Oncology
Cancer is a condition caused by the uncontrolled growth and spread of abnormal cells in the body. Oncology cover the various aspects of diagnosis, treatment and prevention of cancer. Wherein it involves an approach of combining medical, surgical and radiation therapies, depending on the condition.
There are more than 200 types of cancer, which are primarily classified by the type of cell they originate from and the location in the body where they begin. and further categorized by specific tissue types and organs they affect.
The main categories include carcinomas, sarcomas, leukemias, lymphomas, and myeloma. These are further categorized by specific tissue types and organs they affect, such as breast cancer, lung cancer, or brain cancer.
1. Carcinomas: Carcinomas are cancers which affect epithelial cells, which line the surfaces of the body (like skin) and the internal organs.
Carcinomas are commonly known by the impacted organs, like lung cancer, breast cancer, and colorectal cancer.
2. Sarcomas: These cancers arise in connective tissues like bone, cartilage, fat, muscle, and blood vessels classified as Osteosarcoma (bone cancer) and soft tissue Sarcoma.
3. Leukemias: These are cancers that effect the blood-forming tissues, like bone marrow, resulting from over overproduction of abnormal white blood cells.
4. Lymphomas: These cancers develop in the lymphatic system, which is a part of the immune system. Lymphomas are bifurcated as Hodgkin lymphoma a presence of Reed-Sternberg cells, which are abnormal, large cells with multiple nuclei and non-Hodgkin lymphoma, wherein these cells are absent.
5. Myelomas: Cancers that originate in plasma cells, which is a type of white blood cell present in the bone marrow.
Other notable cancer types:
- Brain and Spinal Cord Cancers: These are cancers that develop in the brain and spinal cord tissue.
- Melanoma: A type of skin cancer that develops from melanocytes (pigment-producing cells).
- Ovarian Cancer: Cancer developed in the ovaries.
- Pancreatic Cancer: Cancer that develops in the pancreas.
- Prostate Cancer: In men, the Cancer may also develop in the prostate gland.
- Thyroid Cancer: Cancer that develops in the thyroid gland.
Uterine Cancer: Cancer that develops in the uterus.