Common Types of Cancer

The Cancer Care team at EvergreenHealth utilizes advanced technology and compassionate, personalized treatment plans to help you beat cancer and enjoy the lifestyle you want. Whether your treatment journey includes surgery, radiation therapy or medications, we have everything you need under one roof, making your care journey as effective and simple as possible.

EvergreenHealth Cancer Care: (425) 899-6000

Our oncologists and support staff are experts in all types of cancer, including:

Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers impacting women. It occurs when cells in your breast mutate and multiply, forming a tumor which may then spread to other parts of your body. Most commonly, breast cancer either begins in your milk ducts and spreads to nearby tissue (Invasive Ductal Carcinoma) or starts in your lobules (Lobular Breast Cancer), which are the milk-producing glands in your breast.

The most common symptom of breast cancer is a change in the size, shape or contour of your breast, but the disease can be difficult to detect without a mammogram. Starting from screening and diagnosis, our Cancer Care team works in collaboration with our Breast Health Center to best understand your diagnosis and develop a treatment plan to achieve the best results.

Colorectal Cancer

Colorectal cancer, which includes colon cancer or rectal cancer, is among the most preventable yet deadly forms of cancer. It can show little to no symptoms in its early stages, though symptoms may include diarrhea, constipation or the narrowing of stools. Cancer often begins as small growths or polyps on the inner lining of your colon or rectum, which together make up your large intestine. Most of these are benign but can turn into cancer over time.

Most often colorectal cancers are what is known as adenocarcinomas, which start in the cells that create mucus to lubricate your large intestine. Depending on your diagnosis, your Cancer Care team will work with you as well as EvergreenHealth's Gastroenterology team to ensure you receive a holistic treatment plan that works for you.

Lung Cancer

Lung cancer is commonly grouped into two types, called non-small cell and small cell. The most common type is non-small cell and usually grows more slowly than small cell, not producing symptoms until it is more advanced. Small cell lung cancer, which gets its name by the fact that the cancer cells are smaller than healthy lung cells, can spread to other parts of your body quickly.

Depending on the type of lung cancer you have, tumors can form in the air sacs of your lungs, in the large airways of your lungs or on the surface and outer areas of your lungs. Depending on your risk factors, you may receive screening for lung cancer with EvergreenHealth Pulmonary Care, which will work closely with your Cancer Care team to discuss your diagnosis and determine the right treatment plan for you and the best possible outcomes.

Gynecological Cancer

EvergreenHealth Cancer Care has experts in all types of gynecological cancers, including the most common cervical, ovarian, uterine, vaginal and vulvar cancers. Although these cancers all involve cells mutating and growing out of control, each type is unique and has different symptoms associated with them. However, some common symptoms include abnormal vaginal bleeding, pelvic pain, more frequent and urgent need to urinate and discomfort or pain of the vulva.

Your Cancer Care team works closely with EvergreenHealth Gynecology Care to ensure you understand your diagnosis as well as your treatment options. Working together with you, your comprehensive care team will build a personalized treatment plan that will help address your cancer diagnosis along with your symptoms.

Prostate Cancer

One of the most common types of cancer in men, prostate cancer impacts the small gland near the bladder that plays a major role in the male reproductive system. Similar to other types of cancer, prostate cancer results from cells growing uncontrollably beginning in your prostate. This growth can spread to other parts of your body. Symptoms of prostate cancer include trouble urinating, blood in your urine or semen and having to urinate more often including at night while trying to sleep.

Your EvergreenHealth Cancer Care team includes the Urology Care team to diagnose your conditions and develop a comprehensive care plan. EvergreenHealth Cancer Care also offers a state-of-the-art prostate cancer treatments in Surgery, Radiation Therapy and High Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU), which is a minimally invasive treatment that works to destroy cancerous cells.

Pancreatic Cancer

Your pancreas is a gland in your abdomen that assists with your digestion. Pancreatic cancer begins in this gland and is often not diagnosed until your condition is advanced due to no or minor symptoms in the early stages. There are two main types of pancreatic cancer, the most common being adenocarcinoma while the least common is a neuroendocrine tumor. Symptoms most common to pancreatic cancer are pain in your upper abdomen, mid-back or side, dark urine or pale stools, signs of jaundice and upset stomach as well as nausea.

There are many different ways to diagnose pancreatic cancer, and your EvergreenHealth Cancer Care team will work with our Advanced Endoscopy team to take images of your pancreas or perform a biopsy to test your pancreas's tissue.

Hematological Cancer

Also referred to as blood cancer, hematological cancers impact your blood cells but vary depending on where they begin in the body as well as how they manifest. Most often, blood cancer begins in your bone marrow, where your body produces stem cells that then turn into red blood cells, white blood cells or platelets. An example of this type of blood cancer is leukemia, which is most common type of hematological cancer in the U.S. Myeloma is another form of blood cancer that starts in your bone marrow. Lymphoma is another type of blood cancer that starts in your white blood cells and can form tumors in your lymph nodes.

Depending on what type of hematological cancer you are experiencing, your symptoms may include fatigue, shortness of breath and frequent infections. You may also experience joint pain, persistent fever or night sweats. Your EvergeenHealth Cancer Care team will work with you to ensure you receive an accurate diagnosis and develop an effective treatment plan.

Cancer Staging

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with cancer, you have likely heard providers stage the cancer to describe how it has spread through the body, how large and quickly the tumor has grown and the tumor's location in the body. There are five stages:

• Stage 0: Cancerous or non-cancerous cells have not spread to other areas of the body
• Stage I: Cancerous tumor is small and contained in one area
• Stage II: Cancerous tumor has grown larger and may have spread
• Stage III: Cancerous tumor is larger, growing deeper into surrounding tissue and has likely spread
• Stage IV (also known as metastatic cancer): Cancer cells have metastasized, meaning they have spread to other organs or distant areas of the body

Cancer is a highly complex disease, often requiring a team approach. The staging system gives your Cancer Care team a shared language that helps them with diagnosis, prognosis and even help you and other patients better understand their condition.