By : Katrina Gentry

Cancer:

What is cancer?Cancer cells are cells that divide and multiply

without control. The DNA of a cell can become damaged or changed, producing mutations that affect normal cell growth and division. When this happens, cells do not die when they should and new cells form when the body does not need them.

• http://www.cancersupportcommunity.org/MainMenu/About-Cancer/Understanding-Cancer/General-Information.html?gclid=COCB3o2JsLoCFSU6QgodMBIA6Q

How do people get cancer?The known causes of cancer include genetic

factors, lifestyle factors such as tobacco use, diet, and physical activity, certain types of infections, and environmental exposures to different types of chemicals and radiation.

What types of cancers are there?There are too many to count, but the main ones

are:• Lung cancer• Melanoma• Non- Hodgkin Lymphoma• Pancreatic Cancer• Prostate Cancer• Thyroid Cancer

What are the symptoms?Having these symptoms doesn’t mean that it’s cancer!

There are many things that could be the cause besides cancer…

• Unexplained weight loss

• Fatigue• Skin changes

• Fever• Pain• And many more!

What does cancer look like?• The cancer depends on what type it is for every

thing. (the way it looks, the pain, symptom, etc…) I’ll show you the main ones.

Main Cancer types:Lung Cancer: Melanoma:

Non- Hodgkin Lymphoma: Pancreatic Cancer:

Prostate Cancer: Thyroid Cancer:

What do these types of cancers mean?

Lung Cancer: Melanoma:• Cancer that forms in

tissues of the lung, usually in the cells lining air passages.

• http://www.cancer.gov/dictionary

• A form of cancer that begins in melanocytes. It may begin in a mole, but can also begin in other pigmented tissues, such as in the eye or in the intestines.

Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma:

Pancreatic Cancer:• Non-Hodgkin

lymphomas can occur at any age and are often marked by lymph nodes that are larger than normal, fever, and weight loss.

• http://www.cancer.gov/dictionary

•   A disease in which malignant cells are found in the tissues of the pancreas.

Prostate Cancer: Thyroid Cancer:

•   Cancer that forms in tissues of the prostate. Prostate cancer usually occurs in older men.

• http://www.cancer.gov/dictionary

• Cancer that forms in the thyroid gland. Four main types of thyroid cancer are papillary, follicular, medullar, and anaplastic thyroid cancer.

What are some treatment options?• The number and kinds of treatment choices you have

will depend on the type of cancer, the stage of the cancer, and other factors, such as your age, current health status, and personal needs. The 4 major types of treatment for cancer are surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, and biologic therapies.

• http://www.cancer.org/treatment/understandingyourdiagnosis/afterdiagnosis/after-diagnosis-making-treatment-decisions

Can cancer pass down from the family?• Though many people believe that cancer runs in

families, cancer can’t be passed on from parent to child the same way that height and eye color are.

• http://www.cancer.org/treatment/understandingyourdiagnosis/afterdiagnosis/after-diagnosis-can-cancer-be-inherited.

What is the most likely age to get cancer?• One of the biggest factors that makes a person

more likely to get cancer is age: 3 out of 4 cancers are found in people age 55 or older.

• http://www.cancer.org/treatment/treatmentsandsideeffects/complementaryandalternativemedicine/learningaboutnewcancerpreventionmethods/learning-about-new-ways-to-prevent-cancer-intro

How many stages of cancer are there?• There are five stages of cancer. They are stages

0, I, II, III, and IV.

• http://www.ask.com

What do stages of cancer mean?• Doctors use a range of ways of describing these

stages. Usually, stage 0 is the cancer in the original place it was found; stage 1 is localized cancer, although further local spread may take it to stage 2; stage 2 also usually includes spread to the nearest lymph nodes; stage 3 usually indicates more extensive lymph node involvement and stage 4 always indicates distant spread.

Is prevention the best cure for cancer?•Early detection of cancer offers the best

chance for a cure.

• http://www.fhcrc.org/en/diseases/breast-cancer/top-tips-breast-cancer-prevention-screening-treatment-survivorship.html

My story:• My grandmother died from renal cell carcinoma.

It is the most common type of kidney cancer, but it moved to her bones. When she found out she even had cancer she was already at stage IV. It was very hard for my family. She was the first

child from my great-grandma on my dad’s side of the family to die. She passed away just a few weeks I started 7th grade this year. I miss her

very much. She was one of my best friends and I will always remember and love her.

Thank you for watching! I hope you enjoyed and learned more about cancer!

• By: Katrina Gentry• Websites:• cancer.gov/dictionary• cancer.org• ask.com• cancersupportcommunity.org