Cancer in Missouri

Cancer is a group of diseases characterized by uncontrolled growth and spread of abnormal cells. If the spread is not controlled, it may result in death. Most types of cancer cells form a lump or mass called a tumor and are named after the part of the body where the tumor originates. Cancer is caused by both external factors (for example, tobacco, chemicals, radiation and infectious organisms) and/or internal factors (for example, hormones, immune conditions and genetic mutations).

In the years to come, cancer will affect approximately three of every four Missouri families; about two in five Missourians, now living, will eventually develop cancer. Nationally, men have little less than a one in two lifetime risk of developing cancer; for women, the lifetime risk of developing cancer is a little more than one in three.

The Reality of Cancer: Stop It Before If Stops You!

Missouri Cancer Registry Website: http://mcr.umh.edu