1. Epidemiology

2. Tumor Formation

• uncontrolled cell division
• benign/malignant
• some cancers do not form solid tumors: leukemia, lymphoma, myeloma

3. Naming Tumors

• benign+epithelial: polyp
• other benign: organ+oma
• malignant+epithelial: organ+carcinoma
  • carcinomas are more common, grow slower, and metastasize primarily through the lymph
• malignant+supportive tissue: organ+sarcoma
  • sarcomas are less common, grow faster, and metastasize primarily through the blood

4. Known risk Factors for Cancer

• age: About 77% of all cancers are diagnosed in persons 55 years of age and older.
• Tobacco use: Cigarette smoking causes about 30% of all cancer deaths in the United States.
• infections:
  • HPV: cervix, penis, vagina, anus, and vulva
  • Hepatitis B & C
  • Epstein-Barr: lymphoma and nasopharynx
  • Human herpesvirus 8: Kaposi sarcoma
  • Human T-lymphotrophic virus-1: adult T-cell leukemia
  • Helicobacter pylori: gastric cancer
  • radiation: UV, ionizing (x-rays, CT, fluoroscopy, nuclear medicine scans), radon gas: leukemia, thyroid cancer, and breast cancer