What is Breast Cancer?
Although breast cancer can occur in males it is rare, but breast cancer is very common in women. Earlier chapters discussed screening, diagnosis and epidemiology … Read more
What is Lung Cancer and Types of Treatment
We think of lung cancer in two different categories: small cell lung cancer and non-small cell lung cancer. They behave quite differently. We consider small … Read more
What is Head and Neck Cancer and Types of Treatment
The term ‘head and neck cancer’ brings together a range of cancers from the mouth to the back of the nose and throat and down … Read more
Brain Tumours and Diagnosis
Although cancers arising from the brain are rare in adults they are second to leukaemias in causing cancer deaths in children. Patients commonly present with … Read more
The Side Effects of Radiotherapy
Although there are total-body and half-body techniques where low doses are delivered to wide areas for specific purposes such as obliterating the bone marrow prior … Read more
How does Radiation Kill Cancer?
Radiation for therapy is either x-rays produced by electrical machines called linear accelerators or gamma rays produced by the decay of radioactive isotopes such as … Read more
Sun Exposure and Skin Cancer Risk
Advertising campaigns such as ‘Slip Slop Slap’ (slip on a shirt, slop on some sunscreen and slap on a hat) have made most people aware … Read more
Why Does Smoking Cause Cancer?
Smoking is associated with three of every ten cancer deaths. Eight of every ten lung cancer deaths in men and just under that in women … Read more
Why is Research into How Cancers Spread So Useful?
Piecing together the story of how cancers spread is not just interesting research. It has future applications in finding new anti-cancer treatments. Right now, it … Read more
How Cancer Cells Move
Studies of how cancer cells move have shown that there are many chemicals dissolved in the tissues that can attract cancer cells. Some are produced … Read more