The human body has more than 60 organs, all of which can suffer more than 200 different types of cancer. Some cancers are more common than others, affecting hundreds of thousands of people each year. The earlier these cancers are detected, the greater a person's chance for survival.
Skin Cancer
Skin cancer is not only the most common type of cancer, it also the most curable. FamilyDoctor states that currently one million people will face the diagnosis. Most of these patients will have nonmelanoma, which is the most common, treatable form of this cancer. The second form of skin cancer, melanoma, is less common and more difficult to treat.
Excessive exposure to ultraviolet rays, either from the sun or tanning beds/booths, cause most skin cancers, according to FamilyDoctor. Any change in the skin, especially moles, can be a sign of skin cancer and should be examined by a physician.
Breast Cancer
As of 2009, an estimated 192,370 new cases of breast cancer were reported, according to the National Cancer Institute. Breast cancer develops as a result of the growth of abnormal cells in the breast tissue. In most cases, the lump is benign, or non-cancerous. Others are in-situ, which means the tumor is cancerous, but has not spread to other parts of the body and, according to FamilyDoctor, is almost always curable with treatment. Invasive breast cancer is the most serious, as the breast tumors have spread to other areas of the body. For women, breast cancer is the second most common type of cancer next to skin cancer.
Lung Cancer
While breast cancer is the second most common cancer among women, lung cancer is the second most cancer among both sexes overall, and the leading cause of cancer death among women.
Lung cancer has two forms. Non-small cell lung cancer is the most common, growing and spreading more slowly than small cell cancer. Smoking is the leading cause of this disease, with exposure to radon being another prime cause, killing 14,000 Americans every year, according to Micheal H. Tirgan, M.D.
Prostate Cancer
Prostate cancer begins in the prostate gland in men, and is found below the bladder and in front of the rectum. It is the most common cancer among American men, especially in those between 60 and 65 years old, according to Doctor Tirgan. The risk of this disease increases with age, and is more common among African American men.
While this cancer has the ability to grow and spread quickly, three of four cases grow slowly and cause very few problems, according to FamilyDoctor.
