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African-American Patient Guide
Educational Module
(1 of 12 sections)
See table of contents for more!
CLICK HERE for the extended version of this section
Usually, instructions in a cell’s DNA will tell it when to stop growing and dividing. But if a cell has mutations in the parts of the DNA that give instruction on when to stop growing, the cell may continue to grow. This is how cancer starts to form.
Cancer can happen anywhere in the body, even in the blood. A cell that divides out of control can make a clump of cells called a tumor. If a tumor grows in one place in the body, it is sometimes a benign tumor. Benign tumors often don’t need to be treated and can sometimes be left alone.
Tumors that spread quickly to other parts of the body are usually malignant tumors (“cancer”). Malignant tumors are generally more harmful than benign tumors because they can spread throughout the body and can affect your health in many ways.
Written by: Jasmine Mitchell, University of California Santa Barbara
Edited by: Dale O’Brien, MD, Cancer Patients Alliance
Formatting and content by: Raewyn O’Haire, AB, Cancer Patients Alliance
Consultant: Neil Atam, University of California Santa Barbara
Top Reference
Pancreatic resection: a key component to reducing racial disparities in pancreatic adenocarcinoma
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Click Here for the ACS Journal article
© 2024 Pancreatica. All rights reserved | Privacy Policy
312 Fountain Avenue, Pacific Grove, California 93950 | Phone: (831) 658-0600 | Fax: (831) 658-0518 | participate@tofightcancer.com