Definition of Cancer

1. Noun. Any malignant growth or tumor caused by abnormal and uncontrolled cell division; it may spread to other parts of the body through the lymphatic system or the blood stream.


2. Noun. (astrology) a person who is born while the sun is in Cancer.
Exact synonyms: Crab
Generic synonyms: Individual, Mortal, Person, Somebody, Someone, Soul
Category relationships: Astrology, Star Divination

3. Noun. A small zodiacal constellation in the northern hemisphere; between Leo and Gemini.
Group relationships: Zodiac
Generic synonyms: Constellation

4. Noun. The fourth sign of the zodiac; the sun is in this sign from about June 21 to July 22.

5. Noun. Type genus of the family Cancridae.

Definition of Cancer

1. n. A genus of decapod Crustacea, including some of the most common shore crabs of Europe and North America, as the rock crab, Jonah crab, etc. See Crab.

Definition of Cancer

1. Proper noun. (zodiac constellations) A constellation of the zodiac supposedly shaped like a crab. ¹

2. Proper noun. (astrology) The zodiac sign for the crab, ruled by the Moon and covering June 22 - July 22. ¹

3. Noun. Someone with a Cancer star sign ¹

4. Noun. (medicine oncology disease) A disease in which the cells of a tissue undergo uncontrolled (and often rapid) proliferation. ¹

5. Noun. (figuratively) Something which spreads within something else, damaging the latter. ¹

¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Definition of Cancer

1. a malignant growth [n -S] : CANCERED [adj]

Medical Definition of Cancer

1. The first historical description of this condition was in relation to breast carcinoma. This is now a general term for more than 100 diseases that are characterised by uncontrolled, abnormal growth of cells. Cancer cells can spread locally or through the bloodstream and lymphatic system to other parts of the body. This entry appears with permission from the Dictionary of Cell and Molecular Biology (11 Mar 2008)

Lexicographical Neighbors of Cancer

cancellated
cancellation
cancellations
cancellative
cancelled
canceller
cancellers
cancelli
cancelling
cancellous
cancellous bone
cancellous tissue
cancells
cancellus
cancels
cancer (current term)
cancer antigen 125 test
cancer bodies
cancer body
cancer care facilities
cancer cell
cancer detection
cancer drug
cancer family
cancer juice
cancer of the blood
cancer of the liver
cancer stick
cancer sticks

Literary usage of Cancer

Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:

1. A Lifelong Passion: Nicholas and Alexandra: Their Own Story by Andrei Maylunas (2005)
"Although overall age-adjusted rates of mortality from lung cancer in the United ... Cohort analyses revealed that the rates of lung cancer peaked among men ..."

2. Medical lexicon: A Dictionary of Medical Science by Robley Dunglison (1856)
"A bandage for the head, to which Galen gave the name cancer, from its eight heads resembling, ... A combination of cancer and melanosis. cancer MOLLIS, see ..."

3. The American Journal of the Medical Sciences by Southern Society for Clinical Investigation (U.S.) (1916)
"The distribution of cancer in the esophagus corresponds to that of the cicatricial strictures from swallowed corrosive fluids, and in all probability for ..."

4. Healthy People 2000: National Health Promotion & Disease Prevention by DIANE Publishing Company (2004)
"If carcinoma in situ were included in these counts, cancer of the uterine cervix would exceed lung cancer in occurrence for women. Lifestyle, environment ..."

5. Monographic Medicine by William Robie Patten Emerson, Guido Guerrini, William Brown, Wendell Christopher Phillips, John Whitridge Williams, John Appleton Swett, Hans Günther, Mario Mariotti, Hugh Grant Rowell (1916)
"Neoplasms of the Liver—cancer of the Liver General Statements.—cancer of the liver should always make the clinician suspicious of a primary growth in ..."

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