Finding a lump under the chin or in your neck can be concerning, but these lumps are usually harmless. Most of the time, they’re caused by swollen lymph nodes triggered by an infection. Lumps can be firm or soft, painful or not, grow slowly or rapidly. The type of symptoms you experience can help your … Read more
There were an estimated 18.1 million cancer cases around the world in 2020, according to the World Cancer Research Fund International. Of those cases, the United States had the fourth highest number of new diagnoses, with 362 cases per 100,000 people. These statistics are age-standardized — a summary measure of the rate of disease that a … Read more
Pap smears and HPV testing can be an important part of a person’s regular health care, and the procedure is very simple and quick. What is a Pap smear? A Pap smear, or Pap test, is a procedure that screens for cervical cancer. More specifically, it is used to check for abnormal cells on the … Read more
A tumor, also known as a neoplasm, is an abnormal swelling or enlargement within the body caused by cells dividing more than they should or not dying when they should. What is the difference between a tumor and cancer? Although the words “tumor” and “cancer” are often used interchangeably, they aren’t synonymous. A noncancerous (benign) … Read more
Esophageal cancer forms in tissues that line the esophagus, the hollow, muscular tube that moves food and liquid from the throat down into the stomach. It forms on the inside of the lining and spreads through the outer layers as it grows. While relatively uncommon in the United States, esophageal cancer is often challenging to … Read more
Lynch syndrome — also known as hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer — is the most common hereditary form of colorectal cancer. In the United States, about 150,000 new cases of colorectal cancer are diagnosed each year and approximately 3 to 5% of these cancers are caused by Lynch syndrome. It’s estimated that 1 in 300 people may be … Read more
While pesticides and herbicides — substances used to control pests and weeds, respectively — can be toxic to humans when ingested, researchers are not sure if exposure to these compounds are linked to a higher risk of cancer. Timothy Rebbeck, PhD, a cancer epidemiologist at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of … Read more
In a country as geographically vast as the United States, and with a large and mobile population, it’s not surprising that cancer rates vary by region, by state, and even by localities within states. Geographical differences exist in overall cancer rates and in specific types of cancer, according to 2019 data published by the U.S. Centers for … Read more