- [uncountable, countable] 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.
- breast/lung cancer
- Most skin cancers are completely curable.
- cancer of something cancer of the colon/cervix
- The cancer has spread to his stomach.
- Smokers face an increased risk of developing lung cancer.
- to detect/diagnose/treat/cure cancer
- The drug can lower the risk of breast cancer.
- cancer patients/survivors
- cancer research
- cancer screening/treatment/prevention/risk
Collocations IllnessesIllnessesBecoming ill- catch a cold/an infectious disease/the flu/(British English) flu/pneumonia/a virus/(informal) a bug
- get (British English) ill/(North American English) sick/a disease/AIDS/breast cancer/a cold/the flu/(British English) flu/a migraine
- come down with a cold/the flu/(British English) flu
- contract a deadly disease/a serious illness/HIV/AIDS
- be infected with a virus/a parasite/HIV
- develop cancer/diabetes/a rash/an ulcer/symptoms of hepatitis
- have a heart attack/a stroke
- provoke/trigger/produce an allergic reaction
- block/burst/rupture a blood vessel
- damage/sever a nerve/an artery/a tendon
- feel (British English) ill/nauseous/queasy
- be running (British English) a temperature/(North American English) a fever
- have a head cold/diabetes/heart disease/lung cancer/a headache/(British English) a high temperature/(North American English) a fever
- suffer from asthma/malnutrition/frequent headaches/nausea/bouts of depression/post-traumatic stress disorder
- be laid up with/ (British English) be in bed with a cold/the flu/(British English) flu/a migraine
- nurse a cold/a headache/a hangover
- battle/fight cancer/depression/addiction/alcoholism
- examine a patient
- diagnose a condition/disease/disorder
- be diagnosed with cancer/diabetes/schizophrenia
- prescribe/be given/be on/take drugs/medicine/medication/pills/painkillers/antibiotics
- treat somebody for cancer/depression/shock
- have/undergo an examination/an operation/surgery/a kidney transplant/therapy/chemotherapy/treatment for cancer
- have/be given an injection/(British English) a flu jab/(North American English) a flu shot/a blood transfusion/a scan/an X-ray
- cure a disease/an ailment/cancer/a headache/a patient
- prevent the spread of disease/further outbreaks/damage to the lungs
- be vaccinated against the flu/(British English) flu/the measles/(British English) measles/polio/smallpox
- enhance/boost/confer/build immunity to a disease
Extra ExamplesTopics Health problemsb2- Childhood cancers have a very good survival rate.
- He died after an 18-month battle against cancer.
- Most of the women employees have now been screened for breast cancer.
- Prostate cancer deaths fell after screening was introduced.
- The cancer risk among smokers was found to be higher.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- breast
- cervical
- colon
- …
- have
- suffer from
- contract
- …
- spread
- occur
- recur
- …
- cell
- patient
- sufferer
- …
- a battle against cancer
- a struggle against cancer
- cancer of the cervix
- …
- [countable] (literary) an evil or dangerous thing that spreads quickly
- Violence is a cancer in our society.
Word OriginOld 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.
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cancer