Cancer vs. Disease — What's the Difference?

Cancer is a group of diseases involving abnormal cell growth with the potential to invade or spread to other parts of the body. These contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread.

A disease is a particular abnormal condition that negatively affects the structure or function of all or part of an organism, and that is not due to any immediate external injury. Diseases are often known to be medical conditions that are associated with specific signs and symptoms.

A constellation in the Northern Hemisphere near Leo and Gemini.

A disorder of structure or function in a human, animal, or plant, especially one that produces specific symptoms or that affects a specific location and is not simply a direct result of physical injury

The fourth sign of the zodiac in astrology.

An abnormal condition of a part, organ, or system of an organism resulting from various causes, such as infection, inflammation, environmental factors, or genetic defect, and characterized by an identifiable group of signs, symptoms, or both.

One who is born under this sign. In all senses also called Crab.

A condition or tendency, as of society, regarded as abnormal and harmful.

Any of various malignant neoplasms characterized by the proliferation of anaplastic cells that tend to invade surrounding tissue and metastasize to new body sites.

(Obsolete) Lack of ease; trouble.

The pathological condition characterized by such growths.

(medicine) An abnormal condition of a human, animal or plant that causes discomfort or dysfunction; distinct from injury insofar as the latter is usually instantaneously acquired.

A pernicious, spreading evil

(by extension) Any abnormal or harmful condition, as of society, people's attitudes, way of living etc.

A disease in which the cells of a tissue undergo uncontrolled (and often rapid) proliferation.

Lack of ease; uneasiness; trouble; vexation; disquiet.

(figuratively) Something damaging that spreads throughout something else.

(obsolete) To cause unease; to annoy, irritate.

(slang) Extremely unpleasant and annoying.

To infect with a disease.

A genus of decapod Crustacea, including some of the most common shore crabs of Europe and North America, as the rock crab, Jonah crab, etc. See Crab.

Lack of ease; uneasiness; trouble; vexation; disquiet.

The fourth of the twelve signs of the zodiac. The first point is the northern limit of the sun's course in summer; hence, the sign of the summer solstice. See Tropic.

An alteration in the state of the body or of some of its organs, interrupting or disturbing the performance of the vital functions, and causing or threatening pain and weakness; malady; affection; illness; sickness; disorder; - applied figuratively to the mind, to the moral character and habits, to institutions, the state, etc.

Formerly, any malignant growth, esp. one attended with great pain and ulceration, with cachexia and progressive emaciation. It was so called, perhaps, from the great veins which surround it, compared by the ancients to the claws of a crab. The term is now restricted to such a growth made up of aggregations of epithelial cells, either without support or embedded in the meshes of a trabecular framework.

To deprive of ease; to disquiet; to trouble; to distress.

Any malignant growth or tumor caused by abnormal and uncontrolled cell division; it may spread to other parts of the body through the lymphatic system or the blood stream

To derange the vital functions of; to afflict with disease or sickness; to disorder; - used almost exclusively in the participle diseased.

(astrology) a person who is born while the sun is in Cancer

An impairment of health or a condition of abnormal functioning

A small zodiacal constellation in the northern hemisphere; between Leo and Gemini

The fourth sign of the zodiac; the sun is in this sign from about June 21 to July 22

Type genus of the family Cancridae