cancer

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Definitions (44)

Toggle American Heritage Dictionary definitions American Heritage Dictionary (3)

  1. noun Any of various malignant neoplasms characterized by the proliferation of anaplastic cells that tend to invade surrounding tissue and metastasize to new body sites.
  2. noun The pathological condition characterized by such growths.
  3. noun A pernicious, spreading evil: A cancer of bigotry spread through the community.

Toggle Century Dictionary definitions Century Dictionary (35)

  1. [capitalized] [NL.] In zoology, the typical genus of brachyurous decapodous crustaceans of the family Cancridæ: formerly more than conterminous with the order Decapoda, now restricted to the common edible crab of Europe, C. pagurus, and its immediate congeners. See crab.
  2. [capitalized] In astronomy, a constellation and also a sign of the zodiac, represented by the form of a crab, and showing the limits of the sun's course northward in summer; hence, the sign of the summer solstice (marked {Cancer symbol}).
  3. In pathology, a malignant tumor technically named carcinoma (which see); also, by extension, any malignant tumor, as one of certain adenomata and sarcomata.
  4. A plant, possibly cancerwort. Who taught the poore beast having poison tasted, To seek th' hearbe cancer, and by that to cure him. Great Britaine's Troye, 1. 1609.
  5. Adenoid cancer an adenocarcinoma.
  6. Alveolar cancer, colloid cancer, encephaloid cancer. See the adjectives.
  7. Tropic of Cancer. See tropic.
  8. The term cancer, as commonly employed, includes those new growths which possess certain attributes that render them especially dangerous to life, and which are therefore called malignant. Malignant tumors growby infiltration and destruction of the surrounding tissues, and are characterized by a tendency to recur after removal, by the property of spreading to other parts of the body by a process of dissemination known as metastasis, and by producing a general disturbance of health termed cachexia. From the standpoint, of the pathologist two chief groups of cancerous tumors are recognized: the carcinomata, or true cancers, and the sarcomata. The fundamental difference between these two is the fact that carcinoma originates in the epithelial tissues of the body, whereas sarcoma develops from the connective tissues. This difference in origin gives rise to certain structural characteristics which enable the microscopist readily to distinguish one type from the other. Carcinoma is rare before the age of thirty; it is somewhat commoner in women than in men; and it is most often seen in the uterus, skin, breast, and stomach. Sarcoma is a disease of early adult life, is more prone to attack men than women, and is commonly found in the subcutaneous tissue, bony structures, and lymph-nodes. Carcinoma is conveyed from one part of the body to another through the lymphatic vessels, sarcoma by way of the blood-stream. In spite of an enormous amount of research devoted to this subject, the exciting cause of cancer is still unknown. The influences of heredity, climate, food, race, social condition, and local injury have all been invoked as factors concerned, but without arriving at any degree of certainty. The theory referring the developmentof malignant tumors to the presence of minute animal or vegetable organisms has numerous adherents, but it has not been definitely established, and many prominent authorities consider that the explanation is to be sought for in a disturbance of some still undiscovered fundamental law governing the growth of cells. Although it appears that cancer is increasing somewhat in frequency, the percentage of cures is increasing much more rapidly, owing to the earlier diagnoses and more thorough operations which are now possible. Extirpation by the knife as promptly and as completely as possible, when the growth is accessible, is regarded as the method of treatment that offers the greatest hope of a cure; but the employment of the X-rays or other form of radioactivity has in a number of instances given excellent results.
  9. Figuratively, a moral or social evil likened to a cancer in its malignant character and corroding tendency: as, “sloth is a cancer,” Bp. Ken.
  10. Acinous cancer a malignant growth originating in the epithelium of acinous glands.
  11. Areolar cancer. Same as colloid cancer.
  12. Calms of Cancer. See calm.
  13. Cancer aquaticus. Same as noma.
  14. Cancer en cuirasse or cuirass cancer a superficial scirrhous cancer involving a wide area of the anterior chest-wall: it resembles remotely a shield.
  15. Cancer Galeni. Same as Galen's *bandage.
  16. Cellular cancer cerebriform cancer. Same as encephaloid cancer.
  17. Chimneysweeps' cancer epithelioma of the scrotum.
  18. Chondroid cancer a form of scirrhous cancer having a texture like that of cartilage.
  19. Cylinder-cell cancer. Same as cylindroma.
  20. Cystic cancer. Same as colloid cancer.
  21. Dendritic cancer malignant papilloma.
  22. Epithelial cancer a malignant growth originating in squamous or cylindrical epithelium; epithelioma.
  23. Fungous cancer. Same as fungus hematodes.
  24. Glandular cancer. Same as adenocarcinoma and adenosarcoma.
  25. Green cancer. Same as chloroma.
  26. Hard cancer. Same as scirrhus.
  27. Hematoid cancer. Same as fungus hematodes.
  28. Mucous cancer. Same as colloid cancer.
  29. Papillary cancer malignant papilloma.
  30. Pigmentary cancer. Same as melanocarcinoma and melanosarcoma.
  31. Rodent cancer. Same as rodent *ulcer.
  32. Soft cancer. Same as encephaloid canter.
  33. Spider cancer a form of nævus marked by a central red area with red lines radiating from it. It is not of a cancerous or malignant nature. Also called spider nævus.
  34. Tubular cancer. Same as cylindroma.
  35. To corrode or eat into, in the manner and with the steadily destructive persistency of a cancer. Other things advance per saltum — they do not silently cancer their way onwards. De Quincey, Works, III. 280.

Toggle GNU Webster's 1913 definitions GNU Webster's 1913 (1)

  1. A genus of decapod Crustacea, including some of the most common shore crabs of Europe and North America, as the rock crab, Jonah crab, etc. See Crab.

Toggle WordNet definitions WordNet (5)

  1. type genus of the family Cancridae
  2. the fourth sign of the zodiac; the sun is in this sign from about June 21 to July 22
  3. a small zodiacal constellation in the northern hemisphere; between Leo and Gemini
  4. (astrology) a person who is born while the sun is in Cancer
  5. any malignant growth or tumor caused by abnormal and uncontrolled cell division; it may spread to other parts of the body through the lymphatic system or the blood stream

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