Known types of Cancer

From dioxipedia

Known Types of Cancer


Here is a complete list of the different categories of cancer:

Carcinomas

  • Adenocarcinoma (e.g., breast, prostate, lung)
  • Squamous cell carcinoma (e.g., skin, esophagus)
  • Basal cell carcinoma (e.g., skin)

Sarcomas

  • Osteosarcoma (bone)
  • Chondrosarcoma (cartilage)
  • Liposarcoma (fat)
  • Leiomyosarcoma (smooth muscle)
  • Rhabdomyosarcoma (skeletal muscle)
  • Angiosarcoma (blood vessels)

Leukemias

  • Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL)
  • Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL)
  • Acute myeloid leukemia (AML)
  • Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML)

Lymphomas

  • Hodgkin lymphoma
  • Non-Hodgkin lymphoma

Myelomas

  • Multiple myeloma

Central Nervous System Cancers

  • Gliomas (e.g., astrocytoma, glioblastoma)
  • Meningiomas

Germ Cell Tumors

  • Testicular cancer
  • Ovarian cancer

Other Specific Types

  • Melanoma (skin)
  • Neuroendocrine tumors (e.g., pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors, carcinoid tumors)
  • Mesothelioma (lining of lungs and chest cavity)

This list covers the primary categories and subtypes of cancer based on the tissue or cell type from which they originate. If you need more detailed information on any specific type, feel free to ask!


  1. Carcinoma: Cancer that starts in the skin or the tissues that line other organs.
    • Adenocarcinoma: Forms in mucus-secreting glands and is common in organs like the lungs and colon.
    • Squamous Cell Carcinoma: Originates in the squamous cells found in the skin and lining of various organs.
  2. Sarcoma: Cancer that begins in the connective or supportive tissues such as bone, cartilage, fat, muscle, or blood vessels.
    • Osteosarcoma: A type of bone cancer.
    • Liposarcoma: Cancer of fatty tissue.
  3. Leukemia: Cancer of the body's blood-forming tissues, including the bone marrow and the lymphatic system.
    • Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL): Rapidly progressing cancer of the lymphoid line of blood cells.
    • Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML): Slowly progressing cancer of the myeloid line of blood cells.
  4. Lymphoma: Cancer that starts in the lymphatic system.
    • Hodgkin Lymphoma: Characterized by the presence of Reed-Sternberg cells.
    • Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma: A diverse group of blood cancers that includes any kind of lymphoma except Hodgkin's.
  5. Multiple Myeloma: Cancer that forms in a type of white blood cell called a plasma cell, which helps fight infections by making antibodies.
  6. Melanoma: A type of skin cancer that begins in melanocytes (cells that control the pigment in your skin).
  7. Brain and Spinal Cord Tumors: Cancers that begin in the tissues of the brain and spinal cord.
    • Gliomas: Arise from glial cells.
    • Meningiomas: Originate from the meninges, the membrane surrounding the brain and spinal cord.
  8. Neuroendocrine Tumors: Cancers that start in neuroendocrine cells, which have traits of both nerve cells and hormone-producing cells.
    • Carcinoid Tumors: Slow-growing tumors usually found in the gastrointestinal system.
  9. Germ Cell Tumors: Cancers that begin in the cells that give rise to sperm or eggs.
    • Testicular Cancer: Commonly originates from germ cells in the testicles.
    • Ovarian Germ Cell Tumors: Begin in the egg cells within the ovary.
  10. Bladder Cancer: Begins in the cells of the bladder.
    • Transitional Cell Carcinoma: The most common type, which starts in the urothelial cells lining the bladder.
  11. Breast Cancer: Originates from breast tissue.
    • Ductal Carcinoma In Situ (DCIS): Non-invasive cancer where abnormal cells are found in the lining of a breast duct.
    • Invasive Ductal Carcinoma (IDC): Cancer that has spread beyond the ducts into nearby breast tissue.
  12. Colorectal Cancer: Starts in the colon or rectum.
    • Adenocarcinomas: The most common type, which starts in mucus-secreting glands.
  13. Kidney Cancer: Begins in the kidneys.
    • Renal Cell Carcinoma: The most common type, originating in the lining of small tubes in the kidney.
  14. Liver Cancer: Starts in the liver.
    • Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC): The most common type, which begins in hepatocytes (the main type of liver cell).
  15. Lung Cancer: Originates from lung tissue.
    • Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC): The most common type.
    • Small Cell Lung Cancer (SCLC): Less common but more aggressive.
  16. Pancreatic Cancer: Begins in the tissues of the pancreas.
    • Adenocarcinoma: The most common type, which starts in the ducts of the pancreas.
  17. Prostate Cancer: Starts in the prostate gland.
    • Adenocarcinoma: The most prevalent form, originating in glandular cells.
  18. Thyroid Cancer: Begins in the thyroid gland.
    • Papillary Thyroid Cancer: The most common type.
    • Follicular Thyroid Cancer: The second most common type.
  19. Oral and Oropharyngeal Cancer: Starts in the mouth or throat.
    • Squamous Cell Carcinomas: The most common type affecting these areas.
  20. Esophageal Cancer: Begins in the esophagus.
    • Adenocarcinoma: Often starts in the lower part of the esophagus.
  21. Stomach Cancer (Gastric Cancer): Begins in the stomach lining.
    • Adenocarcinoma: The most common type starting from mucus-producing cells.
  1. Gallbladder Cancer: Starts in the gallbladder, a small organ under the liver.
  2. Adenocarcinoma: The most common type, originating in glandular cells.
  1. Bile Duct Cancer (Cholangiocarcinoma): Begins in the bile ducts, which carry bile from the liver to the small intestine.
  2. Adrenocortical Carcinoma: Cancer that starts in the outer layer of the adrenal glands.
  3. Vaginal Cancer: Begins in the vagina, also known as the birth canal.
    • Squamous Cell Carcinoma: The most common type.
    • Adenocarcinoma: Less common, originates in glandular cells.
  4. Vulvar Cancer: Starts in the external female genital organs (vulva).
    • Squamous Cell Carcinoma: The most prevalent type.
  5. Penile Cancer: Begins in the penis.
    • Squamous Cell Carcinoma: The most common form.
  6. Eye Cancer: Can occur in different parts of the eye.
    • Intraocular Melanoma: The most common primary eye cancer in adults.
    • Retinoblastoma: A rare form of eye cancer that typically affects young children.
  7. Nasopharyngeal Cancer: Begins in the nasopharynx, the upper part of the throat behind the nose.
  8. Parathyroid Cancer: Starts in the parathyroid glands, which regulate calcium levels in the body.
  9. Skin Cancer (Non-Melanoma):
    • Basal Cell Carcinoma: The most common type of skin cancer, beginning in the basal cells.
    • Squamous Cell Carcinoma: Begins in the squamous cells and is typically found on sun-exposed areas.
  10. Mesothelioma: A rare form of cancer that occurs in the thin layer of tissue covering most internal organs (mesothelium).
    • Pleural Mesothelioma: Affects the tissue surrounding the lungs.
    • Peritoneal Mesothelioma: Affects the tissue in the abdomen.
  11. Kaposi Sarcoma: A cancer that causes lesions in the soft tissues and is often associated with HIV/AIDS.
  12. Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor (GIST): A type of tumor that occurs in the gastrointestinal tract, most commonly in the stomach or small intestine.
  13. Small Intestine Cancer: Starts in the small intestine.
    • Adenocarcinoma: The most common type.
    • Carcinoid Tumors: A type of neuroendocrine tumor found in the small intestine.
  14. Soft Tissue Sarcomas: Cancers that begin in the soft tissues like muscle, fat, and nerves.
    • Rhabdomyosarcoma: A type of sarcoma that affects skeletal muscle and is more common in children.
  15. Appendix Cancer (Appendiceal Cancer): Starts in the appendix.
    • Mucinous Adenocarcinoma: A type of cancer that produces mucin.
  16. Primary Peritoneal Cancer: Similar to ovarian cancer, it starts in the peritoneum, a layer of tissue lining the abdomen.
  17. Merkel Cell Carcinoma: A rare and aggressive form of skin cancer that starts in Merkel cells, which are found at the base of the epidermis.
  18. Uterine Cancer (Endometrial Cancer): Begins in the lining of the uterus (endometrium).
    • Adenocarcinoma: The most common type starting from glandular cells.
  19. Fallopian Tube Cancer: A rare cancer that begins in the fallopian tubes, which connect the ovaries to the uterus.
  20. Testicular Cancer: Originates from germ cells within the testicles.
    • Seminoma: A type that grows slowly and is sensitive to radiation therapy.
    • Non-Seminoma: Includes various subtypes that tend to grow more rapidly than seminomas.
  21. Salivary Gland Cancer: Starts in one of the salivary glands.
    • Mucoepidermoid Carcinoma: The most common type of salivary gland cancer.
  22. Thymoma and Thymic Carcinoma: Cancers that start in the thymus, a small organ located just behind the breastbone.
  23. Osteosarcoma: A type of bone cancer that typically starts in osteoblasts, which are cells responsible for bone formation.
  24. Ewing Sarcoma: A rare cancer that occurs in bones or in the soft tissue around the bones, primarily affecting children and young adults.
  25. Chondrosarcoma: A type of cancer that starts in cartilage cells.
  26. Primary Central Nervous System Lymphoma (PCNSL): A type of lymphoma that occurs primarily in the brain or spinal cord.
  1. Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL): A type of leukemia that typically progresses slowly and affects the lymphoid cells.
  2. Chronic Myelomonocytic Leukemia (CMML): A type of cancer that starts in blood-forming cells of the bone marrow and invades the blood.
  3. Myelodysplastic Syndromes (MDS): A group of cancers where the bone marrow fails to produce enough healthy blood cells.
  4. Myeloproliferative Neoplasms (MPN): A group of diseases where bone marrow cells that produce blood cells develop and function abnormally.
    • Polycythemia Vera (PV): Characterized by the overproduction of red blood cells.
    • Essential Thrombocythemia (ET): Marked by an overproduction of platelets.
  5. Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma (ALCL): A type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma involving T-cells.
  6. Burkitt Lymphoma: An aggressive type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma that often starts in immune cells called B-cells.
  7. Mantle Cell Lymphoma (MCL): A rare type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma that arises from cells originating in the "mantle zone" of lymph nodes.
  8. Cutaneous T-cell Lymphomas (CTCL): A class of non-Hodgkin lymphoma that primarily affects the skin.
    • Mycosis Fungoides: The most common form of CTCL.
    • Sézary Syndrome: A more aggressive form involving the skin and blood.
  9. Waldenström Macroglobulinemia: A rare type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma characterized by the presence of high levels of a specific protein in the blood.
  10. Plasma Cell Neoplasms:
    • Multiple Myeloma: As previously mentioned, it's a cancer of plasma cells.
    • Plasmacytoma: A single mass of plasma cells usually found in bone or soft tissue.
  11. Primary Effusion Lymphoma (PEL): A rare type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma associated with HIV/AIDS and characterized by fluid accumulation in body cavities.
  12. T-cell Prolymphocytic Leukemia (T-PLL): A rare and aggressive type of leukemia affecting mature T-cells.
  13. Large Granular Lymphocyte (LGL) Leukemia: A rare type of leukemia affecting large granular lymphocytes.
  14. Blastic Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cell Neoplasm (BPDCN): A rare and aggressive form of leukemia that often presents with skin lesions.
  15. Primary CNS Lymphoma: A type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma that occurs primarily in the brain or spinal cord.
  16. Mast Cell Tumors:
    • Systemic Mastocytosis: Characterized by the accumulation of mast cells in multiple organs.
    • Mast Cell Leukemia: An aggressive form where abnormal mast cells are found in the blood.
  17. Urothelial Carcinoma: Cancer that occurs in the urinary system, including the bladder, ureters, and parts of the kidney.
    • Transitional Cell Carcinoma: The most common type, as previously mentioned, affecting the bladder lining.
  18. Renal Pelvis and Ureter Cancer: Starts in the lining of the renal pelvis or ureter.
    • Transitional Cell Carcinoma: The most common type.
  19. Primary Bone Cancer:
    • Chordoma: A rare cancer that occurs in bones of the spine and base of the skull.
    • Ewing Sarcoma: As mentioned earlier, affected bones or soft tissue around bones.
  20. Retinoblastoma: A rare eye cancer that primarily affects young children.
  21. Embryonal Tumors:
    • Neuroblastoma: A cancer that starts in certain very early forms of nerve cells found in an embryo or fetus, commonly affecting infants and young children.
    • Wilms Tumor (Nephroblastoma): A kidney cancer that primarily affects children.
  22. Hepatoblastoma: A rare liver cancer primarily affecting children.
  23. Medulloblastoma: A primary central nervous system tumor that starts in the cerebellum, mainly affecting children.
  24. Pineoblastoma: A rare tumor that occurs in the pineal gland located in the brain.
  25. Rhabdoid Tumor: An aggressive tumor often found in kidneys but can occur elsewhere, primarily affecting young children.
  26. Teratoma: A type of germ cell tumor that can contain several different types of tissue and typically occurs in the ovaries, testicles, or tailbone area.