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What is prostate cancer?

Prostate cancer is a group of cells that grows faster than normal in a man’s prostate gland. It can spread into other areas and kill normal tissue.

The prostate gland sits just below a man’s bladder. It makes part of the fluid for semen. In young men, the prostate is about the size of a walnut. It usually grows larger as you grow older.

The cancer may be one of these types:

• Locally advanced prostate cancer. This is cancer that has grown through the outer rim of the prostate and into nearby tissue.
• Metastatic prostate cancer. This is cancer that has spread, or metastasized, to the lymph nodes or other parts of the body.
• Recurrent prostate cancer. This is cancer that has come back after it was treated. The cancer can come back in the prostate, near the prostate, or in another part of the body. If it comes back in another part of the body—often the bones—it is still called prostate cancer, because it started in the prostate.

What causes prostate cancer?

Experts don’t know what causes prostate cancer. But they believe that getting older and having a family history of prostate cancer raise your chance of getting it.

What are the symptoms?

Sometimes there are no symptoms of either locally advanced or metastatic prostate cancer.

When they do appear, symptoms of locally advanced prostate cancer include:

• Waking up many times during the night to urinate.
• Having trouble starting your urine stream, having a weaker-than-normal stream, or not being able to urinate at all.
• Having pain or a burning feeling when you urinate.
• Having blood in your urine.
• Having a deep pain or stiffness in your lower back, upper thighs, or hips.

Symptoms of metastatic prostate cancer may include:

• Bone pain.
• Weight loss.
• Swelling in your legs and feet.

How is prostate cancer diagnosed?

Your doctor will do a digital rectal exam, in which he or she puts a gloved, lubricated finger in your rectum to feel your prostate. You may also have a blood test called a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test. These tests will help find out if you have prostate cancer or if your prostate cancer has come back.

Your doctor also may do a biopsy. In this test, your doctor takes a sample of tissue from your prostate gland or from the area where the cancer may have spread and sends the sample to a lab for testing. A biopsy is the only way to know for sure that you have prostate cancer.

If you have had prostate cancer before, your doctor may also order a bone scan, CT scan, or MRI to see if it has come back or spread.

Finding out that you have cancer can be scary. It may help to talk with your doctor or with other people who have had cancer. Your local American Cancer Society chapter can help you find a support group.

How is it treated?

Choosing treatment for prostate cancer can be confusing. Your choices depend on your overall health, how fast the cancer is growing, and how far it has spread.

Locally advanced prostate cancer may be treated with surgery, radiation therapy, or hormone therapy.

Treatment of metastatic cancer focuses on slowing the spread of the cancer and relieving symptoms, such as bone pain. It also can help you feel better and live longer. Treatment may include hormone therapy, radiation therapy, or chemotherapy.

What is ovarian cancer?

Ovarian cancer happens when cells that are not normal grow in one or both of your ovaries. This topic is about epithelial ovarian cancer, the most common type.

This cancer is often cured when it is caught early. But most of the time, the cancer has already spread by the time it is found.

It is frightening to hear that you or someone you love may have ovarian cancer. It may help to talk with your doctor or join a support group to deal with your feelings.

What causes ovarian cancer?

We do not know what causes it. Some women who have it also have a family history of cancer. But most do not.

Some women are more likely than others to get this rare cancer. Women who are past menopause or who have never been pregnant are more likely to get ovarian cancer.

What are the symptoms?

Ovarian cancer does not usually cause symptoms at first. But most women do have some symptoms in the 6 to 12 months before ovarian cancer is found. The most common symptoms are gas and pain or swelling in the belly. Other symptoms are diarrhea or constipation, or an upset stomach.

But these symptoms are so general that they are more likely to be blamed on a number of other causes. Most of the time, the cancer has already spread by the time it is found.

How is ovarian cancer diagnosed?

Sometimes the doctor may feel a lump in or on an ovary during a routine pelvic exam. Often a lump may be seen during an ultrasound. Most lumps are not cancer.

The only way to know for sure that a woman has ovarian cancer is with biopsies taken during surgery. The doctor makes an incision in the belly so that he or she can look inside. The doctor will remove bits of any tumors that are found and send them to a lab to confirm that they contain cancer.

There is a blood test called CA-125 (cancer antigen 125) that is sometimes done to look for cancer in women at high risk. So far, there is not enough proof to show that this test works to find ovarian cancer early in most women. Too much CA-125 in the blood can be caused by many things, like the menstrual cycle, endometriosis, and uterine fibroids, as well as many types of cancer.

How is it treated?

Surgery is the main treatment. The doctor will remove any tumors that he or she can see. This usually means taking out one or both ovaries. It may also mean taking out the fallopian tubes and uterus. After surgery, most women have several months of chemotherapy, which means taking drugs that kill cancer cells.

This cancer often comes back after treatment. So you will need regular checkups for the rest of your life. If your cancer does come back, treatment may help you feel better and live longer.

Ovarian cancer is very serious, but many women do survive it. It depends on your age and overall health, how far the cancer has spread, and how much cancer is left behind during surgery.

It may help to talk to other women who are going through the same thing. People who take part in support groups usually feel better, sleep better, and feel more like eating. Your doctor or your local branch of the American Cancer Society can help you find a support group. You can also look on the Internet to find support sites where women with this cancer can talk to each other.

What are your chances of getting ovarian cancer?

This cancer most often affects women who are past menopause. Women are more likely to get ovarian cancer if others in their family have had it. They are more likely to get it if they have had breast cancer.

You may also be more likely to get this cancer if:

• You never had a baby.
• You started your menstrual cycles before age 12 and went through menopause after age 50.
• You are unable to become pregnant.
• You have used hormone replacement therapy for menopause symptoms.

What is lung cancer?

Lung cancer starts when abnormal cells grow out of control in the lung. They can invade nearby tissues and form tumors. Lung cancer can start anywhere in the lungs and affect any part of the respiratory system.

The cancer cells can spread, or metastasize, to the lymph nodes and other parts of the body.

What causes lung cancer?

Most lung cancer is caused by smoking. Secondhand smoke also can cause lung cancer. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths.

Being exposed to arsenic, asbestos, radioactive dust, or radon can increase your chances of getting lung cancer. People who are exposed to radiation at work or elsewhere have a higher chance of getting lung cancer.

What are the symptoms?

Early lung cancer doesn’t usually cause any symptoms. This is why it’s not usually found early.

In its advanced stage, cancer may affect how your lungs work. The first signs of lung cancer may include:

• Coughing.
• Wheezing.
• Feeling short of breath.
• Having blood in any mucus that you cough up.

If you have these symptoms and are worried about lung cancer, call your doctor.

Lung cancer may spread to the chest and then to other parts of the body. For example, if it spreads to the spine or bones, it may cause pain in the back or other bones or weakness in the arms or legs. If it spreads to the brain, it may cause seizures, headaches, or vision changes.

How is lung cancer diagnosed?

Your doctor will check your symptoms and ask questions about whether you smoke or have been exposed to another person’s smoke or to any cancer-causing substances. He or she will also ask about your medical history, including any history of cancer in your family. This information will help your doctor decide how likely it is that you have lung cancer and whether you need tests to be sure.

Lung cancer is usually first found on a chest X-ray or a CT scan. More tests are done to find out what kind of cancer cells you have and whether they have spread beyond your lung. These tests help determine what stage the cancer is in. The stage is a rating to measure how big the cancer is and how far it has spread.

How is it treated?

Treatment for lung cancer includes surgery, anti-cancer medicines (chemotherapy), radiation, or a mix of all three. It depends on what type of cancer you have and how much it has spread.

Few lung cancers are found in the early stages when treatment is most effective.

It can be very scary to learn that you may have lung cancer. Talking with your doctor or joining a support group may help you deal with your feelings. It can help if you have lots of support from family and friends. Staying as active as possible will also help.

Less than half of people who get lung cancer live 1 more year after the cancer is found. And only about 15 out of every 100 people with lung cancer live for 5 or more years.¹ It’s important to remember that everyone’s case is different and that these numbers may not show what will happen in your case.

Can you prevent lung cancer?

Lung cancer is one of the easiest cancers to prevent, because most lung cancer is caused by smoking. So it is important to stop smoking—or to stop being around someone else’s smoke.

Even if you have smoked a long time, quitting can lower your chances of getting cancer. If you already have lung cancer, quitting makes your treatment work better and can help you live longer.

What is endometrial cancer?

Endometrial cancer is the growth of abnormal cells in the lining of the uterus. The lining is called the endometrium. Endometrial cancer is also called cancer of the uterus, or uterine cancer.

Endometrial cancer usually occurs in women older than 50. The good news is that it is usually cured when it is found early. And most of the time, the cancer is found in its earliest stage, before it has spread outside the uterus.

What causes endometrial cancer?

The most common cause of endometrial cancer is having too much of the hormone estrogen compared to the hormone progesterone in the body. This hormone imbalance causes the lining of the uterus to get thicker and thicker. If the lining builds up and stays that way, then cancer cells can start to grow.

Women who have this hormone imbalance over time may be more likely to get endometrial cancer after age 50. This hormone imbalance can happen if a woman:

• Is obese. Fat cells make extra estrogen, but the body doesn’t make extra progesterone to balance it out.
• Takes estrogen without taking a progestin.
• Has polycystic ovary syndrome, which causes hormone imbalance.
• Starts her period before age 12 or starts menopause after age 55.
• Has never been pregnant or had a full-term pregnancy.
• Has never breast-fed.

What are the symptoms?

The most common symptom of endometrial cancer is unexpected (abnormal) bleeding from the vagina after menopause. (If you are taking hormone therapy, some vaginal bleeding is expected.) About 20 out of 100 women who have abnormal bleeding after menopause have endometrial cancer. That means that 80 out of 100 women with abnormal bleeding don’t have this cancer.

A woman with advanced endometrial cancer may have other symptoms, such as losing weight without trying.

How is endometrial cancer diagnosed?

Endometrial cancer is usually diagnosed with a biopsy. In this test, the doctor removes a small sample of the lining of the uterus to look for cancer cells.

How is it treated?

Endometrial cancer in its early stages can be cured. The main treatment is surgery to remove the uterus plus the cervix, ovaries, and fallopian tubes. If the cancer has spread, the doctor may also remove the pelvic lymph nodes.

A woman whose cancer has spread may also have:

• Chemotherapy to kill cancer cells.
• Hormone therapy to block cancer growth.
• Radiation therapy to kill cancer cells.

It’s common to feel scared, sad, or angry after finding out that you have endometrial cancer. Talking to others who have had the disease may help you feel better. Ask your doctor about support groups in your area. You can also find people online who will share their experiences with you.

What is colorectal cancer?

Colorectal cancer happens when cells that are not normal grow in your colon or rectum. These cells grow together and form tumors.

This cancer is also called colon cancer or rectal cancer. It is the third most common cancer in the United States. And it occurs most often in people older than 50.

When it is found early, it is easily treated and often cured. But because it usually is not found early, it is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States. Fairly simple screening tests can prevent this cancer, but fewer than half of people older than 50 are screened. According to the American Cancer Society, if everyone were tested, tens of thousands of lives could be saved each year.

What causes colorectal cancer?

Most cases begin as polyps, which are small growths inside the colon or rectum. Colon polyps are very common, and most of them do not turn into cancer. But doctors cannot tell ahead of time which polyps will turn into cancer. This is why people older than 50 need regular tests to find out if they have any polyps and then have them removed.

What are the symptoms?

Colorectal cancer usually does not cause symptoms until after it has begun to spread. See your doctor if you have any of these symptoms:

• Pain in the belly.
• Blood in your stool or very dark stools.
• A change in your bowel habits, such as more frequent stools or a feeling that your bowels are not emptying completely.

How is colorectal cancer diagnosed?

If your doctor thinks that you may have this cancer, you will need a test, called a colonoscopy, that lets the doctor see the inside of your entire colon and rectum. During this test, your doctor will remove polyps or take tissue samples from any areas that don’t look normal. The tissue will be looked at under a microscope to see if it contains cancer.

Sometimes other tests, such as a barium enema or a sigmoidoscopy, are used to diagnose colorectal cancer.

How is it treated?

Surgery is almost always used to treat colon and rectal cancer. The cancer is easily removed and often cured when it is found early.

If the cancer has spread into the wall of the colon or farther, you may also need radiation or chemotherapy. These treatments have side effects, but most people can manage the side effects with medicines or home care.

Learning that you have cancer can be upsetting. It may help to talk with your doctor or with other people who have had cancer. Your local American Cancer Society chapter can help you find a support group.

How can you prevent colorectal cancer?

Screening tests can prevent many cases of colon and rectal cancer. They look for a certain disease or condition before any symptoms appear. Regular screening is advised for most people age 50 and older. If you have a family history of this cancer, you may need to begin screening earlier than that.

These are the most common screening tests:

• Fecal occult blood test. You smear a small sample of your stool on a special card and send it to your doctor or to a lab. Drops of a special solution are placed on the card. If the solution changes color, there is blood in the stool.
• Sigmoidoscopy. A doctor puts a flexible viewing tube into your rectum and into the first part of your colon. This lets the doctor see the lower portion of the intestine, which is where most colon cancers grow.
• Barium enema. Barium, a whitish liquid, is put into your rectum and colon. The white liquid outlines the inside of the colon so that it can be more clearly seen on an X-ray.
• Colonoscopy. A doctor puts a long, flexible viewing tube into your rectum and colon. The tube is usually linked to a video monitor similar to a TV screen. With this test, the doctor can see the entire large intestine.