Читать книгу The Cancer Directory - Dr. Daniel Rosy - Страница 86

Cancer can strike any organ of the body, each with its own pattern of behaviour. There are currently 208 classifiable sites at which cancers arise, and many of these are broken down into further subtypes. This reflects the many different cell types that make up the human body, many of which can grow out of control.

Tumours are named according to the site at which they originate, not by the organs they spread to. For example, a patient with breast cancer that has spread through the bloodstream to the liver is said to have metastatic breast cancer. If it then spreads to the bone, it is still breast cancer, but metastasized to bone. On the other hand, it is possible to have a primary bone or liver cancer, which has arisen in these tissues and metastasized elsewhere. This may cause confusion because of poor communication in rushed clinics.

Tumours are also named to reflect the type of structure from which they have come. A carcinoma, for example, comes from cells lining body cavities called ‘epithelial cells’. Such cells are found in the lungs, colon, breast and prostate gland. Carcinomas are by far the most common type of cancer. Tumours derived from the body’s structural tissues, muscles, tendons, bones and cartilage are called ‘sarcomas’. Those arising from the lymphatic system are called ‘lymphomas’, and cancers of the white blood cells and bone marrow are known as ‘leukaemias’.

If you ever hear any terms used to refer to your particular cancer which you do not understand, ask for an explanation. Cancer classification is complicated, and there are often several words that mean much the same thing. If you don’t understand a term, don’t go away feeling too embarrassed to ask what it means – check it out and save yourself unnecessary stress.