Common Types of Cancer

Every year, over a million people in the United States are diagnosed with cancer. Some cancers, like stomach cancer are rather rare in the United States, while others have an extremely high incidence rate. To be classified as a common cancer, a certain type of cancer must have an incidence rate of 40,000 cases per year. With the amount of people diagnosed with cancer steadily on the rise, its extremely important to understand the symptoms of cancer and ways of preventing cancer.

Lung Cancer
Lung cancer has the highest annual incidence rate in the U.S. with over 222,000 diagnoses a year. The two main types, small cell lung cancer and non-small cell lung cancer, are diagnosed according to how cells look under the microscope.

Small cell lung cancer accounts for about 15% of lung cancer cases and spreads much faster than non-small cell lung cancer. Most of these cases are due to smoking; small cell lung cancer almost never occurs in individuals that have never smoked. The progression of this disease begins in the breathing tubes in the chest. Then, these small cells grow rapidly, producing tumors. This type of cancer is easily spread to other parts of the body.

Non-small cell lung cancer is the most common form of lung cancer and spreads less quickly than small cell lung cancer. The risk factors for this form include smoking, secondhand smoke, and exposure to high levels of pollution, asbestos, and certain paints, preservatives, and pigments.

Prostate Cancer
There are over 217,000 new incidences of prostate cancer per year, making it the second most common type of cancer. This male cancer affects the prostate, the gland that produces the fluid that protects and nourishes the sperm. It typically occurs in older men and is rarely found in men under 40. People who are at high risk for this form of cancer are African-American men, men over 60 years of age, and men who have a relative with prostate cancer.

Breast Cancer
Breast cancer is the third most common type of cancer with over 207,000 new cases per year. It can be found in both men and women, although breast cancer is quite rare in men. The two main types of breast cancer are ductal carcinoma, and lobular carcinoma. Ductal carcinoma begins in breast tissue called ducts, the tubes that move milk to the nipple while lobular carcinoma begins in the breast tissue known as lobules, which produce the milk. In very rare cases, breast cancer can also occur in other breast tissues.

Colon and Rectal Cancer (Colorectal Cancer)These two types of cancer account for the fourth highest incidence rate with 142,000 cases per year. Colon cancer is the type of cancer that forms in the colon, which is the longest part of the intestine. Rectal cancer is cancer of the rectum, the lower part of the colon that connects the intestines to the anus. These two cancers have many things in common which is why they are often lumped together. Most colorectal cancers are adenocarcinomas, cancers that start in cells that produce and release fluids like mucus. Additionally, both of these types usually develop slowly over time.

Bladder Cancer
There are around 70,000 cases of bladder cancer diagnosed each year, making it the fifth most common type of cancer. This cancer affects the tissues in the bladder, the urine-producing organ. Typically, bladder cancers are transitional cell carcinomas, which  are cancers that start in the inner lining of the bladder. However, there are other types of bladder cancers as well. Squamous cell carcinoma, which begins in thin, flat cells, and adenocarcinoma, which begins in cells that produce and release fluids are also common forms. These latter two types of bladder cancer (squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma) result from chronic irritation and inflammation.

Other common types of cancer include melanoma (68,000 cases/year), Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (65,500 cases/year), kidney cancer (53,500 cases/year), endometrial cancer (43,400 cases/year), pancreatic cancer (43,100 cases/year), and leukemia (43,000 cases/year).