[...]... The area posterior to the mouth is the oropharynx The oropharynx leads into the laryngopharynx, which opens into the esophagus (still in orange) and the larynx (shown in the large image in medium blue) Each of these regions may be affected by cancer, and the cancers include: Nasopharyngeal cancer; Oropharyngeal cancer; Esophageal cancer; and Laryngeal cancer Oral cancers can affect the lips, gums, and... the functioning of the brain Causes and symptoms Causes An acoustic neuroma is caused by a change or absence of both of the NF2 tumor suppressor genes in a nerve cell Every person possesses a pair of NF2 genes in every cell of their body including their nerve cells One NF2 gene is inherited from the egg cell of the mother and one NF2 gene is inherited from the sperm cell of the father The NF2 gene is... untreated, the tumor can become large enough to press against and affect the functioning of the brain stem The brain stem is the stalk-like portion of the brain that joins the spinal cord to the cerebrum, the thinking and reasoning part of the brain Different parts of the brainstem have different functions such as the control of breathing and muscle coordination Large tumors that impact the brain stem... T-cell ALL, the thymus gland Cancerous lymphoblasts take over the bone marrow, reducing both the number and the effectiveness of all types of blood cells The cancerous cells reduce the ability of healthy white cells to fight infection Fewer red cells are produced, causing anemia, and fewer platelets increases the risk of bleeding and bruising The presence of the cancerous white cells in the central... Benign tumor—A localized overgrowth of cells that does not spread to other parts of the body Chromosome—A microscopic structure, made of a complex of proteins and DNA, that is found within each cell of the body Cranial nerves The set of twelve nerves found on each side of the head and neck that control the sensory and muscle functions of a number of organs such as the eyes, nose, tongue face and throat... treatment of disease by means of chemicals In cancer, the chemicals selectively destroy cancerous tissue When cancer remission occurs, a course of maintenance chemotherapy is often prescribed so as to prevent recurrence Erythrocyte—Red blood cell Leukemia Cancer of the blood-forming tissues Myeloid blast cell—Type of cancer cell originating in the bone marrow Platelet—A type of blood cell responsible for... Leukemia is a cancer of white blood cells In acute leukemia, the cancerous cells are immature forms called blasts that cannot properly fight infection; patients become ill in rapid fashion The cells that make up blood are produced in the bone marrow and the lymph system The bone marrow is the spongy tissue found in the large bones of the body The lymph system includes the spleen (an organ in the upper... chest The main types of cells found in the blood are the red blood cells (RBCs), which carry oxygen and other materials to all tissues of the body; white blood cells (WBCs), which fight infection; and the platelets, which play a part in the clotting of the blood The white blood cells can be further subdivided into three main types: granulocytes, monocytes, and lymphocytes The granulocytes, as their... include: In the brain: the pituitary gland shown in blue (pituitary tumors), the hypothalamus in pale green, and the pineal gland in bright yellow Throughout the rest of the body: Thyroid (shown in dark blue): Thyroid cancer Parathyroid glands, four of them adjacent to the thyroid: Parathyroid cancer Thymus (green): Thymic cancer; Thymoma Pancreas (turquoise): Pancreatic cancer, endocrine; Pancreatic cancer, ... properly Description There are four main types of leukemia, which can be further divided into subtypes When classifying the type of leukemia, the first steps are to determine whether the cancer is lymphocytic or myelogenous (cancer can occur in either the lymphoid or myeloid white blood cells) and whether it is acute or chronic (rapidly or slowly progressing) In acute leukemia, the new or immature cells, . book with their health care provider. GALE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF CANCER VII PLEASE READ—IMPORTANT INFORMATION The Gale Encyclopedia of Cancer: A Guide to Cancer and. and Research Groups 1163 General Index 1165 GALE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF CANCER V CONTENTS The Gale Encyclopedia of Cancer is a medical refer- ence product designed