Cancer Types

Cancer is a general term used to describe conditions in which cells divide at an abnormally fast rate and may spread to other parts of the body through the blood and lymph nodes.

At Houston Methodist, our multidisciplinary cancer team is dedicated to providing you with the best possible care by diagnosing, treating and researching many different types of cancer using the most advanced techniques available. Cancers we treat include:

Bladder Cancer: Bladder cancer occurs when cells in the bladder grow uncontrollably.

Brain Tumors: Brain tumors are abnormal growths, lesions or masses of cells in the brain that can be cancerous or benign (non-cancerous).

Breast Cancer: Cancer that forms in the cells of the breasts. Breast cancer is the second most common cancer diagnosed in women in the U.S., after skin cancer.

Cervical Cancer: Occurs when abnormal cells develop in the cervix — the lower part of the uterus that connects to the vagina — and grow out of control.

Colorectal Cancer: Colorectal cancer, also called anal cancer, occurs when your cells in your colon or rectum begin to grow out of control. Most start as polyps, which are growths on the lining of the colon or rectum, though not all polyps develop into cancer.

Esophageal Cancer: A disease in which malignant (cancer) cells form in the tissues of the esophagus. Smoking, heavy alcohol use, and Barrett esophagus can increase the risk of this cancer.

Eye Cancer: Refers to any cancer that starts in the eye. 

Head & Neck Cancer: These types of cancers include  thyroid cancer, oral cancer, pharyngeal (throat) cancer and laryngeal cancer.

Kidney Cancer: Occurs when cells in the kidney grow uncontrollably.

Laryngeal Cancer (voice box, vocal cords): Occurs in the voice box and vocal cords.

Leukemia: A type of blood cancer. Starts in blood-forming tissue, such as the bone marrow, and causes large numbers of abnormal blood cells to be produced and enter the bloodstream.

Liver Cancer: Liver cancer is a disease in which cells in the liver grow out of control.

Lung Cancer: Begins in the lungs, and most often occurs in people who smoke or who have smoked. It may spread to the lymph nodes or other organs in the body, like the brain.

Lymphoma: Cancer of the lymph nodes; includes two main types: Hodgkin’s lymphoma and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

Myeloma: A blood cancer that develops in plasma cells (white blood cells) in the bone marrow — the soft, spongy tissue at the center of your bones.

Oral Cancer (lip, tongue and mouth): Develops on the lips, gums, area behind the molars or wisdom teeth, inside the cheeks, floor and roof of the mouth and the tongue.

Orthopedic Oncology: Focuses on tumors in bones and soft tissue, including muscles and nerves. Malignant primary musculoskeletal system tumors are called sarcomas.

Ovarian Cancer: Occurs when cells within, near or on the ovaries grow out of control. There are three main types: epithelial tumors begin in the tissue covering the outside of the ovaries; stromal tumors begin in the ovarian tissue that contains hormone-producing cells; and germ cell tumors begin in the egg-producing cells.

Pancreatic Cancer: Pancreatic cancer occurs when the cells that line the ducts of the pancreas grow out of control, which is called pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

Pharyngeal Cancer (throat): Develops in the tube inside the neck that starts behind the nose and ends at the top of the esophagus.

Prostate Cancer: A form of cancer that begins in the gland cells of a man's prostate, a small walnut-sized gland that produces seminal fluid.

Skin Cancer: The uncontrolled growth of abnormal skin cells. If left unchecked, these cancer cells can spread from the skin into other tissues and organs.

Stomach Cancer: Stomach (gastric) and esophageal (feeding tube) cancers develop when cells that make up the lining of the stomach and esophagus grow at an abnormal rate.

Testicular Cancer: A buildup of extra cells in your testicles can result in the formation of a mass (tumor) that can either be malignant (cancerous) or benign (noncancerous).

Thyroid Cancer: Occurs in the gland in the front of the neck below the voice box.

Uterine Cancer: Also called endometrial cancer, uterine cancer is a type of cancer that begins as a growth of cells in the uterus.

Vulvar & Vaginal Cancers: Occur when cells of the vulva (the outer part of a woman's genital organs) or the vagina (the hollow channel from the uterus to the outside of the body) grow out of control.