CANCERS

Mouth cancer has the same meaning as oral cancer – it is cancer that occurs in any part of the mouth; on the tongue’s surface, in the lips, inside the cheek, in the gums, in the roof and floor of the mouth, in the tonsils, and also the salivary glands. Mouth cancer is a type of head and neck cancer, and is often treated similarly to other head and neck cancers.

Your body is made up of many types of cells. In normal course, cells grow, divide, and produce more cells to keep your body healthy. However, at times, this process goes wrong and cells become abnormal, forming more cells in an uncontrolled manner. These extra cells form a mass of tissue, called a growth or a ‘tumour’. A tumour which keeps on growing uncontrollably is called a malignant / cancerous tumour. Cancer of oesophagus occurs when a malignant tumour forms in the tissue of your oesophagus. Oesophageal cancer is more likely to occur as people get older. Smoking or using tobacco is one of the major risk factors. Chronic or heavy use of alcohol is an important factor and people who use both alcohol and tobacco have a high risk of developing oesophageal cancer.

Stomach cancer is a disease in which the cells forming the inner lining of the stomach become abnormal and start to divide uncontrollably, forming a mass or a tumor. The stomach is a J-shaped organ that lies in the abdomen, on theleft side. The esophagus (or the food pipe) carries the food from the mouth to the stomach. The stomach produces many digestive juices and acids that mix with the food and aid in the process of digestion. The stomach is divided into five sections. Cancer can develop in any of the five sections of the stomach.

Colon cancer is a common type of malignancy (cancer) in which there is uncontrolled growth of the cells that line the inside of the colon or rectum. Colon cancer is also called colorectal cancer. The colon, also known as the large intestine, is the last part of the digestive tract.

Anal cancer is a type of cancer which arises from the anus, the distal orifice of the gastrointestinal tract. It is a distinct entity from the more common colorectal cancer. The etiology, risk factors, clinical progression, staging, and treatment are all different. Anal cancer is typically a squamous cell carcinoma that arises near the squamocolumnar junction.