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MABS Cancer Support Group
Just a phone call away
We aim to help ALL people affected by cancer and those around them,
through our branches from Valencia to Gibraltar
MABS home page
How to contact us
MABS news and events
About cancer
> What is cancer?
> Types of cancer
> How is it treated?
Ask us a question
Media Relations and Marketing
Useful links
MABS Murcia
SUPPORTING MABS
Click here to find out how you can make donations and get involved
MABS is entirely supported by the generous voluntary involvement, fund raising and donations of people and organisations throughout the Costa regions and beyond.
Patrons and Sponsors
MABS patrons and sponsors are listed at the link above.

Special thanks to:
Telitec logo
www.telitec.com
S R Print logo
www.srprint.es
Female Focus logo
www.female-focus.com
Registered charity no. 7261.
NIE: G53448866.
Registered Office:
Mabs Cancer Support Group,
45 Cansalades Park
03739 Javea,
Alicante.
BClose contact
BEING THERE FOR SUPPORT

Cancer can be a lonely and frightening experience. It’s not just the illness itself but what comes with it and after it. It can affect people in many different ways

WE ARE JUST A PHONE CALL AWAY.
WHAT IS CANCER?

The organs and tissues of the body are made up of tiny building blocks called cells. Cancer is a disease of these cells.

Cells in different parts of the body may look and work differently but most reproduce themselves in the same way. Cells are constantly becoming old and dying, and new cells are produced to replace them. Normally, cells divide in an orderly and controlled manner. If for some reason the process gets out of control, the cells carry on dividing, developing into a lump which is called a tumour.

Tumours can be either benign or malignant. Cancer is the name given to a malignant tumour. Doctors can tell if a tumour is benign or malignant by examining a small sample of cells under a microscope. This is called a biopsy.

In a benign tumour the cells do not spread to other parts of the body and so are not cancerous. However, if they continue to grow at the original site, they may cause a problem by pressing on the surrounding organs.

A malignant tumour consists of cancer cells that have the ability to spread beyond the original area. If the tumour is left untreated, it may spread into and destroy surrounding tissue. Sometimes cells break away from the original (primary) cancer. They may spread to other organs in the body through the bloodstream or lymphatic system.

The lymphatic system is part of the immune system - the body's natural defence against infection and disease. It is a complex system made up of organs, such as bone marrow, the thymus, the spleen, and lymph nodes. The lymph nodes (or glands) throughout the body are connected by a network of tiny lymphatic ducts.

When the cancer cells reach a new area they may go on dividing and form a new tumour. This is known as a secondary cancer or metastasis.

It is important to realise that cancer is not a single disease with a single type of treatment. There are more than 200 different kinds of cancer, each with its own name and treatment.

For more complete information, visit the website www.macmillan.org.uk, which has information on all the cancer treatments mentioned above and also on cancer research trials.