cancer

• Tumor


  An abnormal mass of cells that forms when a group of cells undergo uncontrolled growth and division
• Types of tumors


  • Benign
  • Malignant
• Benign tumor


  • The abnormal group of cells are contained within one area, usually within a membrane, and because they stay in that one place they're not normally dangerous
• Malignant tumor


  • They don't stay in one place, they're able to invade other tissues and spread to different parts of the body where they can form new secondary tumors, this process can cause a lot of damage to our body making malignant tumors far more dangerous and potentially fatal
• Malignant tumors are classified as cancer
• Risk factors for cancer

  • Smoking
  • Obesity
  • Ultraviolet light exposure
  • Drinking alcohol
  • Inherited genes (e.g. BRCA genes)
• Smoking


  Linked to lung cancer, mouth cancer, stomach cancer, and cervical cancer
• Obesity


  Linked to bowel cancer, liver cancer, and kidney cancer
• Ultraviolet light exposure


  Strongly linked to skin cancer
• Drinking alcohol


  Linked to increased risk of liver cancer
• Inherited genes (e.g. BRCA genes)


  Linked to developing breast and ovarian cancer