What is "cancer"

Cancer \Can"cer\, n. [L. cancer, cancri, crab, ulcer, a sign of the zodiac; akin to Gr. karki`nos, Skr. karka[.t]a crab, and prob. Skr. karkara hard, the crab being named from its hard shell. Cf. Canner, Chancre.]

1. (Zo["o]l.) A genus of decapod Crustacea, including some of the most common shore crabs of Europe and North America, as the rock crab, Jonah crab, etc. See Crab.

2. (Astron.)

   1. The fourth of the twelve signs of the zodiac. The first point is the northern limit of the sun's course in summer; hence, the sign of the summer solstice. See Tropic.

   2. A northern constellation between Gemini and Leo.

3. (Med.) Formerly, any malignant growth, esp. one attended with great pain and ulceration, with cachexia and progressive emaciation. It was so called, perhaps, from the great veins which surround it, compared by the ancients to the claws of a crab. The term is now restricted to such a growth made up of aggregations of epithelial cells, either without support or embedded in the meshes of a trabecular framework.

   Note: Four kinds of cancers are recognized: (1) Epithelial cancer, or Epithelioma, in which there is no trabecular framework. See Epithelioma. (2) Scirrhous cancer, or Hard cancer, in which the framework predominates, and the tumor is of hard consistence and slow growth. (3) Encephaloid cancer, Medullary cancer, or Soft cancer, in which the cellular element predominates, and the tumor is soft, grows rapidy, and often ulcerates. (4) Colloid cancer, in which the cancerous structure becomes gelatinous. The last three varieties are also called carcinoma.

   Cancer cells, cells once believed to be peculiar to cancers, but now know to be epithelial cells differing in no respect from those found elsewhere in the body, and distinguished only by peculiarity of location and grouping.

   Cancer root (Bot.), the name of several low plants, mostly parasitic on roots, as the beech drops, the squawroot, etc.

   Tropic of Cancer. See Tropic.

Sign \Sign\, n. [F. signe, L. signum; cf. AS. segen, segn, a sign, standard, banner, also fr. L. signum. Cf. Ensign, Resign, Seal a stamp, Signal, Signet.] That by which anything is made known or represented; that which furnishes evidence; a mark; a token; an indication; a proof. Specifically:

1. A remarkable event, considered by the ancients as indicating the will of some deity; a prodigy; an omen.

2. An event considered by the Jews as indicating the divine will, or as manifesting an interposition of the divine power for some special end; a miracle; a wonder.

   Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God.
   --Rom. xv. 19.

   It shall come to pass, if they will not believe thee, neither hearken to the voice of the first sign, that they will believe the voice of the latter sign.
   --Ex. iv. 8.

3. Something serving to indicate the existence, or preserve the memory, of a thing; a token; a memorial; a monument.

   What time the fire devoured two hundred and fifty men, and they became a sign.
   --Num. xxvi. 10.

4. Any symbol or emblem which prefigures, typifles, or represents, an idea; a type; hence, sometimes, a picture.

   The holy symbols, or signs, are not barely significative; but what they represent is as certainly delivered to us as the symbols themselves.
   --Brerewood.

   Saint George of Merry England, the sign of victory.
   --Spenser.

5. A word or a character regarded as the outward manifestation of thought; as, words are the sign of ideas.

6. A motion, an action, or a gesture by which a thought is expressed, or a command or a wish made known.

   They made signs to his father, how he would have him called.
   --Luke i. 62.

7. Hence, one of the gestures of pantomime, or of a language of a signs such as those used by the North American Indians, or those used by the deaf and dumb.

   Note: Educaters of the deaf distinguish between natural signs, which serve for communicating ideas, and methodical, or systematic, signs, adapted for the dictation, or the rendering, of written language, word by word; and thus the signs are to be distinguished from the manual alphabet, by which words are spelled on the fingers.

8. A military emblem carried on a banner or a standard.
   --Milton.

9. A lettered board, or other conspicuous notice, placed upon or before a building, room, shop, or office to advertise the business there transacted, or the name of the person or firm carrying it on; a publicly displayed token or notice.

   The shops were, therefore, distinguished by painted signs, which gave a gay and grotesque aspect to the streets.
   --Macaulay.

10. (Astron.) The twelfth part of the ecliptic or zodiac.

    Note: The signs are reckoned from the point of intersection of the ecliptic and equator at the vernal equinox, and are named, respectively, Aries ([Aries]), Taurus ([Taurus]), Gemini (II), Cancer ([Cancer]), Leo ([Leo]), Virgo ([Virgo]), Libra ([Libra]), Scorpio ([Scorpio]), Sagittarius ([Sagittarius]), Capricornus ([Capricorn]), {Aquarius ([Aquarius]), Pisces ([Pisces]). These names were originally the names of the constellations occupying severally the divisions of the zodiac, by which they are still retained; but, in consequence of the procession of the equinoxes, the signs have, in process of time, become separated about 30 degrees from these constellations, and each of the latter now lies in the sign next in advance, or to the east of the one which bears its name, as the constellation Aries in the sign Taurus, etc.

11. (Alg.) A character indicating the relation of quantities, or an operation performed upon them; as, the sign + (plus); the sign -- (minus); the sign of division /, and the like.

12. (Med.) An objective evidence of disease; that is, one appreciable by some one other than the patient.

    Note: The terms symptom and and sign are often used synonymously; but they may be discriminated. A sign differs from a symptom in that the latter is perceived only by the patient himself. The term sign is often further restricted to the purely local evidences of disease afforded by direct examination of the organs involved, as distinguished from those evidence of general disturbance afforded by observation of the temperature, pulse, etc. In this sense it is often called physical sign.

13. (Mus.) Any character, as a flat, sharp, dot, etc.

14. (Theol.) That which, being external, stands for, or signifies, something internal or spiritual; -- a term used in the Church of England in speaking of an ordinance considered with reference to that which it represents. An outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace. --Bk. of Common Prayer. Note: See the Table of Arbitrary Signs, p. 1924. Sign manual.

    1. (Eng. Law) The royal signature superscribed at the top of bills of grants and letter patent, which are then sealed with the privy signet or great seal, as the case may be, to complete their validity.

    2. The signature of one's name in one's own handwriting.
       --Craig. Tomlins. Wharton.

       Syn: Token; mark; note; symptom; indication; signal; symbol; type; omen; prognostic; presage; manifestation. See Emblem.

Old English cancer "spreading sore, cancer" (also canceradl), from Latin cancer "a crab," later, "malignant tumor," from Greek karkinos, which, like the Modern English word, has three meanings: crab, tumor, and the zodiac constellation (late Old English), from PIE root *qarq- "to be hard" (like the shell of a crab); cognates: Sanskrit karkatah "crab," karkarah "hard;" and perhaps cognate with PIE root *qar-tu- "hard, strong," source of English hard.\n

\nGreek physicians Hippocrates and Galen, among others, noted similarity of crabs to some tumors with swollen veins. Meaning "person born under the zodiac sign of Cancer" is from 1894. The sun being in Cancer at the summer solstice, the constellation had association in Latin writers with the south and with summer heat. Cancer stick "cigarette" is from 1959.

n. (context medicine oncology disease English) A disease in which the cells of a tissue undergo uncontrolled (and often rapid) proliferation.

1. n. any malignant growth or tumor caused by abnormal and uncontrolled cell division; it may spread to other parts of the body through the lymphatic system or the blood stream [syn: malignant neoplastic disease]

2. (astrology) a person who is born while the sun is in Cancer [syn: Crab]

3. a small zodiacal constellation in the northern hemisphere; between Leo and Gemini

4. the fourth sign of the zodiac; the sun is in this sign from about June 21 to July 22 [syn: Cancer the Crab, Crab]

5. type genus of the family Cancridae [syn: genus Cancer]

Cancer is one of the twelve constellations of the zodiac. Its name is Latin for crab and it is commonly represented as one. Its astrological symbol is (Unicode ♋). Cancer is a medium-size constellation with an area of 506 square degrees and its stars are rather faint, its brightest star Beta Cancri having an apparent magnitude of 3.5. It contains two stars with known planets, including 55 Cancri, which has five: one super-earth and four gas giants, one of which is in the habitable zone and as such has expected temperatures similar to Earth. Located at the center of the constellation is Praesepe (Messier 44), one of the closest open clusters to Earth and a popular target for amateur astronomers.

Cancer is a large class of malignant diseases.

Cancer may also refer to:

Cancer (♋️) ( Greek: Καρκίνος, Latin: Cancer) is the fourth astrological sign, which is associated with the constellation Cancer. It spans the 90-120th degree of the zodiac, between 90 and 125.25 degree of celestial longitude. Under the tropical zodiac, the Sun transits this area on average between June 22 and July 22, and under the sidereal zodiac, the Sun transits this area between approximately July 9 and August 15. The symbol of the crab is based on the Karkinos, a giant crab that harassed Heracles during his fight with the Hydra.

Cancer are a British death/ thrash metal band formed in Ironbridge, Telford, Shropshire in 1988. Over the course of their career, they released five full-length albums, including one for the major label East West, and broke up twice (in 1996 and 2006). As of September 2013, Cancer have reformed once again.

Cancer is a genus of marine crabs in the family Cancridae. It includes eight extant species and three extinct species, including familiar crabs of the littoral zone, such as the European edible crab ( Cancer pagurus), the Jonah crab (Cancer borealis) and the red rock crab ( Cancer productus). It is thought to have evolved from related genera in the Pacific Ocean in the Miocene.

Cancer is the name of three fictional characters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.

Cancer is an album by My Disco, released on November 7, 2006. The album marked a change in direction for the band, further into math rock, shifting towards minimalism, a theme further explored and refined in the following album Paradise. The album was recorded in mid-2006.

The album was released through Numerical Thief. It was also released on vinyl.

Many of the song titles and lyrics relate to a general cancer diagnosis and treatment theme.

Cancer is a group of diseases involving abnormal cell growth with the potential to invade or spread to other parts of the body. Not all tumors are cancerous; benign tumors do not spread to other parts of the body. Possible signs and symptoms include a lump, abnormal bleeding, prolonged cough, unexplained weight loss and a change in bowel movements. While these symptoms may indicate cancer, they may have other causes. Over 100 cancers affect humans.

Tobacco use is the cause of about 22% of cancer deaths. Another 10% is due to obesity, poor diet, lack of physical activity and drinking alcohol. Other factors include certain infections, exposure to ionizing radiation and environmental pollutants. In the developing world nearly 20% of cancers are due to infections such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C and human papillomavirus (HPV). These factors act, at least partly, by changing the genes of a cell. Typically many genetic changes are required before cancer develops. Approximately 5–10% of cancers are due to inherited genetic defects from a person's parents. Cancer can be detected by certain signs and symptoms or screening tests. It is then typically further investigated by medical imaging and confirmed by biopsy.

Many cancers can be prevented by not smoking, maintaining a healthy weight, not drinking too much alcohol, eating plenty of vegetables, fruits and whole grains, vaccination against certain infectious diseases, not eating too much processed and red meat, and avoiding too much sunlight exposure. Early detection through screening is useful for cervical and colorectal cancer. The benefits of screening in breast cancer are controversial. Cancer is often treated with some combination of radiation therapy, surgery, chemotherapy, and targeted therapy. Pain and symptom management are an important part of care. Palliative care is particularly important in people with advanced disease. The chance of survival depends on the type of cancer and extent of disease at the start of treatment. In children under 15 at diagnosis the five-year survival rate in the developed world is on average 80%. For cancer in the United States the average five-year survival rate is 66%.

In 2012 about 14.1 million new cases of cancer occurred globally (not including skin cancer other than melanoma). It caused about 8.2 million deaths or 14.6% of human deaths. The most common types of cancer in males are lung cancer, prostate cancer, colorectal cancer and stomach cancer. In females, the most common types are breast cancer, colorectal cancer, lung cancer and cervical cancer. If skin cancer other than melanoma were included in total new cancers each year it would account for around 40% of cases. In children, acute lymphoblastic leukaemia and brain tumors are most common except in Africa where non-Hodgkin lymphoma occurs more often. In 2012, about 165,000 children under 15 years of age were diagnosed with cancer. The risk of cancer increases significantly with age and many cancers occur more commonly in developed countries. Rates are increasing as more people live to an old age and as lifestyle changes occur in the developing world. The financial costs of cancer were estimated at $1.16 trillion US dollars per year as of 2010.

Cancer is a biweekly peer-reviewed scientific journal which covers oncology. The journal was established in 1948. It is an official journal of the American Cancer Society and is published by Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the society. The first editor was Fred W. Stewart, who held that position until 1961. The editor-in-chief is Fadlo R. Khuri. Cancer Cytopathology was published as a supplement from 1997 until 2008 when it was split into a separate journal.

According to traditional Chinese uranography, the modern constellation Cancer is located within the southern quadrant of the sky, which is symbolized as the Vermilion Bird of the South (南方朱雀, Nán Fāng Zhū Què).

The name of the western constellation in modern Chinese is 巨蟹座 (jù xiè zuò), meaning "the giant crab constellation".

Cancer is the first full-length studio album by Australian hardcore/ metalcore band Confession, released on 10 September 2009, through Resist Records.

The album was recorded at Sound House Studio in Adelaide, Australia and mixed by Roman Koester ( The Red Shore guitarist) in Melbourne.

Cancer is a science-fiction rock opera and the tenth studio album by American rock band Showbread. The album was released in 2012 through non-profit record label Come&Live!. Cancer was produced by Rich Veltrop, who had previously co-produced Showbread's albums No Sir, Nihilism Is Not Practical, Age of Reptiles, The Fear of God and Who Can Know It?. This is the band's second album to be funded completely by fans and released as a free download without the assistance of a major record label.

Cancer: The Emperor of All Maladies is a 2015 American documentary film directed by Barak Goodman and produced by Ken Burns. The film, in three-episodes of two hours each, is based on the Pulitzer Prize winning 2010 book, The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer, by Siddhartha Mukherjee, and describes the history of cancer, and cancer treatments, particularly in the United States.

The documentary film was narrated by Edward Herrmann, who was himself suffering from terminal brain cancer at the time of its production. He died on December 31, 2014, three months before the film's release.