Testicular cancer forms when malignant (cancer) cells develop in the tissues of one or (less commonly) both testicles. Your testicles are two walnut-shaped sex glands that produce sperm and the hormone testosterone. They sit inside a sac of skin that lies below your penis called the scrotum. Like any cancer, testicle cancer is a serious condition. Fortunately, testicular cancer is highly treatable …

Squamous cell carcinoma of the skin is a type of cancer that starts as a growth of cells on the skin. It starts in cells called squamous cells. The squamous cells make up the middle and outer layers of the skin. Squamous cell carcinoma is a common type of skin cancer. Squamous cell carcinoma of the skin is usually not …

Soft tissue sarcomas are rare cancerous tumors in the tissues that support and surround your bones and organs. (Think muscles, tendons, fat and skin). You may develop soft tissue sarcomas anywhere but they usually appear in your arms, legs, chest and in the space behind your belly (retroperitoneum). Are soft tissue sarcomas common? No, they aren’t. The American Cancer Society estimates about 13,400 adults and children …

Skin cancer is a disease that involves the growth of abnormal cells in your skin tissues. Normally, as skin cells grow old and die, new cells form to replace them. When this process doesn’t work as it should — like after exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light from the sun — cells grow more quickly. These cells may be noncancerous (benign), …

Retinoblastoma is a type of eye cancer that starts in your retina, the light-sensing layer of cells at the back of your eye. It’s the most common childhood eye cancer. Retinoblastoma can happen in one or both eyes. About 1 in 4 cases affect both eyes. Experts suspect it happens because of a malfunction in young, developing retinal cells. Diagnosis occurs before age 3 in …

Rectal cancer typically is a slow-growing cancer that forms on the inner lining of your rectum. Your rectum is the last several inches of your large intestine. Most rectal cancers start as clumps of abnormal cells (polyps) known as adenomas. It can take 10 to 15 years for a polyp to turn into a cancerous tumor on your rectum. Cancer screening like colonoscopies often detect polyps that …

Prostate cancer develops in the prostate, a small walnut-shaped gland located below the bladder and in front of the rectum in men and people assigned male at birth (AMAB). This tiny gland secretes fluid that mixes with semen, keeping sperm healthy for conception and pregnancy. Prostate cancer is a serious disease. Fortunately, most people with prostate cancer get diagnosed before it spreads beyond …

A paraneoplastic syndrome is a set of signs and symptoms that can occur when you have cancer. The symptoms develop when a malignant tumor causes changes in your body that aren’t directly caused by the cancer itself. The tumor may secrete a hormone or protein that affects a particular body system. Often with paraneoplastic syndromes, your immune system releases antibodies to destroy the tumor. …

Pancreatic cancer occurs when cells in your pancreas mutate (change) and multiply out of control, forming a tumor. Your pancreas is a gland in your abdomen (belly), between your spine and stomach. It makes hormones that control blood-sugar levels and enzymes that aid in digestion. Most pancreatic cancers start in the ducts of your pancreas. The main pancreatic duct (the duct of Wirsung) connects your pancreas to your common bile …

Ovarian cancer occurs when abnormal cells in your ovaries or fallopian tubes grow and multiply out of control. Ovaries are part of the female reproductive system. These two round, walnut-sized organs make eggs during your reproductive years. Who gets ovarian cancer? Ovarian cancer affects women and people assigned female at birth (AFAB). It’s slightly more common in Native American and white populations …