Cancer

• Benign tumor


  Growth of abnormal cells which are found in one area, contained within a membrane, do not invade or spread to other parts of the body
• Malignant tumour


  Malignant cells invade neighbouring tissues, move into the bloodstream, spread to different parts of the body and form new tumors (secondary tumours)
• Malignant tumor cells are classed as a cancer
• Risk factors for developing cancer

  • Genetic (e.g. certain types of breast cancer, prostate cancer, cancer of the large intestine)
  • Lifestyle (e.g. lung cancer linked to smoking, skin cancer linked to UV exposure, mouth and throat cancer linked to alcohol)
  • Environmental (e.g. radon, a radioactive gas that increases risk of lung cancer)
• Radon releases ionising radiation that damages DNA in cells, causing uncontrolled cell division leading to cancer