All About Cancer
In the United States, 1 in 2 men and 1 in 3 women will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime. If you’ve been recently diagnosed, or know someone who has, we’re here with answers, guidance, and support. You’ll also learn about the causes of cancer and what you can do to lower your risk of getting cancer or find it early, when it’s easier to treat.
Find your cancer type
Most common cancers
Understanding Cancer
What Is Cancer?
Cancer starts when cells begin to grow out of control. Learn how and why to help you better understand cancer.
Anatomy Gallery
Explore our collection of 3D interactive tours to learn more about different parts of the body.
Cancer Glossary
Get definitions for commonly used cancer-related terms from the American Cancer Society.
Risk and Prevention
Tobacco
Quitting smoking isn't easy, but we can help. Get tips, tricks, and information to help you kick the tobacco habit and live a healthier lifestyle.
Diet & Physical Activity
Learn more about the benefits of good nutrition, regular physical activity, and staying at a healthy weight. We also offer guidance and tips to help you choose healthier options.
Sun & UV Exposure
Learn about some of the damaging effects that too much sun exposure can have on the skin. You'll also find tips to help you protect yourself and your family from getting too much sun.
HPV
Get information about HPV and its link to cervical cancer and 5 other cancers.
Genetics and Cancer Risk
All cancers are caused by gene changes. Some types of gene changes that can cause cancer run in families and are inherited from our parents. But gene changes that start in a single cell at some point in a person's life cause most cancers.
Screening
American Cancer Society Guidelines for the Early Detection of Cancer
Regular cancer screening increases the chances of finding changes that may or may not be cancer before a person has symptoms. Learn what screening tests the American Cancer Society recommends.
Cancer Screening Guidelines by Age
Learn about cancer screening test recommendations by age from the American Cancer Society.
Diagnosis and Staging
Signs and Symptoms of Cancer
Cancer signs and symptoms can depend on where the cancer is, how big it is, and how much it affects nearby organs or tissues. Learn some common symptoms here.
Exams and Tests for Cancer
Learn about the tests doctors often use to look for and diagnose cancer, to help determine if it has spread, and to monitor it during treatment.
Cancer Staging
Staging is the process of finding out how much cancer there is in the body and where it is located. Doctors use this information to plan treatment and to help predict a person's outlook (prognosis).
Cancer Care
Finding Care
Finding the right health care team to treat your cancer isn't always easy. Learn what to look for here.
Making Treatment Decisions
If you or someone you care for is facing cancer treatment, you probably have lots of questions that need answered. Learn about how to approach making decisions about cancer treatment, and what to ask your cancer care team.
Treatment
Treatment for cancer may include different drugs and procedures. Learn about the most common types of cancer treatment here.
Side Effects
What are cancer-related side effects? Learn more about common side effects that can be caused by cancer and cancer treatment and what you can do to manage them.
Palliative Care
Palliative care (or supportive care) is medical care that focuses on improving a person's quality of life when they have a serious illness like cancer. It can be given at any point during a person’s illness to relieve symptoms and make them more comfortable.
Advanced Cancer
Advanced cancers have usually spread from where they started to other parts of the body. This is known as metastatic cancer. But not all advanced cancers are metastatic.
Coping and Survivorship
During Treatment
The American Cancer Society has suggestions for healthy ways to deal with the stress and emotional challenges that come from a cancer diagnosis.
After Treatment
Learn about the things you can do to help yourself stay healthy once your cancer treatment is completed.
Long-term Health Concerns
Learn about the things you can do to help yourself stay healthy throughout and after cancer treatment.
Children with Cancer
The diagnosis of cancer in a child can be devastating for parents and family members. Here is information to help you cope with it.
More
Caregivers and Family
Learn what to expect when caring for someone with cancer and get tips for making sure that you take care of yourself as well.
Patient Navigation in Cancer Care
Cancer navigation provides support to help people with cancer get past barriers to the care they need as quickly as possible. Learn how cancer navigation can help here.
Financial and Insurance Matters
Learn about different types of health insurance and health insurance laws, and ways to help you manage the costs of cancer and treatment.
End of Life Care
Learn what to expect when you or a loved one are nearing the end of life. Get information on advance directives, hospice, and managing feelings of grief and loss.
US Military Veterans and Cancer
US veterans can face unique health challenges and might have a higher risk for some cancers because of exposure to carcinogens during service. Explore these resources and take charge of your health with confidence.
Cancer in Adolescents and Young Adults
Learn about the cancer types most common in people aged 15-39 and the unique needs of adolescents and young adults going through cancer treatment.
Cancer News
Our team of expert journalists brings you all angles of the cancer story – from breaking news and survivor stories to in-depth insights into cutting-edge research.
Bookstore
The American Cancer Society creates and publishes books to help people navigate the cancer experience when it touches their lives or members of their family. Find books on cancer from ACS Bookstore.
For Health Care Professionals
Get reliable cancer information from the American Cancer Society to help educate yourself, your health care staff, and learn where to find and order print materials for your patients.