Cancer Learning Path

Etymology and definitions of cancer

The word “cancer” comes from the ancient Greek term καρκίνος (karkinos), meaning “crab” and “tumor.” Greek physicians such as Hippocrates and Galen used the term because some tumors were thought to resemble crabs, particularly with swollen veins. The modern medical sense of the word entered English around 1600. In definitions, cancer refers to a large family of diseases characterized by abnormal, uncontrolled cell growth. These malignant tumors can invade nearby tissues and may spread (metastasize) to other parts of the body. Cancer is a subset of neoplasms (tumors), where a neoplasm is a mass or group of cells that has undergone unregulated growth and may be localized or diffuse. Tumor cells in cancer show key “hallmarks,” including growth without proper signals, continued division despite contrary signals, avoidance of programmed cell death, limitless replicative potential, promotion of new blood vessel formation (angiogenesis), and the ability to invade tissue and form metastases. Cancer develops through malignant progression, meaning that transformation from normal cells to cells capable of forming a detectable mass occurs in multiple steps. This progression reflects the accumulation of genetic and other cellular changes that enable malignant behavior.

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Signs and symptoms of cancer

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