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Unusual Cancers of Childhood (PDQ®)

Patient Version
Last Modified: 10/14/2011


Glossary Terms

cancer (KAN-ser)
A term for diseases in which abnormal cells divide without control and can invade nearby tissues. Cancer cells can also spread to other parts of the body through the blood and lymph systems. There are several main types of cancer. Carcinoma is a cancer that begins in the skin or in tissues that line or cover internal organs. Sarcoma is a cancer that begins in bone, cartilage, fat, muscle, blood vessels, or other connective or supportive tissue. Leukemia is a cancer that starts in blood-forming tissue such as the bone marrow, and causes large numbers of abnormal blood cells to be produced and enter the blood. Lymphoma and multiple myeloma are cancers that begin in the cells of the immune system. Central nervous system cancers are cancers that begin in the tissues of the brain and spinal cord. Also called malignancy.

Table of Links

1http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/wyntk/overview
2http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/types/childhoodcancers
3http://www.curesearch.org
4http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/treatment/lateeffects/Patient
5http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/aya
6http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/youngpeople
7http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/NCI/children-adolescents
8http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/understandingcancer/cancer
9http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Detection/staging
10http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/coping
11http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/literature
12http://dccps.nci.nih.gov/ocs/resources.html