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(K15A) THERAPEUTIC DEFINITIONS Cancer is a collective term encompassing over 200 diseases which vary widely in cause, molecular identity, manner of development and rate of progression. It is an acquired genetic disorder characterized by the unregulated and abnormal growth of cells, and can present almost anywhere in the body. All types of cancer share certain basic properties: their cells are able to proliferate undetected by the immune system, and unrestricted by normal cell cycle controls and cell-cell interactions. Cancer cells often also fail to differentiate properly, resulting in loss of function. Cancers are malignant neoplasms (growths) that can be distinguished from benign growths by their ability to break off and spread from the original tumour, to invade and destroy other healthy tissues. This is the process of metastasis. The resultant secondary tumours (metastases) are often more difficult to treat than the original tumour, and are the usual cause of death by cancer. If detected early enough, many cancers are curable; equally, many remain undiagnosed until an advanced stage and are often fatal. Cancers are typically clonal (arising from a single cell), but the process of oncogenesis is thought to be multistage, requiring the cell to undergo a series of genetic or epigenetic events ultimately leading to the activation of an oncogene, or conversely, the inactivation of a tumour suppressor gene. These events can be caused by exogenous or endogenous influences. Exogenous risk factors include certain lifestyle choices such as smoking, alcohol consumption, sun exposure and diet. There is also a well established link between certain infections and certain cancers: HPV and cervical cancer, Helicobacter pylori and gastric cancer, HBV and liver cancer. Endogenous factors include hormone levels and inherited genetic mutations. Some people may have a genetic propensity to develop a certain type of cancer as a result