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cancer noun
/ˈkænt .sər /
/-sɚ/ n Definition
•
[C or U] a serious disease that is caused when cells in the body grow in a way that is uncontrolled and not normal, killing normal cells and often causing deathHe died of liver cancer.
cancer of the cervix/stomach
breast/bowel/lung cancer
cancer cells
a cancer patient
It was a secondary cancer.
See also: carcinogen
•
[C] a harmful activity that spreads quicklyDrug abuse is a cancer which is destroying our society.
cancerous adjective
/ˈkænt .sər.əs//-sɚ-/ adj a cancerous growth/tumour
(Definition of cancer noun from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press)
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