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Lung cancer is a type of cancer that begins in the lungs. Your lungs are two spongy organs in your chest that take in oxygen when you inhale and release carbon dioxide when you exhale. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide. People who smoke have the greatest risk of lung cancer, though lung cancer can also occur in people who have never smoked. The risk of lung cancer increases with the length of time and number of cigarettes you’ve smoked. If you quit smoking, even after smoking for many years, you can significantly reduce your chances of developing lung cancer. Symptoms Lung cancer typically doesn’t cause signs and symptoms in its earliest stages. Signs and symptoms of lung cancer typically occur when the disease is advanced. A new cough that doesn’t go away Coughing up blood, even a small amount Shortness of breath Chest pain Hoarseness Losing weight without trying Bone pain Headache Causes Smoking causes the majority of lung cancers both in smokers and in people exposed to secondhand smoke. But lung cancer also occurs in people who never smoked and in those who never had prolonged exposure to secondhand smoke. In these cases, there may be no clear cause of lung cancer.

Colon cancer is a type of cancer that begins in the large intestine. The colon is the final part of the digestive tract. Colon cancer typically affects older adults, though it can happen at any age. It usually begins as small, noncancerous clumps of cells called polyps that form on the inside of the colon. Over time some of these polyps can become colon cancers. Polyps may be small and produce few, if any, symptoms. For this reason, doctors recommend regular screening tests to help prevent colon cancer by identifying and removing polyps before they turn into cancer. If colon cancer develops, many treatments are available to help control it, including surgery, radiation therapy and drug treatments, such as chemotherapy, targeted therapy and immunotherapy. Colon cancer is sometimes called colorectal cancer, which is a term that combines colon cancer and rectal cancer, which begins in the rectum. Symptoms A persistent change in your bowel habits, including diarrhea or constipation or a change in the consistency of your stool Rectal bleeding or blood in your stool Persistent abdominal discomfort, such as cramps, gas or pain A feeling that your bowel doesn’t empty completely Weakness or fatigue Unexplained weight loss Causes In general, colon cancer begins when healthy cells in the colon develop changes in their DNA. A cell’s DNA contains a set of instructions that tell a cell what to do. Healthy cells grow and divide in an orderly way to keep your body functioning normally. But when a cell’s DNA is damaged and becomes cancerous, cells continue to divide even when new cells aren’t needed. As the cells accumulate, they form a tumor. With time, the cancer cells can grow to invade and destroy normal tissue nearby and cancerous cells can travel to other parts of the body to form deposits there.

Acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) is a type of cancer of the blood and bone marrow the spongy tissue inside bones where blood cells are made. The word “acute” in acute lymphocytic leukemia comes from the fact that the disease progresses rapidly and creates immature blood cells, rather than mature ones. The word “lymphocytic” in acute lymphocytic leukemia refers to the white blood cells called lymphocytes, which all affects. Acute lymphocytic leukemia is also known as acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Acute lymphocytic leukemia is the most common type of cancer in children, and treatments result in a good chance for a cure. Acute lymphocytic leukemia can also occur in adults, though the chance of a cure is greatly reduced. Symptoms Bleeding from the gums Bone pain Fever Frequent infections Frequent or severe nosebleeds Lumps caused by swollen lymph nodes in and around the neck, armpits, abdomen or groin Pale skin Shortness of breath Weakness, fatigue or a general decrease in energy Causes Acute lymphocytic leukemia occurs when a bone marrow cell develops changes in its genetic material or DNA. A cell’s DNA contains the instructions that tell a cell what to do. Normally, the DNA tells the cell to grow at a set rate and to die at a set time. In acute lymphocytic leukemia, the mutations tell the bone marrow cell to continue growing and dividing. When this happens, blood cell production becomes out of control. The bone marrow produces immature cells that develop into leukemic white blood cells called lymphoblasts. These abnormal cells are unable to function properly, and they can build up and crowd out healthy cells. It’s not clear what causes the DNA mutations that can lead to acute lymphocytic leukemia.