There are many types of cancer that may affect you. There also are treatments available for most forms of the disease. Cancer essentially is an abnormal growth of cells in one part of your body. While all tumors are not all cancerous, the ones that are malignant spread to other parts of the body. The type of cancer is typically named for the area of the body where it begins, according to the National Institutes of Health.
Lung Cancer
Cancerous growths in the lung cause lung cancer. It is the No. 1 cancer killer in the United States, the Mayo Clinic reports. While the disease can affect anyone, those who smoke tobacco products are at the highest risk of getting this form of cancer. Symptoms include chronic cough changes, shortness of breath, pain in the chest, headaches and unintended weight loss. Treatments often include a combination of drugs, called chemotherapy, along with radiation therapy and surgery.
Lymphoma
Your lymphatic system helps your body protect itself against invading diseases as part of your immune system. There are two forms of cancer that may attack this system: Hodgkin's lymphoma and Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, the Mayo Clinic states. Symptoms include lymph nodal swelling, fatigue that persists, appetite loss and a fever, among others. There are different treatments for either kind of lymphoma. Along with radiation and chemotherapy, surgery may be prescribed to include the transplantation of stem cells or bone marrow.
Leukemia
Leukemia is a cancer that forms in the blood cells, specifically the white cells, without forming tumors, the Cleveland Clinic reports. Symptoms of the disease include pain in the bones, bruising or bleeding easily, infections that are frequent and night sweats. Chemotherapy, biological, targeted and radiation therapy along with the transplantation of stem cells, may be used to battle leukemia.
Breast Cancer
While it may be associated mostly with women, men also can fall victim to cancer of the breast. The Mayo Clinic reports it is the second leading cancer in females in the U.S. Symptoms include a lump forming in the breast, nipple discharge that contains blood, alterations in how big the breast is or its shape, and inverted nipples. Hormone therapy may be used as a treatment for breast cancer along with surgery, chemotherapy and radiation.
