What is cancer?
The organs and tissues of the body are made up of cells. As cells age, there is a constant process of cells dying and being replaced by new cells. This is usually an orderly process, but if too many new cells are created they form a tumour. Some tumours are not cancerous (benign) and may not need treatment, but malignant tumours (cancers) can spread.
During our lifetimes, one in every three of us will be diagnosed with cancer, but cancer is rare in children and young people. Two-thirds of people diagnosed with cancer are aged over 65 years. Many people are cured of cancer. If a cure is not possible, many people with cancer can live for a long time if they have effective treatment. There are over 200 types of cancer, and we have information on the 50 most common types.
Find out about the main types of cancer or get more information about cancer on our Cancerbackup site.
Signs and symptoms
Being aware of your own body and your general health will help you to notice any changes that might be early symptoms of cancer. Many cancers can be treated and cured; the earlier the better.
There is no clear-cut list of symptoms, as the symptoms vary for different kinds of cancer. You can read about the most common ones on our Cancerbackup site. If you are concerned about symptoms, ask for advice from your family doctor or the nurse in your local health centre.
Tests and screening
If you are worried about symptoms that you may think suggest cancer, then you should visit your GP. If your GP thinks there is any possibility that you may have cancer, they will refer you to a hospital outpatient department for further examinations and tests.
It can take courage to go to your GP to have symptoms checked out and going for tests can be a worrying time as you wait for results. You may have more than one type of test, depending on the part of the body being investigated and the most common tests are listed on our Cancerbackup website. Be sure to ask as many questions as you want, and don't be afraid to ask again if you're not fully clear on the answers. Asking questions [PDF, 32kb] can help you to get important information about any tests for which you have been referred.
If you need extra support at this difficult time, there are people and organisations who you can talk to even before it is confirmed whether or not you have cancer. Call Cancerline on freephone 0808 808 2020 (Mon - Fri 9am - 9pm) to answer any questions you may have.
Worries and concerns
Waiting for test results and for any treatment to begin can be a particularly worrying time. But it is important that all the relevant tests have been completed before treatment is started, as this will affect the doctors' recommendations on the best option for treating your cancer.
Ask the hospital staff how long you may be expected to wait for results, and remember that asking questions about the tests can help you to feel more in control. You can also contact your local Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS), for details of the length of time you can expect to wait.
The genetic risks of cancer
Sometimes people think they have a higher risk of developing cancer because there has been cancer in their family. But only a small number of cancers (between 5 and 10% or less than 1 in 10 cases) seem to be caused by a gene that is inherited from either parent. If you have one or two relatives with cancer, this does not mean that a 'cancer gene' is running in your family. For more information on genetics and cancer, go to our Cancerbackup site or assess your inherited genetic risk of breast and ovarian cancer with our online tool OPERA.
Get information on the most common types of cancer and cancer treatments here.