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Cancer Explained
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Flashcards

22212 cards across 26 topics โ€” built from key terms and common questions in our explanations of National Cancer Institute content. Flip each card to reveal a plain-language explanation. Educational only, not medical advice.

Cancer Basics

What cancer is, how it starts, and how it spreads โ€” explained simply.

311 cards โ†’

Cancer Types

Plain-language explanations of specific cancers.

2181 cards โ†’

Treatments

How chemotherapy, radiation, surgery, immunotherapy, and other treatments work.

1821 cards โ†’

Side Effects

Understanding and managing the side effects of cancer and its treatment.

1790 cards โ†’

Symptoms

Common symptoms of cancer and when to talk to a doctor.

618 cards โ†’

Possible Warning Signs & Body Changes

Plain-language, compassionate guidance on body changes โ€” how doctors evaluate persistence and progression, common non-cancerous causes, and when to seek care.

268 cards โ†’

Diagnosis & Staging

Tests, biopsies, staging, and what your results mean.

1457 cards โ†’

Screening

Tests that look for cancer before symptoms appear.

617 cards โ†’

Prevention & Risk

Risk factors and what may help lower cancer risk.

1476 cards โ†’

Clinical Trials

How research studies work and what joining one means.

269 cards โ†’

Living With Cancer

Day-to-day life, emotions, nutrition, and survivorship.

1938 cards โ†’

Caregivers

Support and guidance for people caring for someone with cancer.

996 cards โ†’

Costs & Practical Help

Insurance, treatment costs, financial assistance, and working during treatment.

1216 cards โ†’

Carcinogens & Regulation

What causes cancer, how scientists and agencies classify carcinogens, and how warnings and rules โ€” IARC groups, the NTP report, Prop 65, and EU frameworks โ€” actually work.

980 cards โ†’

Childhood Cancer

Plain-language help for families facing a child's cancer โ€” the common types, family and school support, and survivorship.

321 cards โ†’

Cancer Medicines Explained

Plain-language guides to the most-searched cancer drugs โ€” what each medicine is and its drug class in everyday words, the cancers it treats, how it is given, common side effects, and the warning signs to report. Covers immunotherapies like Keytruda and Opdivo, targeted therapies like Tagrisso and Gleevec, and classic chemotherapy and hormone drugs. Educational only โ€” the amounts and schedules that apply to you live in your own prescription, never on these pages.

324 cards โ†’

Exercise & Healthy Living

How movement, exercise, nutrition, and everyday habits may help lower cancer risk and support your health โ€” before, during, and after cancer.

149 cards โ†’

Eating & Nutrition

Plain-language help with eating during treatment โ€” nausea, mouth sores, taste changes, food safety โ€” and healthy eating patterns.

236 cards โ†’

Survivor Stories & Public Figures

How well-known people have publicly faced cancer โ€” and what their experiences can teach all of us about the disease, screening, and hope. Each story links to plain-language education about the cancer involved.

76 cards โ†’

Understanding Report Language

Plain-language explanations of the exact phrases on pathology, imaging, and lab reports โ€” what they mean, what they don't prove, and what to ask.

1375 cards โ†’

Questions to Ask

Ready-to-use question lists for specific situations โ€” before chemotherapy, radiation, surgery, and big decisions โ€” that you can print or add to your personal list.

312 cards โ†’

What to Expect

Step-by-step guides to what commonly happens next โ€” after a biopsy, at the first oncology visit, on treatment days โ€” and how to prepare.

300 cards โ†’

Cancer & Daily Life

Real-life questions during treatment โ€” work, driving, travel, family, visitors โ€” with the honest answer: it depends, and here's what to discuss with your care team.

662 cards โ†’

Cancer Claim Check

Careful, evidence-based looks at common cancer claims โ€” what the evidence shows, what it doesn't, and why the claim spreads.

558 cards โ†’

Life After Treatment

What happens when treatment ends โ€” follow-up care, treatment summaries, late effects, and adjusting to life after cancer.

1069 cards โ†’

Cancer on Screen

Films and television that put cancer at the centre of the story โ€” what each one gets right, where it takes dramatic licence, and the real medicine underneath. Every page links to plain-language education from NCI and other federal sources.

892 cards โ†’