Cancer Noun Bre ˈkænsə(R ˈkænsər Lung/Breast Bowel/Stomach Skin

• lung/breast cancer
• cancer of the bowel/stomach
• most skin cancers are completely curable.
• the cancer has spread to his stomach.

cancer

1. a serious disease in which growths of cells, also called cancers, form in the body and kill normal body cells. The disease often causes death.
• lung/breast cancer
• cancer of the bowel/stomach
• Most skin cancers are completely curable.
• The cancer has spread to his stomach.
• Smokers face an increased risk of developing lung cancer.
• cancer patients
• cancer research
2. an evil or dangerous thing that spreads quickly
• Violence is a cancer in our society.

Extra Examples

• Childhood cancers have a very good survival rate.
• He died after an 18-month battle against cancer.
• Most of the women employees have now been screened for breast cancer.
• Prostate cancer deaths fell after screening was introduced.
• The cancer risk among smokers was found to be higher.

Word Origin

• Old English, from Latin, ‘crab or creeping ulcer’, translating Greek karkinos, said to have been applied to such tumours because the swollen veins around them resembled the limbs of a crab. canker was the usual form until the 17th cent. Compare with Cancer.