Cancers are named and categorized by the parts of the body that if effects first. The primary site is the part of the body or region that cancer affects first. For example, if you develop colon cancer but it spreads to the kidneys or liver, it is still called colon cancer. The metastatic site is the part of the body that cancer spreads to.
Stages, such as stage 1 or stage 4 are named based on how far the cancer has spread and can vary based on the type of cancer it is attempting to organize. The stage your cancer is in will affect the type of treatment your doctor will prescribe and suggest.
Today we will go over the 4 most common types of cancer and the area of the body they affect: Carcinoma, Sarcoma, Lymphoma, and Leukemia.
Carcinoma
Carcinomas are the most common type of cancer. They affect the skin or the linings of your organs and glands. Common types of carcinomas include:
- Skin cancer
- Lung cancer
- Breast cancer
Sarcoma
Sarcomas are much rarer than Carcinomas. They cause less than 200,000 cases of cancer in the United States each year. Sarcomas cause problems in the connective tissues and body fat. Sarcoma cancers include cancers that also damage the bones, cartilage, and nerves as well. These include:
- Soft tissue cancer
- Bone cancer
- Neural sheath cancer
Lymphoma
Lymphoma affects the lymph nodes of the body, as well as the spleen, bone marrow, and thymus glands.
Lymphoma is categorized into Hodgkin’s and Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and is differentiated by the type of cancer cells the lymphoma is made of.
Leukemia
Leukemia is also a fairly rare type of cancer that affects the blood. Leukemia most often affects white blood cells but can affect all blood cell types. Leukemia is unfortunately also the most common form of cancer in children.
Leukemia is also characterized by the big difference between how it’s fast spreading (acute) and slow developing (chronic) form and operate.
These include:
- Acute and chronic myelogenous leukemia
- Acute and chronic lymphocytic leukemia
No matter the type or stage, cancer needs a team to fight back. If your loved one believes you may have risk factors or are developing cancer, speak to a medical professional today.
