This section deals with Cancer in its various forms. Please browse through the above links for detailed information.

What Cancer Is / What Cancer Is Not

Cancer is a group of more than 100 different diseases, all of which occur for the same reason: One or several of the body' cells begin to divide and form new cells at an uncontrolled rate. The new cells begin to reproduce rapidly, and when they divide and multiply enough, a tumor is formed (mass of tissue).

Tumors can be either benign or malignant. Benign tumors are not cancerous (that is, the cells inside the tumor have not spread to nearby tissues) and can usually be removed. Malignant tumors, on the other hand, are cancerous. As the cells inside the tumor multiply, they "invade" and damage nearby tissues and organs.

Cancer is not:

• Cancer is not contagious. Cancer patients sometimes find themselves isolated because of the misconception among family members, friends and coworkers that cancer is contagious. This is in fact not true—cancer cannot be "caught."

• Cancer is not always terminal. According to the American Cancer Society, more than half of the people diagnosed with cancer will be cured. A person with cancer who is not "cured" continues to live a normal and long life. Despite what is general belief by some, cancer does not equal death. With the advances being made in cancer, more cancer patients have survived the disease.

• Cancer does not make a person less productive. Employers are often concerned about the ability of a person with a history of cancer to do his/her share of the work or will need assistance in doing his/her job. Employers are also worried that the person with a cancer history may have a higher absentee rate than other employees. This myth is in fact untrue. Research has shown that cancer survivors are as productive in the workforce as other employers, and are not absent from work any more often than any other employee.

• Cancer does not always equal nausea, fatigue and pain. Many employers and coworkers feel that chemotherapy and radiation will have the person with cancer always suffering from pain, fatigue and nausea. Not all cancer patients experience these side effects. Each person reacts differently to chemotherapy and radiation. Nausea, fatigue and pain can often be treated by medications that cause few side effects.