Kidney Cancer

The kidneys are two organs in the body that filter the blood and remove waste material and excess water by making urine that is expelled as waste. And cancer is the growth of abnormal cells within the body.
Although the exact cause of kidney cancer is not known, risk factors include smoking, obesity, high blood pressure, long-term dialysis, Von Hippel-Lindau syndrome, occupational exposure and men are at higher risk.
Symptoms of kidney cancer include blood in the urine, pain in the side or flank that is constant, a lump or mass in the abdomen or side, fever, weight loss, and fatigue.
Treatment of kidney cancer includes one of or a combination of the following methods: chemotherapy, radiation therapy, embolization, biological therapy, and surgery.

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Anal Cancer

Anal cancer occurs in the anus, the end of the gastrointestinal tract. Anal cancer is very different from colorectal cancer, which is much more common. Anal cancer's causes, risk factors, clinical progression, staging and treatment are all very different from colorectal cancer. Anal cancer is a lump which is created by the abnormal and uncontrolled growth of cells in the anus. Anal cancer is very rare.

Symptoms of anal cancer:

    Rectal bleeding - the patient may notice blood on feces or toilet paper.
    Pain in the anal area.
    Lumps around the anus. These are frequently mistaken for piles (hemorrhoids).
    Mucus discharge from the anus.
    Jelly-like discharge from the anus.
    Anal itching.
    Change in bowel movements. This may include diarrhea, constipation, or thinning of stools.
    Fecal incontinence (problems controlling bowel movements).
    Bloating.
    Women may experience lower back pain as the tumor exerts pressure on the vagina.
    Women may experience vaginal dryness.

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Liver Cancer

The liver continuously filters blood that circulates through the body, converting nutrients and drugs absorbed from the digestive tract into ready-to-use chemicals. The liver performs many other important functions, such as removing toxins and other chemical waste products from the blood and readying them for excretion. Because all the blood in the body must pass through it, the liver is unusually accessible to cancer cells traveling in the bloodstream.

The liver can be affected by primary liver cancer, which arises in the liver, or by cancer which forms in other parts of the body and then spreads to the liver. Most liver cancer is secondary or metastatic, meaning it started elsewhere in the body.

Because the liver is made up of several different types of cells, several types of tumors can form there. Some of these are benign (noncancerous), and some are cancerous and can spread to other parts of the body (metastasize). These tumors have different causes and are treated differently.

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Stomach Cancer

Stomach cancer, also called gastric cancer, is a malignant tumor arising from the lining of the stomach. There has been a significant decrease in the number of people diagnosed with stomach cancer in the past 60 years. Stomach cancers are classified according to the type of tissue where they originate. The most common type of stomach cancer is adenocarcinoma, which starts in the glandular tissue of the stomach and accounts for 90% to 95% of all stomach cancers. Other forms of stomach cancer include lymphomas, which involve the lymphatic system and sarcomas, which involve the connective tissue

The exact cause of stomach cancer is unknown, but a number of factors can increase the risk of the disease, including:

• Gender -- men have more than double the risk of getting stomach cancer than women.
• Race -- being African-American or Asian may increase your risk.
• Genetics -- genetic abnormalities and some inherited cancer syndromes may increase your risk
• Geography -- stomach cancer is more common in Japan, the former Soviet Union, and parts of Central America and South America.
• Blood type -- individuals with blood group A may be at increased risk.
• Advanced age -- stomach cancer occurs more often around ages 70 and 74 in men and women, respectively.
• Family history of gastric cancer can double or triple the risk of stomach cancer.
• Lifestyle factors such as smoking, drinking alcohol, and eating a diet low in fruits and vegetables or high in salted, smoked, or nitrate-preserved foods may increase your risk
• Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection of the stomach. H. pylori is a bacterium that infects the lining of the stomach and causes chronic inflammation and ulcers.
• Certain health conditions including chronic gastritis, pernicious anemia, gastric polyps, intestinal metaplasia, and prior stomach surgery.
• Work-related exposure due to coal mining, nickel refining, and rubber and timber processing and asbestos exposure.

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Esophageal cancer

Esophageal cancer as name suggests is malignancy of the esophagus. There are various subtypes, primarily squamous cell cancer and adenocarcinoma. Squamous cell cancer arises from the cells that line the upper part of the esophagus. Adenocarcinoma arises from glandular cells that are present at the junction of the esophagus and stomach. Esophageal tumors usually lead to dysphagia i.e. difficulty in swallowing, pain and other symptoms, and are diagnosed with biopsy. Small and localized tumors are treated surgically with curative intent. Larger tumors tend not to be operable and hence are treated with palliative care; their growth can still be delayed with chemotherapy, radiotherapy or a combination of the two. In some cases chemo- and radiotherapy can render these larger tumors operable. Prognosis depends on the extent of the disease and other medical problems, but is generally fairly poor.

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Head & Neck Cancer

Head and neck cancer refers to a group of biologically similar cancers that start in the lip, oral cavity, nasal cavity, paranasal sinuses, pharynx, and larynx. 90% of head and neck cancers are squamous cell carcinomas (SCCHN), originating from the mucosal lining (epithelium) of these regions. Head and neck cancers often spread to the lymph nodes of the neck, and this is often the first sign of the disease at the time of diagnosis. Head and neck cancer is strongly associated with certain environmental and lifestyle risk factors, including tobacco smoking, alcohol consumption, UV light, particular chemicals used in certain workplaces, and certain strains of viruses, such as human papillomavirus. These cancers are frequently aggressive in their biologic behavior; patients with these types of cancer are at a higher risk of developing another cancer in the head and neck area. Head and neck cancer is highly curable if detected early, usually with some form of surgery, but radiation therapy may also play an important role, while chemotherapy is often ineffective.

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