Common Cancer Types
Carcinoma
- Cancers which originate in the skin, lungs, breasts, pancreas and other organs/ glands
- Carcinomas are the most commonly diagnosed cancer type, usually forming solid tumors
- Squamous cell carcinomas can destroy nearby healthy tissue, however they can also
spread to the lymph nodes and other organs
- Although carcinomas can be fatal, this is relatively uncommon
- Examples: squamous cell carcinoma, lung carcinoma, invasive ductal carcinoma
Sarcoma
- Cancers which originate in the bones and connective tissue
- Split into two types: soft tissue sarcoma and bone sarcoma (osteosarcoma)
- Tumors commonly present in the bones, muscles, tendons, cartilage, nerves and fat
- Much rarer than carcinomas, but can be treated by surgery to remove tumors
- Examples: angiosarcoma, malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor, dermatofibrosarcoma
protuberans
Leukemia
- Cancers which originate in the blood forming tissues of the body, including the bone
marrow
- Some forms of leukemia are more common in children, whilst others are more prevalent in
adults
- Usually involves the white blood cells, causing them to divide uncontrollably
- Due to the nature of origin, leukemias can spread very fast to many other areas of the body
- Examples: acute myeloid leukemia, acute lymphocytic leukemia, chronic myelogenous
leukemia
Lymphoma and Myeloma
- These cancers are blood cancers, like leukemia, but present differently. Lymphomas form
tumors in lymphatic tissues, and myelomas form tumors of the bone marrow, and involve a
specific type of white blood cells called plasma cells
- Examples: Hodgkin’s lymphoma, IgG myeloma, extramedullary plasmacytoma
Carcinoma
- Cancers which originate in the skin, lungs, breasts, pancreas and other organs/ glands
- Carcinomas are the most commonly diagnosed cancer type, usually forming solid tumors
- Squamous cell carcinomas can destroy nearby healthy tissue, however they can also
spread to the lymph nodes and other organs
- Although carcinomas can be fatal, this is relatively uncommon
- Examples: squamous cell carcinoma, lung carcinoma, invasive ductal carcinoma
Sarcoma
- Cancers which originate in the bones and connective tissue
- Split into two types: soft tissue sarcoma and bone sarcoma (osteosarcoma)
- Tumors commonly present in the bones, muscles, tendons, cartilage, nerves and fat
- Much rarer than carcinomas, but can be treated by surgery to remove tumors
- Examples: angiosarcoma, malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor, dermatofibrosarcoma
protuberans
Leukemia
- Cancers which originate in the blood forming tissues of the body, including the bone
marrow
- Some forms of leukemia are more common in children, whilst others are more prevalent in
adults
- Usually involves the white blood cells, causing them to divide uncontrollably
- Due to the nature of origin, leukemias can spread very fast to many other areas of the body
- Examples: acute myeloid leukemia, acute lymphocytic leukemia, chronic myelogenous
leukemia
Lymphoma and Myeloma
- These cancers are blood cancers, like leukemia, but present differently. Lymphomas form
tumors in lymphatic tissues, and myelomas form tumors of the bone marrow, and involve a
specific type of white blood cells called plasma cells
- Examples: Hodgkin’s lymphoma, IgG myeloma, extramedullary plasmacytoma
