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cancer

cancer

2.7
A serious disease in which body cells grow out of control and spread
  • noun
  • /ˈkænsər/
translation icon : cáncer
  • The doctor explained that cancer occurs when cells grow uncontrollably in the body.
  • breast cancer
  • prostate cancer
  • lung cancer

The evidence that they can cause cancer is modest.

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Examples

  • She died of breast cancer.

  • We've all known people have died of cancer or have had cancer.

  • You cannot love a cancer patient to health.

  • We were in the same cancer support group.

  • You lost a daughter to cancer.

  • Throughout multiple battles with cancer, she never stopped working.

  • Does that increase my risk of cancer or other long term diseases?

    ZOE
  • Lung cancer is the leading cause of death from cancer in both China and the United States.

    Academic text (2017)
  • He got cancer after his release from prison.

  • Radiotherapy can be used to destroy the cancer cells and cause the tumor to shrink.

    Academic text (2011)

Synonyms

breast cancer
vscancer
252 2.7

A serious disease in the breast where abnormal cells grow and form a lump

is the overall disease concept that can occur in many organs
leukemia
vscancer
  • Specialized
109 4.6

A serious cancer that makes too many abnormal white blood cells

is the wider disease idea that covers many tissue origins beyond blood
lung cancer
vscancer
  • Specialized
72 2.3

A serious lung illness from harmful cell growth often caused by smoking

is the general disease term that covers many body locations, not only lungs
lymphoma
vscancer
  • Specialized
36 7.2

A cancer that starts in the body's lymph tissue and often makes lymph nodes swell

is the broader disease concept that includes lymphatic and other system origins
melanoma
vscancer
  • Specialized
31 4.9

A dangerous skin cancer that often starts in a dark mole and can spread

is the general disease idea that also covers slower or different origins
colon cancer
vscancer
  • Specialized
28 2.7

A harmful growth in the large intestine that can spread to other parts

is the broad disease name that applies to many body sites beyond the colon
pancreatic cancer
vscancer
  • Specialized
24 3.8

A serious disease of the pancreas, the organ behind the stomach, where cells grow without control

is the general disease term covering such uncontrolled cell multiplication
carcinoma
vscancer
  • Specialized
11 5.8

A cancer that starts in the skin or inner layer of organs

is the wide disease category that includes many such cell origin types
malignancy
vscancer
  • Specialized
5 8.0

Cancer cells that grow without control and can destroy nearby tissue

is the general medical concept for that destructive cell growth
malignant tumor
vscancer
4 5.0

A group of harmful cells that grow and spread in the body

is the general disease label for uncontrolled abnormal cell growth in the body
myeloma
vscancer
  • Specialized
3 9.9

A cancer in the bone marrow that makes too many abnormal blood cells

is the general disease category that includes marrow and non marrow origins
adenocarcinoma
vscancer
  • Specialized
2 9.6

A cancer that starts in the cells of body glands

is the general disease label that covers many tissue-specific growths
malignant neoplasm
vscancer
  • Specialized
1 5.2

A cancer that grows into nearby tissue and can spread to other parts of the body

is the broad disease term covering such invasive abnormal cell growth
metastatic tumor
vscancer
  • Specialized
1 5.1

A cancerous growth that has spread from another part of the body

is the broader disease idea that can include both original and spread growths
1 3.3

Cells in the liver grow out of control and form a dangerous lump

is the broad disease label that includes primary and secondary growths
1 3.8

A disease in which the body makes too many white blood cells

is the general disease term that also applies outside blood-forming tissues
malignant neoplastic disease
vscancer
  • Specialized
7.4

A harmful growth of body cells that can spread to other parts

is the overarching name for that disease process across the body

Antonyms

1.0

The condition of a person's body and mind, especially being free from illness or injury

52 3.2

Good physical and mental health that people try to keep

Compounds

252 2.7

A serious disease in the breast where abnormal cells grow and form a lump

lung cancer
  • Specialized
72 2.3

A serious lung illness from harmful cell growth often caused by smoking

prostate cancer
  • Specialized
57 2.2

A disease in the prostate where cells grow too much and make a harmful lump

cancer cell
  • Specialized
31 2.5

An abnormal body cell that divides without control and forms a tumor

skin cancer
  • Specialized
30 2.5

A growth of skin cells that can be harmful, often after too much sun

colon cancer
  • Specialized
28 2.7

A harmful growth in the large intestine that can spread to other parts

pancreatic cancer
  • Specialized
24 3.8

A serious disease of the pancreas, the organ behind the stomach, where cells grow without control

A person who had cancer and is now living after it

A treatment that completely removes cancer from the body

cancer drug
  • Specialized
11 3.2

A medicine that treats cancer by killing or stopping cancer cells

liver cancer
  • Specialized
8 2.7

A serious liver disease in which cells grow too fast and form a harmful lump

testicular cancer
  • Specialized
8 2.6

A harmful growth in the testicles that often affects adult men

endometrial cancer
  • Specialized
1 3.7

A cancer that starts in the thin lining of the womb

oral cancer
  • Specialized
1 3.7

A disease in the mouth when harmful cells grow and form a lump often on the lips or tongue

1 3.7

Information about close blood relatives who had cancer

An imaginary line around the Earth about 23 degrees north of the Equator where the sun can be directly overhead

A disease in which the body makes too many white blood cells

Cells in the liver grow out of control and form a dangerous lump

cancer body
  • Specialized
9.1

A small abnormal structure inside certain white blood cells seen in some cancers

Cancer borealis
  • Specialized
9.9

A large red crab called the Jonah crab that lives in deep water off the eastern coast of North America

Cancer irroratus
  • Specialized
9.9

A crab that lives on rocky coasts of eastern North America and is often caught for food

Cancer magister
  • Specialized
8.4

A large crab from the Pacific coast of North America that people eat

A star sign shown by a crab for people born between June 21 and July 22

8.9

A plant like sage with hairy leaves and small purple flowers that grows in the eastern United States

glandular cancer
  • Specialized
4.8

A harmful growth that starts in the body's glands, like the breast or prostate

pure cancer
  • Slang
9.8

Something very harmful that quickly destroys people's trust or energy

preinvasive cancer
  • Specialized
6.0

A group of cancer cells that have not yet grown into deeper tissue or spread to other body parts

trophoblastic cancer
  • Specialized
7.0

A harmful growth in the womb that starts in tissue from pregnancy

9.3

A person at high risk of skin cancer from too much sun

How Serious

metastatic tumor
  • Specialized
1 5.1
malignancy
  • Specialized
5 8.0
cancer
2.7
carcinoma in situ
  • Specialized
1 7.4
precancerous
  • Specialized
2 5.8
benign tumor
  • Specialized
3 3.4

Surface Forms

cancer singular
cancers plural

Etymology

The word cancer comes from an old Greek word karkinos that meant 'crab' because early doctors thought a hard lump with dark veins looked like a crab's legs. So cancer now means a disease that grows and can spread through the body.