/ ˈkænsə(r); NAmE / noun
1.
[ U , C ] a serious disease in which growths of cells, also called cancers, form in the body and kill normal body cells. The disease often causes death :
lung / breast cancer
cancer of the bowel / stomach
Most skin cancers are completely curable.
The cancer has spread to his stomach.
cancer patients
cancer research
2.
[ C ] ( literary ) an evil or dangerous thing that spreads quickly :
Violence is a cancer in our society.
► can·cer·ous / ˈkænsərəs; NAmE / adjective :
to become cancerous
cancerous cells / growths / tumours
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WORD ORIGIN
Old English , from Latin , crab or creeping ulcer , translating Greek karkinos , said to have been applied to such tumours because the swollen veins around them resembled the limbs of a crab. canker was the usual form until the 17th cent. Compare with Cancer .