Outline of cancer types

 Types of cancer based on their location 

Based on their origin cancers are given names or based on the name of the organ, tissue, cells they infected. Suppose lungs are infected with cancer it named as Lung cancer, besides cells also infect with cancer, like epithelial cells, squamous cells.



 Overview of types of cancers:

1.    Leukemia causes blood cancer. Solids lumps are not formed in blood, instead amount of white blood cells increases abnormally, this limits oxygen supply to the normal cells.

2.  Lymphoma cancer originates in the immune cell; T-cells and B-cells. These lymphocytes develop abnormally in the lymph nodes and lymph vessels. Lymphoma is of 2 types:

·  Hodgkin lymphoma: Abnormal lymphocytes called Reed-Sternberg cells are developed from the B-cells.

·  Non-Hodgkin lymphoma: This cancer is formed from B-cells or T-cells and develops quickly or slowly.                                                

3.       Multiple Myeloma occurs in another type of immune cell called plasma cells (produces by B-cells when they come across the foreign antigens). Plasma cells develop abnormally in to myeloma cells and infect bone all over the body. This cancer is also known as Plasma cell myeloma or Kahler disease.

4.      Melanoma tumors target skin pigment called melanin which produces melanocytes.

5.   Brain and Spinal cord tumors, targets cells of central nervous system and based on the cell they infect different tumors are named.

6.      Germ cells tumors, occurs in the cells which produces sperms and eggs.

7.   Neuroendocrine tumors are formed from the cells which release hormones in response to nerve signals. Tumor cells produce excess amount of hormones which creates unnecessary signals in the body and causes various symptoms.

8.   Carcinoid, is a type of neuroendocrine tumor, mostly occurs in gastrointestinal system such as in rectum and small intestine. It grows slowly and spreads to other body parts and secrets serotonin and prostaglandins.

9.   Sarcoma tumor is formed in bones and soft tissues, including muscles, fat, blood vessels, lymph vessels and fibrous tissues ( tendons and ligaments)         

  •      Osteosarcoma: is bone cancer.
  •      Leiomyosarcoma is a soft tissue malignant tumor, develops in uterus, abdomen or pelvis.        
  •    Kaposi sarcoma is caused by Kaposi sarcoma associated herpesvirus (KSHV), it causes lesions in the skin, lymph nodes and in the lining of mouth, nose, throat. Usually lesions are purple and made up of cancer cells, new blood vessels and blood cells. 
  •     Malignant fibrous histiocytoma is mostly formed in soft tissues, usually in legs especially in thighs, arms or back of abdomen. This tumor grows easily and spreads to other parts of the body including lungs.
  •      Liposarcoma begins in fat cells and formed under the layers of fat and in soft tissues of legs in thighs or in abdomen. Liposarcoma is painless and grow slowly. 
  •     Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans found usually in the dermis layer (makes up the skin) of the limbs and trunks. They do not spread to the other body parts.

10.    Carcinoma tumor formed by the epithelial cells, which cover the skin. Based on different types of     epithelial cells carcinoma are named different,

  •     Adenocarcinoma: Formed in mucus and fluid secreting epithelial cells. Cancers associated with adenocarcinoma are breast, colon, prostate cancers.
  •         Basal cell carcinoma: this cancer starts from the lower or basal layer epidermis i.e outer layer of the skin.
  •     Squamous cell carcinoma/ Epidermoid carcinoma: These are formed from squamous cells which lie beneath the outer epidermal cells. They also line others organs such kidneys, stomach, intestine and lungs. They are flat like fish scales.
  •        Transitional cell carcinoma is formed in transitional epithelium or urothelium. Many layers of epithelium forms urothelium, present in linings of bladder, ureters, renal pelvis and some other parts of the body.   

Some changes in tissues are normal they do not tend to cancer. Exceptionally few changes results in cancer, those tissues are as follows:

  •        Hyperplasia: Extra cells build up in the tissue, when cells in the tissues multiply faster than     normal. But the morphology remains same as normal cells. Chronic irritation might result in     hyperplasia.

  •          Dysplasia: is advanced condition, cells look abnormal and organization of cells within the tissues changes. In some cases dysplasia results in cancer and needs treatment. An example is dysplastic nevus (an abnormal mole) on the skin, this might turn into myelanoma

  • .       Carcinoma in situ: Highly advanced condition, sometimes even called as stage 0 cancer. Still they are not completely called cancer cells because they do not invade surrounding tissues.                               

    Reference- NCI


    Reference: NCI    



  

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