Cancers

Cells in all parts of the body may look and work differently but they reproduce themselves in the same way. New cells are constantly being made to replace the old or dying ones. Normally cells split in a unified manner. If for some reason the splitting process gets out of control, the cells carry on dividing, changing into a clump of cells which is called a tumour. These tumours come in two types benign or malignant.

Cancer is the name given to a malignant tumour. Doctors are able to tell if a tumour is benign or malignant by checking a small sample of cells under a microscope (a biopsy). In a benign tumour the cells do not spread to other parts of the body and so are not cancerous. However, if they continue to grow at the original site, they may cause a problem by pressing on the surrounding organs.