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Macmillan and Cancerbackup merged in 2008. Together we provide free, high quality information for people affected by cancer through our publications, website and phone service. Find out more| .
How we produce our information|
Cancer is not a single disease with a single type of treatment. There are more than 200 different kinds of cancer, each with its own name and treatment.
This section provides an overview of what cancer is - for further information, please see specific cancer types| or treatments|.
Cancer is a disease that occurs when the cells of the body multiply in an uncontrolled manner creating a lump called a tumour.
Early diagnosis can often make a difference to how easily cancer is managed. There are some common signs and symptoms to be aware of.
An overview of the six main types of treatment for cancer and a brief explanation of what they mean.
Your doctors and nurses may use words that you are not familiar with and statistics to explain how well something might work.
There are many different types of cancer – most of them are carcinomas. More rarely, they might be leukamias, lymphomas, sarcomas or brain tumours.
One in three people will develop cancer during their lifetime - the risk increases with age. Some cancers are much more common than others.
Cancer may come back after treatment which is known as a recurrence or secondary cancer depending on whether it is in the same part of the body or not.
Download leaflets with suggested questions to ask your doctor about your cancer treatment
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If you have any questions about cancer, need support or just want someone to talk to, ask Macmillan.
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