Cancer is not a single disease; it is a constellation of more than 100 different diseases linked by a common characteristic: the abnormal growth of aberrant cells within the body. Although cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States, many cancers can be cured, especially if detected early. The fact that individual types of cancer tend to be more prevalent among specific groups of people is one avenue of research that investigators examine in their attempt to isolate factors that play a role in cancer's development. In addition, this program focuses on the biological and environmental factors that lead to cancer, and the importance of early detection and a healthy lifestyle in its cure.
