We target various forms of cancer

It is important to realize that not all tumors are cancerous. Benign or non-cancerous-tumors such as benign brain tumors never metastasize outside the central nervous system (CNS) and, with very rare exceptions, are usually not life-threatening.

Cancer is classified by the part of the body in which it began, and by its appearance under a microscope. Different types of cancer vary in their rates of growth, patterns of spread, and responses to different types of treatment. This is why people with cancer need treatment that is aimed at their specific form of the disease.

In America, one-half of all men and one-third of all women will develop cancer during their lifetimes. Today, millions of people are living with cancer or have been cured of the disease. The risk of developing most types of cancer can be reduced by changes in a person’s lifestyle, for example, eating a better diet or by quitting smoking. An individual patient’s prognosis for a cure increase the sooner a cancer is found and the sooner treatment begins.

Prevention And Risk

A risk factor is anything that increases a person’s chance of developing a disease such as cancer. Different cancers have different risk factors. For example, smoking is a risk factor for cancers of the lungs, mouth, throat, larynx, bladder, and several other organs. Many physicians blame most skin cancers on excessive exposure to the sun or to sun-tanning devices.

We stress the importance of remembering that these factors increase a person’s risk but do not always “cause” the disease. Many people with one or more risk factors never develop cancer, while others with this disease have no known risk factors. It is important, however, to know about risk factors so that appropriate action can be taken, such as changing a health-related behavior or being monitored closely for a potential cancer.