Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsPrimary vs. MetastaticBy Cell or Tissue TypeBy Body Part/SystemOther ClassificationsNext in Cancer GuideSigns and Symptoms of Cancer
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Primary vs. Metastatic
By Cell or Tissue Type
By Body Part/System
Other Classifications
Next in Cancer Guide
The are more than 200 different types ofcancer, each of which is grouped under a larger cancer category like carcinomas, myelomas, leukemias, and so forth. Because of this, simply learning that you or someone you know has cancer doesn’t tell you a whole lot. Cancer is not a single disease, and different types of cancers have different origins, treatments, and prognoses.
The History of Cancer: Discovery and Treatment
Primary cancerrefers to the original tumor in the body. In some cases, cancer may start and be treated effectively enough to stay in the area in which it began.
That definition is pretty straightforward. Confusion over the term tends to lie in its use for cancer that has spread to another part of the body.
When a cancer travels (metastasizes) from its original site, it is named for the type of cancer cell or organ in which it began—notfor the region of the body it has spread to. For example, if breast cancer begins in the breast and later spreads to the lung, it would not be called lung cancer. Instead, it would be referred to as primary breast cancer metastatic to the lungs.
A diagnosis of “invasive” cancer does not mean that your cancer has spread. Even a stage 1 cancer is referred to in this way, based on the appearance of the tumor under a microscope.
You may also hear the termsecondary cancer. This is a second primary cancer unrelated to the original tumor that is found in another part of the body. In other words, the additional cancer just so happens to have occurred at the same time as the first cancer, but it did not happen because of spreading of cancer cells.
Healthcare providers are unable to determine where a cancer began in about 3% to 5% of cases, and only find evidence of cancer where it has spread.This is referred to as an unknown primary, orcancer of unknown origin, with metastasis to the location where the cancer is discovered.
Primary vs. Secondary Cancers
Verywell / Laura Porter
The name for many cancers derives from the type of cells in which the cancer begins. For example, you may have been told you have kidney cancer, but kidney cancers can differ significantly based on the type of kidney cell in which a tumor starts.
There are six major types of cancer based on cell type:
7 Foods That May Cause Cancer (Or Increase Your Risk)
Carcinomas
Carcinomas are the most common cell type of cancer, accounting for 80% to 90% of cancers. These cancers arise in epithelial cells, which include the cells of the skin and those that line body cavities and cover organs.
Carcinomas may be further broken down into:
In addition to these more specific cell types, carcinomas may be named based on their location. For example, breast carcinomas that arise in the milk ducts would be referred to as ductal carcinomas, whereas those that arise in the lobules are considered lobular carcinomas.
Carcinomas are the only cancer cell type that have a noninvasive phase, and therefore are the only cancers for which screening is routinely done.
Cancers that are still “contained” and have not spread through the basement membrane are referred to ascarcinoma in situ(CIN). Cancer detected at this early, pre-invasive stage has an excellent prognosis.
How Mouth Cancer Looks
Sarcomas
Sarcomas are cancers of the bone and soft tissues of the body that are made up of cells called mesenchymal cells.This type of cancer affects bone, muscles (both skeletal and smooth muscle), tendons, ligaments, cartilage, blood vessels, nerves, synovial tissues (joint tissues), and fatty tissues.
Examples of sarcomas include:
Myelomas
Myeloma, also called multiple myeloma, is a cancer of cells in the immune system known as plasma cells. Plasma cells are the cells that manufacture antibodies.
Leukemias
Leukemiasare cancers of the blood cells, and they originate in the bone marrow. Among blood-related cancers, leukemias are considered “liquid cancers” in contrast to myelomas and lymphomas.Since these cancers involve cells that circulate in the bloodstream, they are often treated like solid cancers that have spread. Examples include:
Both lymphocytic and myelocytic leukemias have forms that progress quickly (acute) and forms that take longer to develop (chronic).
Lymphomas
Lymphomasare a type of cancer that arises from cells of the immune system. These cancers may arise in lymph nodes or fromextranodal sitessuch as the spleen, stomach, or testicles. These are broken down into:
Blood-Related vs. Solid Cancer TypesCancers may also be referred to as “solid” or blood-related cancers. Blood-related cancers include leukemias, lymphomas, and myelomas, while solid cancers include all others.
Blood-Related vs. Solid Cancer Types
Cancers may also be referred to as “solid” or blood-related cancers. Blood-related cancers include leukemias, lymphomas, and myelomas, while solid cancers include all others.
Mixed Types
It’s not uncommon for a cancer to have characteristics of more than one type of tissue. Cancer cells differ from normal cells in many ways, one of which is referred to as differentiation.
Some cancers can look very much like the normal cells in which they originate. They are called well-differentiated tumors. Others may bear little resemblance to normal cells. You may see them described as undifferentiated on a pathology report.
In addition to this, most tumors are heterogeneous. This means that the cells in one part of a tumor may look very different from cells in another part of a tumor.
For example, a lung cancer may have some cells that look like adenocarcinoma and others that appear to be squamous cell carcinoma. On a pathology report, this is calledadenosquamous features.
Blastomas are a type that is sometimes separated out from the rest. These are cancers that occur in embryonic cells—cells that have not yet chosen a path to become epithelial cells or mesenchymal cells.
Central Nervous System Cancers
Central nervous system cancers include those that originate in tissues of either the brain or the spinal cord. Cancers that spread to the brain are not considered brain cancers, but rather brain metastases, and are far more common than primary brain cancers.
Cancers that commonly spread to the brain include:
Unlike tumors in other regions of the body, brain cancers do not often spread outside of the brain. Overall, however, the incidence of brain cancer has been increasing in recent years. Improving overall cancer survival rates means more metastatic cases (the longer someone lives with cancer, the greater the chances of it spreading).
Gliomas and Brain Cancer
Head and Neck Cancers
Head and neck cancers can affect any region of the head and neck, from the tongue to the vocal cords. In the past, these cancers were most commonly seen in people who were both heavy drinkers and smokers.
In recent years, however,human papillomavirus (HPV)has become an important cause of these cancers, with close to 10,000 people developing HPV-related head and neck cancers each year in the United States alone.
Two such cancers are:
Breast Cancers
Many people are aware that breast cancer is an all-too-commoncancer in women, but it’s important to point out that men get breast cancer also. Approximately 1 in 100 breast cancers occur in men.The most common type of breast cancer is ductal carcinoma.
Since most breast cancers are carcinomas, they may sometimes be detected before they have become invasive. This is considered carcinoma in situ, or stage 0 breast cancer.
Breast cancer stages 1 through 4 are invasive stages of the disease. You may hear these more specific names:
Respiratory Cancers
Cancers of the lung and bronchial tubes are the leading cause of cancer deaths in both men and women in the United States.While smoking is a risk factor for these diseases, lung cancer occurs in never-smokers as well. In fact, lung cancer in these individuals is the sixth-leading cause ofcancer deathsin the United States.
Lung cancer rates are decreasing overall, likely related to a decrease in smoking. But they are increasing in young adults, especially young, never-smoking women. The reason is not understood and remains under study at this time.
Types you may hear about include:
Digestive System Cancers
Digestive tract cancers may occur anywhere from the mouth to the anus. Most of these cancers are adenocarcinomas, with squamous cell carcinomas occurring in the upper esophagus and most distant portion of the anus. Types include:
How Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Is Treated
Urinary System Cancers
The genitourinary system involves the kidneys, the bladder, the tubes connecting the kidneys and bladder (called the ureters), and the urethra (the passageway out from the bladder). This system also includes structures such as the prostate gland. Types include:
Reproductive System Cancers
Reproductive organ cancers may occur in men and women. Ovarian cancer is the fifth most common cause of cancer deaths in women, and though curable in the early stages, is often diagnosed when it has already spread. Types include:
Endocrine Cancers
The endocrine system is a series of glands that produce hormones and, as such, may have symptoms of an over- or underproduction of these hormones.
Most endocrine cancers, with the exception of thyroid cancer, are fairly rare. A combination of different endocrine cancers may run in families and is referred to as multiple endocrine neoplasia, or MEN.
The incidence ofthyroid canceris increasing in the United States at a higher rate, but the survival rate for many of these cancers also is high.
Bone and Soft Tissue Cancers
Blood-Related Cancers
Blood-related cancers include both those involving blood cells and those involving solid tissue of the immune system, such as lymph nodes.
The risk factors for blood-related cancers differ somewhat from solid cancers in that environmental exposures as well viruses, such as the Epstein-Barr virus, play a significant role.
Blood-related cancers are the most common cancers in children. They include:
Skin Cancers
Skin cancersare often separated into two primary groups: melanoma and non-melanoma. While non-melanoma skin cancers are much more common, melanomas are responsible for most skin cancer deaths.
Examples of non-melanoma skin cancers include:
Skin canceris the most common type of cancer overall in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Other Classification Methods
Genetic Tests for Cancer
A Word From Verywell
There are many types of cancer in addition to those mentioned here. With an increased understanding of genetics, it’s likely that the classification of cancers will improve significantly over the next decade.
The treatments for, and survival from, cancer have been improving in recent years, too. Ask your healthcare provider if you have questions about a specific cancer.
If you are diagnosed with a rare cancer, it may be worth asking for a second opinion at one of the largeNational Cancer Institute-designated cancer centers. These larger centers are more likely to have oncologists on staff who take a special interest in less common—but no less important—cancers.
The Most Common Cancer Types
24 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Song Q, Merajver SD, Li JZ.Cancer classification in the genomic era: five contemporary problems.Hum Genomics. 2015;9:27. doi:10.1186/s40246-015-0049-8
Søndergaard D, Nielsen S, Pedersen CNS, Besenbacher S.Prediction of Primary Tumors in Cancers of Unknown Primary. J Integr Bioinform. 2017 Jul 7;14(2):20170013. doi:10.1515/jib-2017-0013.
NIH National Cancer Institute.Cancer Classification.
American Cancer Society.Understanding Your Pathology Report: Lung Cancer in Situ.
Xiao W, Mohseny AB, Hogendoorn PC, Cleton-Jansen AM.Mesenchymal stem cell transformation and sarcoma genesis.Clin Sarcoma Res. 2013;3(1):10. doi:10.1186/2045-3329-3-10
Brenner AW, Patel AJ.Review of Current Principles of the Diagnosis and Management of Brain Metastases.Front Oncol. 2022 May 24;12:857622. doi:10.3389/fonc.2022.857622
Dal maso L, Torelli N, Biancotto E, et al.Combined effect of tobacco smoking and alcohol drinking in the risk of head and neck cancers: a re-analysis of case-control studies using bi-dimensional spline models.Eur J Epidemiol.2016;31(4):385-93. doi:10.1007/s10654-015-0028-3
Heroiu Cataloiu AD, Danciu CE, Popescu CR.Multiple cancers of the head and neck.Maedica (Buchar). 2013;8(1):80–85.
Abdelwahab yousef AJ.Male Breast Cancer: Epidemiology and Risk Factors.Semin Oncol. 2017;44(4):267-272. doi:10.1053/j.seminoncol.2017.11.002
Harvard Health Publishing.Understanding Ductal Carcinoma In Situ.
American Cancer Society.Cancer Facts & Figures.
American Cancer Society.What Is Lung Cancer?
Torres-durán M, Ruano-ravina A, Kelsey KT, et al.Small cell lung cancer in never-smokers.Eur Respir J. 2016;47(3):947-53. doi:10.1183/13993003.01524-2015
Noonan CW.Environmental asbestos exposure and risk of mesothelioma.Ann Transl Med. 2017;5(11):234. doi:10.21037/atm.2017.03.74
American Cancer Society.What Is Cancer of the Esophagus?
Baj J, Forma A, Dudek I, Chilimoniuk Z, Dobosz M, Dobrzyński M,et al.The Involvement of Human Papilloma Virus in Gastrointestinal Cancers.Cancers (Basel). 2022 May 25;14(11):2607. doi:10.3390/cancers14112607.
Hsieh JJ, Purdue MP, Signoretti S, et al.Renal cell carcinoma.Nat Rev Dis Primers. 2017;3:17009. doi:10.1038/nrdp.2017.9
Feng C, Chen H, Huang L, Feng Y, Chang S.The Research Landscape of Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia Type 1 (2000-2021): A Bibliometric Analysis.Front Med (Lausanne). 2022 Apr 8;9:832662. doi:10.3389/fmed.2022.832662
Willeumier JJ, Van der linden YM, Van de sande MAJ, Dijkstra PDS.Treatment of pathological fractures of the long bones.EFORT Open Rev.2016;1(5):136-145. doi:10.1302/2058-5241.1.000008
American Cancer Society.Cancers That Develop in Children.
American Cancer Society.Key Statistics for Melanoma Skin Cancer.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Skin Cancer.
American Cancer Society.Breast Cancer Risk Factors You Cannot Change.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).Statistics for Different Kinds of Cancer.Louis, D., Perry, A., Reifenberger, G. et al.The 2016 World Health Organization Classification of Tumors of the Central Nervous System: A Summary.Acta Neuropathologica. 2016;131(6):803-20. doi:10.1007/s00401-016-1545-1National Institute of Health. SEER Training Module. Cancer Classification.World Health Organization.International Classification of Diseases for Oncology, 3rd Edition (ICD-O-3).
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).Statistics for Different Kinds of Cancer.
Louis, D., Perry, A., Reifenberger, G. et al.The 2016 World Health Organization Classification of Tumors of the Central Nervous System: A Summary.Acta Neuropathologica. 2016;131(6):803-20. doi:10.1007/s00401-016-1545-1
National Institute of Health. SEER Training Module. Cancer Classification.
World Health Organization.International Classification of Diseases for Oncology, 3rd Edition (ICD-O-3).
Meet Our Medical Expert Board
Share Feedback
Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
Was this page helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
What is your feedback?
