All the Facts about Cancer that You Need

What real facts about cancer must you know? It is a scary word if you know nothing about it.

Four hundred fifty years ago, somebody said "Knowledge is power." How true! It's about time to get to know the correct facts about this disease because learning what it is and what it is not is the best tip on prevention.

It is NOT a name for a single disease. It is a group of many related but different diseases -- more than a hundred, in fact!

All these more than 100 types have a single mission: to attack, damage and invade the numerous healthy and normal cells in your body. And even the cells of your immune system are not spared leading to lymphoma.

See What is Lymphoma.

Worldwide, there are types that occur more frequently compared to other types.

See the leading types of cancer.

It is a complex disease because besides having more than a hundred types, there are 3 different kinds of tumor and four classifications.

The many common types vary in terms of their symptoms and signs, their possible causes and the treatment they require.

It is truly life-threatening which makes prevention a must-do. Facts about cancer point to it as the second leading cause of death due to disease after heart.

Experts predict that by 2010, it will be the number 1 cause of death. (Update: For 2010, it is the second leading cause of death next to heart diseases.)

According to facts and statistics, it strikes one in 2 men and one in 3 women in their lifetimes.

It can strike anybody even if you are a famous person. However, it can be beaten and there are a lot of cancer survivors who can attest to it.

Genetic mutations are the leading causes with hereditary mutations causing 5-15% of malignant tumor cases and acquired mutations leading to 85-95% of cases.

Some cancer causing viruses and bacteria may cause the disease but still, it is not contagious. You can't get it from sharing a drink with someone who is diagnosed with it.

It is not caused by an injury. You can't get brain tumors if you bump your head nor can you develop breast tumors by bumping your breast.

It is just like any other disease. According to facts, it exhibits symptoms and signs but oftentimes, the signs and symptoms are tricky to detect.

It is caused by an interaction of two types of risks: those that you can avoid and those that you can't. That is why having one of the risk factors doesn't guarantee that you will develop it. Read more on this in what causes cancer.

It progresses in stages. Most types have 4 stages. Correct and precise staging is important in diagnosing and treating it.

According to facts about cancer, it is a deadly disease BUT the good news is, its prevention is doable. There are effective and practical ways to prevent cancer.