Feed a Blood Vessel, Starve a Tumor
... As far as Qing Wang, Ph.D., is concerned, sometimes you can have it both ways. Groundbreaking genetic research by Dr. Wang, director of the Cleveland Clinic’s Center for Cardiovascular Genetics, and h...

New Discovery Identifies One Source of Blood Vessel Formation
... Cleveland Clinic-led researchers have identified a new gene that regulates blood vessel formation, or angiogenesis, within the human body. Their discovery may have potential for devising new treatment...

Pain Management: Cancer Pain
... What is cancer pain? The majority of people with cancer will experience pain at some time or another. The pain can result from the cancer itself, or from the cancer’s treatment. In addition, some pati...

Palliative Care
... What is palliative care? Palliative care is a special type of medical care that focuses on treatment of the symptoms people may have when they are living with a chronic (long-standing) illness, such a...

Researchers Find Promise in B-12 Chemotherapy
... Targeted drug therapy using cobalamin, or vitamin B-12, is the carrier of a cancer-killing agent. Taking advantage of the characteristics of tumor and vitamin physiology, cancer researchers have desig...

New Website Demystifies Chemotherapy
... You’ve just been diagnosed with cancer. Or maybe you’re a parent with a child who’s just been diagnosed. And now you’re being asked to make some very important decisions about treatment and care. But ...

Coping With Chemotherapy
... Living with chemotherapyThe following are important dos and don''ts during chemotherapy as well as tips designed to ease your discomfort while undergoing the treatments. No aspirin Do not take any asp...

Cancer Overview
... Cancer is one of the scariest words in the English language. When you hear the word as part of a diagnosis, it’s natural to feel many emotions, especially fear. A cancer diagnosis can cause you and yo...

Exercise During Cancer Treatment
... Decreased physical activity, which may be the result of the cancer itself or the treatment, can lead to tiredness and lack of energy. Regular, moderate exercise can decrease these feelings, help you s...

Cancer Clinical Trials
... What is a clinical trial? A clinical trial, also called a research study, is a program that tests the value, and safety of various interventions in people. Clinical trials are meant to find new and im...

A Guide for People with Cancer and Their Families: Resources
... You may want more information for yourself, your family, and your doctor. The following National Cancer Institute (NCI) services are available to help you. Telephone Cancer Information Service (CIS) P...

Cancer of Unknown Primary Origin
... Cancer can begin in any organ or tissue of the body and is usually named for the part of the body or the type of tissue in which it begins (also called the primary, or original, cancer site). Cancer c...

Bone Marrow Transplantation
... A bone marrow transplant may be used to treat patients who have a form of cancer, such as leukemia, lymphoma or breast cancer.  What is bone marrow?Bone marrow is the spongy tissue found inside b...

Cancer Treatment Overview: Challenges for the Next Decade
... OverviewCancer will soon become the number one killer of Americans. Although cancer death rates from many types of tumors are decreasing, death rates for other types (such as lung cancer) are actually...

Cancer-Related Fatigue
... What is the difference between fatigue and tiredness? Fatigue is often confused with tiredness. Tiredness happens to everyone. It is an expected feeling after certain activities or at the end of the d...

Immunotherapy
... What is immunotherapy? Immunotherapy, also called biological therapy, is a type of treatment that uses the body’s immune system to fight cancer. The therapy mainly consists of stimulating the immune s...

Oral Care Should be Part of Cancer Management
... Not all people think to see their dentists before starting cancer treatments, but there are several reasons why they should. For instance, preexisting or untreated oral disease can complicate cancer t...

Cancer Patients Living Longer than Statistics Indicate
... Although doctors warn that survival statistics don’t usually predict individual prognosis. A new type of statistical analysis shows that people diagnosed with cancer are living longer than expected. T...

Managing Eating Problems During Treatment
... All the methods of treating cancer - surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, hormone therapy, and biological therapy (immunotherapy) - are very powerful. Although these treatments target the fast-gr...

Multiple Myeloma
... Multiple myeloma is a type of cancer that affects the bone marrow (the spongy tissue found inside bone). Multiple myeloma is part of a spectrum of diseases called plasma cell dyscrasia. Plasma cells a...

Paraneoplastic Syndromes Information Page
... Paraneoplastic syndromes are a group of rare degenerative disorders that are triggered by a person's immune system response to a neoplasm, or cancerous tumor. Neurologic paraneoplastic syndromes a...

Smoking and Continued Risk in Cancer Patients
... This patient summary on smoking cessation and continued risk in cancer patients is adapted from a summary written for health professionals by cancer experts. This and other credible information about ...

Peutz-Jeghers syndrome
... Peutz-Jeghers syndrome is an inherited disorder that greatly increases a person's risk of developing certain types of cancer. People with Peutz-Jeghers syndrome often have small, dark-colored spot...

Adult Non-Hodgkin''s Lymphoma Treatment
... Recurrent adult non-Hodgkin's lymphoma is cancer that has recurred (come back) after it has been treated. The lymphoma may come back in the lymph system or in other parts of the body. Indolent lym...

Newly Identified Tumor Suppressor Cooperates With p53 to Protect Mice Against Tumors
... Researchers at the National Cancer Institute (NCI), part of the National Institutes of Health, have identified a gene that plays an important role in preventing tumors in mice. In a study published in...

Depression and Cancer
... Symptoms of Depression Persistent sad, anxious, or "empty" mood Feelings of hopelessness, pessimism Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, helplessness Loss of interest or pleasure in hobbies and activitie...

Nutrition in Cancer Care
... Cancer and cancer treatments may cause nutrition-related side effects. The diet is an important part of cancer treatment. Eating the right kinds of foods before, during, and after treatment can help t...

Carcinoma of Unknown Primary Treatment
... If the cancer is in the neck area (cervical lymph nodes), treatment may be one of the following: Surgery to remove the tonsils (tonsillectomy). Radiation therapy. Radiation therapy followed by surgery...

Extragonadal Germ Cell Tumor Treatment
... The PDQ cancer information summaries are reviewed regularly and updated as new information becomes available. This section describes the latest changes made to this summary as of the date above. Edito...

Cancer Prevention Overview
... The summaries in the cancer prevention section of PDQ address the prevention of specific types of cancer. Prevention is defined as the reduction of cancer mortality via reduction in the incidence of c...

Cancer Screening Overview
... The PDQ cancer information summaries are reviewed regularly and updated as new information becomes available. This section describes the latest changes made to this summary as of the date above.Improv...

Scientists Establish Database of Genes Associated With Cancer Drug Resistance
... Scientists at the National Cancer Institute (NCI), a part of the National Institutes of Health, have created a database of information about a group of genes associated with multidrug resistance in ca...

Cowden syndrome
... Cowden syndrome is an inherited disorder characterized by multiple tumor-like growths (called hamartomas) and an increased risk of certain cancers. Almost everyone with this condition has hamartomas. ...

Li-Fraumeni syndrome
... Li-Fraumeni syndrome is a rare inherited disorder that greatly increases a person's risk of developing several types of cancer. People with this condition have a very high risk of developing cance...

Cancer Genetics Overview
... Knowledge about cancer genetics is rapidly expanding, with implications for all aspects of cancer management, including prevention, screening, and treatment. PDQ cancer genetics summaries provide info...

Annual Report to the Nation Finds Cancer Incidence and Death Rates on the Decline: Survival Rates Show Significant Improvement
... The nation's leading cancer organizations report that Americans' risk of getting and dying from cancer continues to decline and survival rates for many cancers continue to improve. The "A...

Childhood Extracranial Germ Cell Tumor Treatment
... Once a germ cell tumor is found (diagnosed), tests will be done to find out if the germ cell tumor is benign or malignant. If the tumor is malignant, more tests will be done to find out if the cancer ...

Unusual Cancers of Childhood Treatment
... The tumors discussed in this summary are many and different, and the discussion is arranged in descending order from tumors of the head and neck to tumors of the urinary system and skin. All of these ...

Preguntas Frecuentes acerca de los Problemas Médicos de las Mujeres Estadounidenses de Origen Hispano
... Hay cerca de 14 millones de mujeres de origen hispano en los Estados Unidos. Entre ellas hay mujeres de culturas, antecedentes y experiencias diversas - mexicano-americanas, centroamericanas y sudamer...

Fatigue
... Fatigue is one of the most common complaints of people with cancer and is also increased in some cancer survivors.[1,2] Fatigue exists in 14% to 96% of people with cancer, particularly in individuals ...

Vaginal Cancer Treatment
... Treatment may be one of the following: Surgery to remove all or part of the vagina (vaginectomy). This may be followed by skin grafting to repair damage done to the vagina. Internal radiation therapy....

Uterine Sarcoma Treatment
... Treatment may be one of the following: Surgery to remove the uterus, fallopian tubes and the ovaries, and some of the lymph nodes in the pelvis and abdomen (total abdominal hysterectomy, bilateral sal...

Breast Cancer Screening
... Note: Separate PDQ summaries on Prevention of Breast Cancer; Breast Cancer Treatment; Male Breast Cancer Treatment; and Breast Cancer and Pregnancy Treatment are also available. Ductal carcinoma in si...

Breast Cancer Treatment
... In inflammatory breast cancer, the breast looks red and swollen and feels warm. The redness and warmth occur because the cancer cells block the lymph vessels in the skin. The skin of the breast may al...

Male Breast Cancer Treatment
... Male breast cancer is rare. Less than 1% of all breast carcinomas occur in men.[1] The mean age at diagnosis is between 60 and 70, although men of all ages can be affected with the disease. Predisposi...

Small Cell Lung Cancer Treatment
... Recurrent small cell lung cancer is cancer that has recurred (come back) after it has been treated. The cancer may come back in the chest, central nervous system, or in other parts of the body. Treatm...

Cáncer de la próstata (PDQ®)
... Información general sobre el cáncer de la próstataEstadios del cáncer de la próstataCáncer recurrente de la próstataAspectos generales de las opciones de tratamientoOpciones de tratamiento por ...

Cáncer de la tiroides
... Descripción¿Qué es el cáncer tiroideo?Explicación de las etapasEtapas del cáncer tiroideo Cáncer papilar y folicular tiroideo Cáncer medular tiroideo Cáncer anaplásico tiroideo Cáncer tiroi...

Sleep Disorders
... Sleep disturbances occur in about 12% to 25% of the general population [1] and are often associated with situational stress, illness, aging, and drug treatment.[2,3] It is estimated that 45% of people...

Pruritus
... This patient summary on pruritus is adapted from a summary written for health professionals by cancer experts. This and other credible information about cancer treatment, screening, prevention, suppor...

Colorectal Cancer Screening
... Screening is looking for cancer before a person has any symptoms. This can help find cancer at an early stage. When abnormal tissue or cancer is found early, it may be easier to treat. By the time sym...

Kaposi''s Sarcoma Treatment
... Treatment may be one of the following: Radiation therapy. Local excision. Systemic or intralesional chemotherapy. Chemotherapy plus radiation therapy. Depending on the patient's condition, the can...

Radiation Enteritis
... Radiation enteritis is a functional disorder of the large and small bowel that occurs during or after a course of radiation therapy to the abdomen, pelvis, or rectum. The large and small bowel are ver...

Post-traumatic Stress Disorder
... This patient summary on posttraumatic stress disorder is adapted from the summary written for health professionals by cancer experts. This and other credible information about cancer treatment, screen...

Pituitary Tumor Treatment
... Treatment may be one of the following: Surgery to remove the tumor (transsphenoidal hypophysectomy or craniotomy Radiation therapy. Clinical trials may be testing new types of radiation therapy.Surger...

Pancreatic Cancer Treatment
... Recurrent pancreatic cancer is cancer that has recurred (come back) after it has been treated. The cancer may come back in the pancreas or in other parts of the body. Treatment of recurrent pancreatic...

Pain
... Cancer pain can be managed effectively through relatively simple means in up to 90% of the 8 million Americans who have cancer or a history of cancer. Unfortunately, pain associated with cancer is fre...

Ovarian Epithelial Cancer Treatment
... Recurrent ovarian epithelial cancer is cancer that has recurred (come back) after it has been treated. Treatment of recurrent ovarian epithelial cancer may include the following: Chemotherapy with or ...

Ovarian Germ Cell Tumor Treatment
... Recurrent ovarian germ cell tumor is cancer that has recurred (come back) after it has been treated. The cancer may come back in the other ovary or in other parts of the body. Treatment depends on whe...

Nutrition in Cancer Care
... Nutrition plays major (but not always fully understood) roles in many aspects of cancer development and treatment. Of cancer-related deaths, 20% to 40% may result from nutritional status rather than t...

Nausea and Vomiting
... Prevention and control of nausea and vomiting are paramount in the treatment of cancer patients. Nausea and vomiting can result in serious metabolic derangements, nutritional depletion and anorexia, d...

Nausea and Vomiting
... This patient summary on nausea and vomiting is adapted from the summary written for health professionals by cancer experts. This brief summary describes the causes and treatment of nausea and vomiting...

Hypercalcemia
... Hypercalcemia is the most common life-threatening metabolic disorder associated with neoplastic diseases, occurring in an estimated 10% to 20% of all persons with cancer. Solid tumors (such as lung or...

Delirium
... Delirium is a neuropsychiatric syndrome that occurs frequently in patients with cancer, particularly in those with advanced disease. Occurrence rates range from 28% to 48% in patients with advanced ca...

Penile Cancer Treatment
... If the cancer is limited to the foreskin, treatment will probably be wide local excision and circumcision. If the cancer begins in the glans and does not involve other tissues, treatment may involve: ...

AIDS-Related Lymphoma Treatment
... Treatment may be one of the following: Standard-dose or low-dose systemic chemotherapy plus intrathecal chemotherapy. A clinical trial of systemic chemotherapy plus colony-stimulating factors and anti...

Mycosis Fungoides/Sezary Syndrome Treatment
... Mycosis fungoides and the Sézary syndrome (MF/SS) are neoplasias of malignant T-lymphocytes that usually possess the helper/inducer cell surface phenotype. These neoplasms initially present as skin i...

Mycosis Fungoides/Sezary Syndrome Treatment
... Treatment may be one of the following: Phototherapy (PUVA therapy) with or without biological therapy. Total skin electron beam radiation therapy (TSEB radiation therapy). Topical chemotherapy.Local e...

Lung Cancer
... Cancer is a disease in which certain body cells don't function right, divide very fast, and produce too much tissue that forms a tumor. The lungs, a pair of sponge-like, cone-shaped organs, are pa...

Adult Primary Liver Cancer Treatment
... Note: A separate PDQ summary on Screening for Hepatocellular Cancer is also available. Note: Some citations in the text of this section are followed by a level of evidence. The PDQ editorial boards us...

Transitional Care Planning
... This patient summary on transitional care planning is adapted from a summary written for health professionals by cancer experts. This and other credible information about cancer treatment, screening, ...

Endometrial Cancer Treatment
... Recurrent endometrial cancer is cancer that has recurred (come back) after it has been treated. The cancer may come back in the pelvis, in lymph nodes in the abdomen, or in other parts of the body. Tr...

Gastrointestinal Complications
... Gastrointestinal complications (constipation, impaction, bowel obstruction, and diarrhea) are common problems for oncology patients. The growth and spread of cancer, as well as its treatment, contribu...

Fever, Sweats, and Hot Flashes
... Effective management strategies for fever and sweats are limited by the paucity of data about symptom epidemiology and contributing pathophysiologies in the advanced cancer patient. Not withstanding, ...

Depression
... This patient summary on depression is adapted from a summary written for health professionals by cancer experts. This and other credible information about cancer treatment, screening, prevention, supp...

Cervical Cancer Treatment
... Recurrent cervical cancer is cancer that has recurred (come back) after it has been treated. The cancer may come back in the cervix or in other parts of the body. Treatment of recurrent cervical cance...

Adrenocortical Carcinoma Treatment
... Treatment will probably be surgery to remove the cancer. Treatment will probably be surgery to remove the cancer. Clinical trials are testing new treatments. Treatment may be one of the following: Sur...

Adult Brain Tumor Treatment
... The extent or spread of cancer is usually described as stages. There is no standard staging system for brain tumors. Primary brain tumors may spread within the central nervous system (brain and spinal...

Anxiety Disorder
... Anxiety is often manifested in individuals at various times during cancer screening, diagnosis, treatment, or recurrence. It can sometimes affect a person's behavior regarding his or her health, c...

Bladder Cancer Treatment
... Recurrent bladder cancer is cancer that has recurred (come back) after it has been treated. The cancer may come back in the bladder or in other parts of the body. Treatment of recurrent bladder cancer...

Gallbladder Cancer Treatment
... Recurrent gallbladder cancer is cancer that has recurred (come back) after it has been treated. The cancer may come back in the gallbladder or in other parts of the body. The PDQ cancer information su...

Superior Vena Cava Syndrome
... Superior vena cava syndrome (SVCS) is an array of symptoms caused by the impairment of blood flow through the superior vena cava (SVC) to the right atrium. Symptoms that prompt suspicion of this syndr...