Some cancers are very common and others are very rare. The most recent statistics for the UK (from 2003) show that for men the most common cancer is prostate cancer (23%), followed by lung cancer (16%), large bowel cancer (14%) and bladder cancer (5%).

For women the figures are breast cancer (31%), large bowel cancer (11%), lung cancer (11%) and cancer of the ovary (5%).

Many people with cancer can be cured. Even if a cancer cannot be cured, it can often be controlled with treatment for months or years.

Cancer may come back after treatment which is known as a recurrence or secondary cancer depending on whether it is in the same part of the body or not.

1. Myth : Cell phones cause cancer.
Truth: Contrary to popular belief, cell phones are not believed to be a cause of cancer. There is no credible study available that consistently proves that using a cell phone has the ability to cause cancer.
2. Myth : If your mom or dad had cancer, you will have it too.
Truth: While it is true that some cancers are genetic, this does not mean that one will definitely develop cancer because of their heredity. Cancers such as breast cancer, ovarian cancer and colorectal cancer are a few of the cancers that can be passed down genetically. If a parent has these cancers, the cancer gene may be passed to their child. If a child inherits the gene, it only raises the likelihood of developing cancer, not guaranteeing a cancer sentence.
3. Myth: I am losing too much hair, I might have cancer. Cancer causes hair loss.
Truth : Cancer does not cause hair loss. Hair loss is a side effect of cancer treatments, like chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Not everyone who has chemotherapy or radiation loses their hair either.
4. Myth: Only women get breast cancer.
Truth : This is by far the biggest cancer myth of all. Men get breast cancer also! An estimated 1500 men will be diagnosed and about 500 will die from the disease this year. Male breast cancer is uncommon, yet still happens.
5. Myth: Wearing antiperspirants and deodorant can cause cancer.
Truth : According to the National Cancer Society, there is no conclusive evidence from recent studies that wearing them can cause breast cancer. This cancer myth is by far one of the most popular among women.
6. Myth : Cancer is almost always fatal.
Truth : While cancer can cause death, But new breakthroughs in early detection of cancer have made it much more treatable. It is estimated that 40% of cancer patients reach or exceed the five year survivor mark!
7.Myth: Some types of cancer can be contagious.
Truth:No type of cancer is contagious. However, there are two known contagious viruses, HPV and Hepatitis C, that can cause cancer. HPV is a known risk factor for cervical cancer and Hep C causes liver cancer. Both viruses can be transmitted through unprotected sexual intercourse, although Hep C is more often transmitted through blood to blood contact such as sharing needles and transfusions.
8. Myth: Positive thinking will cure cancer.
Truth: While maintaining a positive outlook during cancer treatment is essential, it will not cure cancer. Being optimistic helps with quality of life during treatment. There is no scientific evidence that a positive attitude will cure cancer
9.Myth: Injury, blow oy Piercing Your Nipples May Causes Breast Cancer in Men and Women
Truth: An injury to the breast or nipple cannot lead to cancer development. The only real medical risk factor for piercing the nipple is infection
10. Myth : Treating cancer with surgery causes it to spread throughout the body
Truth: Specialists in cancer surgery know how to safely take biopsy samples and to remove tumors without causing spread of the cancer. In many cases, surgery is an essential part of the cancer treatment plan. For a few types of cancer, surgeons take extra precautions to prevent any chance of the cancer spreading. For example, in testicular cancer the entire testicle containing the cancer is removed, so no cancer cells are dislodged. Doctors who perform surgery for cancer are specialists and are highly trained in the intricacies of cancer and anatomy.
11. Myth: Living in a polluted city is a greater risk for lung cancer than smoking a pack of cigarettes a day.
Truth: This myth appeals to smokers, who are trying to convince themselves that tobacco use isn't all that bad.
Reality: The truth is just the opposite, but more than a third of those questioned in the Health/Prevention survey agreed with the myth that living in a polluted city is a greater risk for lung cancer than smoking a pack of cigarettes a day. Air pollution is far less likely to cause lung cancer than smoking cigarettes. Being a smoker, or even being frequently exposed to secondhand smoke is more dangerous than the level of air pollution encountered in U.S. cities. Dirty air does contribute to lung cancer risk, but has a greater impact on heart disease, asthma and chronic bronchitis. Lung cancer was a rare disease at the beginning of the 20th century, when few people smoked. The introduction of manufactured cigarettes, which made them readily available, changed this. About 87 percent of lung cancers are thought to result from smoking or passive exposure to tobacco smoke. Today, lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in men and women. The longer you smoke and the more packs per day you smoke, the greater your risk. Secondhand Smoke If you don't smoke, but breathe in the smoke of others (secondhand smoke or environmental tobacco smoke) you are also at increased risk for lung cancer. A nonsmoker who is married to a smoker has a 30 percent greater risk of developing lung cancer than the spouse of a nonsmoker. Workers who have been exposed to tobacco smoke in the workplace are also more likely to get lung cancer.
12. Myth: Mammograms help prevent breast cancer.
Truth: Mammograms can save lives but they do not prevent breast cancer. They help detect breast cancer in its earliest stages, when it’s most treatable -- thereby improving your chance of surviving breast cancer by 30 percent or more.

There are six main types of treatment for cancer and these are described below. It is fairly common for a combination of treatments to be used.

Active surveillance (or watchful waiting)

Some types of cancer grow very slowly and may cause no problems for many years. In this situation you may not need to have any treatment for some time, but your doctor will monitor you closely so that if the cancer does start to grow you can be given treatment at that time.

Surgery

An operation is done to remove the tumour. Surgery is often used if the cancer is only in one area of the body and has not spread. It may be used to remove lymph nodes if these are also affected by the cancer. It can sometimes be used to remove a cancer that has spread to another area of the body, but this is less common. The type of operation will depend on the area of the body affected by the cancer, and on the size and position of the tumour.

Radiotherapy

This is the use of high energy x-rays to destroy cancer cells, but cause as little harm as possible to normal cells. The radiotherapy is aimed at the affected area of the body and is very carefully planned. It can cause side effects and the most common is tiredness. The side effects will depend on the part of the body that is being treated.

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is the use of anti-cancer (cytotoxic) drugs to destroy cancer cells. There are more than 50 different chemotherapy drugs. Some are given as tablets or capsules but most are given by drip (infusion) into a vein. The drugs go into the bloodstream and travel throughout the body to treat the cancer cells wherever they are. Sometimes just one chemotherapy drug is used, but often a combination of two, three or more drugs is given.

Chemotherapy can cause side effects. The side effects will depend on which drug (or combination of drugs) is used. There are now very good ways of preventing or reducing the side effects of chemotherapy.

Hormonal therapy

Hormonal therapies work by altering the levels of particular hormones in the body. Some cancers depend on certain hormones in order to divide and grow. By altering the level of hormones in the body, or blocking the hormones from attaching to the cancer cells the cancer can be controlled.

Biological therapy

Biological therapies use substances that occur naturally in the body to destroy cancer cells. There are several types of biological therapy, including: monoclonal antibodies, cancer growth inhibitors, vaccines and gene therapy.

Monoclonal antibodies are drugs that can 'recognise' and find specific cells in the body. They can be designed to find a particular type of cancer cell, attach itself to them and destroy them. They can also carry a radioactive molecule, which then delivers radiation directly to the cancer cells.

Cancer growth inhibitors interfere with the way cancer cells use 'chemical messengers' to help the cell to develop and divide.

Research is trying to see whether vaccines and gene therapy can be given to treat a cancer that has come back or has spread. Vaccines may also be able to reduce the chance of a cancer coming back, but this type of research is in the very early stages.

We have further information on all the cancer treatments mentioned above and also onclinical trials.