Understanding cancer

Cancer is the uncontrolled division of cells forming growths in the body known as tumours.

All human cells grow, reproduce and die according to signals and controls within our bodies. Cancer cells are damaged cells, which operate independently of these signals. Depending on where the cancer cells are and how they grow, they will form different types of cancer.

If a tumour grows near an organ it can affect its operation and create symptoms such as pain or loss of function. If it affects a vital organ, it can become life threatening. Some tumours may take a long time before they cause any problems, if at all. Others grow quickly, or can spread to different areas of the body.

Different types of treatment are used for different types of cancer. Some treatments aim to cure the cancer completely, others aim to control and manage its development and any associated symptoms.