What is cancer?

    Researchedby:
    Detrick Snyder

    Fact-checked

    by:

    Louie Neri, Zia Poonja
    Last Updated: October 25, 2023

    Cancer is a collection of diseases characterized by uncontrolled cell replication and growth.[1] Solid cancers form a harmful tumor from a specific type of tissue, while hematological (blood) cancers form from lymphatic and blood tissues.[2] As cancers grow, they become more malignant, and the most advanced cancers spread to other areas of the body in a process called metastasis. Some types of cancer can be treated with a high margin of success, while other cancers usually lead to death.[3]