Cancer is the second most common cause of death after heart disease in most western countries. In some countries, it is the leading cause of death. Although about 1 in 3 people develops cancer at some stage in life, many people can be cured because of advances in diagnosis and treatment.

Many types of cancer produce a solid tumour that forms in an organ, such as the breast, intestine, or bladder. If not detected and treated, these cancers may spread to other body tissues. Other cancers are often widespread from early on, such as cancer of the lymph nodes and cancer of blood-forming cells in the bone marrow.

What are the causes?
What are the symptoms?
How is it diagnosed?
What are the treatments?
What is the prognosis?



What are the causes?

Cancer occurs when cells divide and grow in an uncontrolled manner. Cell division and cell functioning are controlled by genes, and defects in some of these genes can lead to a cell becoming cancerous. In both children and adults, these defects (mutations) in the genes may be caused by environmental factors such as chemicals (especially from smoking), viruses, ultraviolet light, or other types of radiation. In some cases, an abnormal gene is inherited from a parent. The main causes of cancer vary in different age groups.

Children and adults with reduced immunity, such as those with AIDS or people who are taking immunosuppressants, have an increased risk of developing certain types of cancer. In such people, agents such as viruses are more likely to cause cancer.

Cancer in children Cancers in children are rare, affecting about 1 in 600 children in the UK, but they are still a major cause of death in infancy. The most common childhood cancers are leukaemia and tumours of the brain and spinal cord.

The cause of most types of cancer in children is not known. Some cancers, such as a neuroblastoma, occur primarily in children. A neuroblastoma develops in an adrenal gland or the nervous system from tissue that normally disappears during fetal development. Cancers of this type are most common during infancy. Other types of childhood cancer, such as primary bone cancer, affect older children.

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