CancerQuest | Introduction to Cancer by Type

This section contains information detailing cancers by type. As our focus is on the biology of the cancers and their treatments, we do not give detailed treatment guidelines. Instead, we link to organizations in the U.S. that generate the treatment guidelines.

Thank you for your patience as we work to continue expanding this section with additional cancer types. If the cancer in which you are interested is not yet presented, please check back because we will be adding new cancer types regularly.

Cancers may be categorized based on the functions/locations of the cells from which they originate. The following terms are commonly used to categorize tumors by their tissue (cell type) of origin.

Carcinoma- a tumor derived from epithelial cells, those cells that line the surface of our skin and organs.⁽¹⁾Our digestive tract and airways are also lined with epithelial cells. This is the most common cancer type and represents about 80-90% of all cancer cases reported.
Sarcoma-a tumor derived from muscle, bone, cartilage, fat or connective tissues.⁽¹⁾
Leukemia- a cancer derived from white blood cells or their precursors. The cells that form both white and red blood cells are located in the bone marrow.⁽¹⁾
Lymphoma- a cancer of bone marrow derived cells that affects the lymphatic system.⁽¹⁾
Myelomas- a cancer involving the white blood cells responsible for the production of antibodies (B lymphocytes or B-cells).⁽¹⁾

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