderness
Bleeding that is not your period
Being older and having a human papillomavirus infection are risk factors for vulvar cancer. Treatment varies, depending on your overall health and how advanced the cancer is. It might include laser therapy, surgery, radiation or chemotherapy.
National Cancer Institute

Wilms' Tumor

Also called: Nephroblastoma
Wilms' tumor is a rare type of kidney cancer that affects children. It causes a tumor on one or both kidneys. Having certain genetic conditions or birth defects can increase the risk of developing Wilms' tumor. Children who are at risk should be screened for Wilms' tumor every three months until they turn eight.
Possible signs of a kidney tumor include a lump in the abdomen and blood in the urine. The tumor is usually diagnosed and removed in surgery. Other treatments include chemotherapy, radiation, biologic therapy or a combination. Biologic therapy, or immunotherapy, boosts your body's own ability to fight cancer. Most children with Wilms' tumor can be cured.
National Cancer Institute

Cancer in Children

Cancer begins in the cells, which are the building blocks of your body. Normally, new cells form as you need them, replacing old cells that die. Sometimes, this process goes wrong. New cells form when you don't need them, and old cells don't die when they should. The extra cells can form a tumor. Benign tumors aren't cancer while malignant ones are. Malignant tumor cells can invade nearby tissues or break away and spread to other parts of the body.
Children can get cancer in the same parts of the body as adults, but there are differences. Childhood cancers can occur suddenly, without early symptoms, and have a high rate of cure. The most common children's cancer is leukemia. Other cancers that affect children include brain tumors, lymphoma, and soft tissue sarcoma. Symptoms and treatment depend on the cancer type and how advanced it is. Treatment may include surgery, radiation and/or chemotherapy.
National Cancer Institute
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Care for Children and Adolescents with Cancer: Questions and Answers(National Cancer Institute)
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Childhood Cancer(Nemours Foundation)
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Young People with Cancer: A Handbook for Parents(National Cancer Institute)

Cancer Chemotherapy

Normally, your cells grow and die in a controlled way. Cancer cells keep forming without control. Chemotherapy is drug therapy that can stop these cells from multiplying. However, it can also harm healthy cells, which causes side effects.
During chemotherapy you may have no side effects or just a few. The kinds of side effects you have depend on the type and dose of chemotherapy you get. Side effects vary, but common ones are nausea, vomiting, tiredness, pain and hair loss. Healthy cells usually recover after chemotherapy, so most side effects gradually go away.
Your course of therapy will depend on the cancer type, the chemotherapy drugs used, the treatment goal and how your body responds. You may get treatment every day, every week or every month. You may have breaks between treatments so that your body has a chance to build new healthy cells. You might take the drugs by mouth, in a shot or intravenously.

Cancer Alternative Therapies

You have many choices to make about your cancer treatment. One choice you might be thinking about is complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). CAM is the term for medical products and practices that are not part of standard care. Standard care is what medical doctors, doctors of osteopathy, and allied health professionals, such as registered nurses and physical therapists, practice. Alternative medicine means treatments that you use instead of standard ones. Complementary medicine means nonstandard treatments that you use along with standard ones. Examples of CAM therapies are acupuncture, chiropractic, and herbal medicines.
CAM treatments do not work for everyone, but some methods such as acupuncture might help with nausea, pain and other side effects of cancer treatment. In general, researchers know more about the safety and effectiveness of standard cancer treatments than they do about CAM. To make sure nothing gets in the way of your cancer care, talk to your doctor before you try anything new.
National Cancer Institute
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Cancer and Complementary and Alternative Medicine(National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine)
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Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Cancer Treatment: Questions and Answers(National Cancer Institute)
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Thinking about Complementary and Alternative Medicine(National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, National Cancer Institute)
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Simple Test Rates Accuracy of Cancer-Related Web Sites(American Cancer Society) Return to top
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