The cervix is known as the neck of the womb, and is a narrow muscular opening connecting the vagina to the womb (uterus). Cancer can affect any of the cervix. Cervical cancer is most commonly caused by certain strains of a virus called Human Papilloma Virus (HPV). The risk of cervical cancer is much reduced with both the UK’s cervical screening programme and the HPV vaccination programme. It's a relatively uncommon cancer but receives a lot of attention as it is so easily prevented if early cell chances are caught early, and because it affects young women who are otherwise healthy and at low risk of other cancers.

Cancer occurs when cells in our body multiply out of control, producing lots of abnormal cells. These abnormal cells don't function like they should and can invade tissues or organs and can sometimes spread to other parts of the body. Different cancers are due to different types of cells multiplying out of control. The most common types in the UK are breast, prostate, lung and bowel cancer, but there are many other types of cancer. 1 in 2 people will develop cancer in their lifetime, which is a scary fact but the treatments for cancer have improved massively over the years. Many cancers are able to be cured completely, particularly if caught early, so it’s important to know about the signs to look out for and to seek medical advice early if you notice these. Any cancer fits into four stages, depending on the size of the tumour and whether it has spread and by how far. These are used to guide what treatment would be best. In Stage 1, the cancer is small and has not spread anywhere. Stage 2 is when the cancer is larger but hasn't spread. In Stage 3, the cancer is larger and has spread to areas close by. Stage 4 is when the cancer has spread to other parts of the body and is known as metastatic cancer.

A brain tumour occurs when a cluster of cells grow abnormally in the brain and this can affect people in different ways. A brain tumour may be benign (it’s not cancer) but may still grow to a size where it presses on important parts of the brain and causes symptoms as a result. Alternatively, it may have cancer cells in it that disrupt the normal functioning of an area of the brain (even if it is a small size) and this is called a malignant tumour. Brain tumours are more common in older people. If a benign tumour remains small and slow-growing, it may not cause any symptoms at all. Almost 6,000 people in the UK are diagnosed with a benign brain tumour every year. Malignant brain tumours usually grow faster than benign ones, and every year about 5,500 people in the UK are diagnosed with one. They’re more likely to come back after treatment than benign ones, as well as being more likely to spread to other parts of the brain.

Cancer occurs when cells in our body multiply out of control, producing lots of abnormal cells. These abnormal cells don't function like they should, and can invade tissues or organs, and can sometimes spread to other parts of the body. Bowel cancer is also known as colorectal cancer, and it includes cancer of the colon (which is the large intestine) and cancer of the rectum (which is the last few inches of the large intestine before it turns into the anus). It is the fourth most common cancer in the UK, affecting both men and women, and is more likely as we age. There are certain genetic and lifestyle factors that can increase your risk - we'll talk you through them. Symptoms of bowel cancer include: blood in the poo, a change in your bowel habits for more than a few weeks, tending towards diarrhoea but may also tend towards constipation too. Another symptom may be abdominal pain or discomfort and bloating. It is important to note that most people with these symptoms do not have bowel cancer, but if they persist, occur in older individuals, or occur with symptoms like loss of appetite, fatigue and unintentional weight loss - this should be discussed with a doctor urgently. As bowel cancer is more common in those aged 60 and over, the UK has a bowel cancer screening programme. Those between 60 and 74 years old will be automatically sent a bowel cancer screening test every two years. If you are 75 and over, you can ask for a free test kit every two years. Using the kit you get a small sample of poo and send it off to be tested for blood, which can be a symptom of bowel cancer, but also other conditions. If blood is found, you will be invited for further tests to find the cause, including bowel cancer. If caught early, bowel cancer can be cured. There is evidence that you can reduce the risk of developing bowel cancer by eating a high-fibre diet, with lots of fruit and veg and avoiding processed foods. You should avoid smoking and excessive alcohol intake to lower risk, and keep fit and maintain a healthy weight.

The bladder is the pouch that stores urine before you pee it out. Cancer cells can grow in the inner lining of the bladder and spread to involve the muscle walls and other structures. Bladder cancer is relatively common in the UK, affecting older adults and men more than women. It’s usually surgically treated, with chemotherapy and radiotherapy alongside, depending on both the tumour and the health of the person it affects. But both the cancer and effects of treatment can have a lasting impact on someone’s quality of life and emotional well-being.

Cancer occurs when cells in our body multiply out of control, producing lots of abnormal cells. These abnormal cells don't function like the cell should and can invade tissues or organs and can sometimes spread to other parts of the body. Anal cancer is cancer that is in the anus, which is the last few centimetres of the bowel and connects the bowel to the outside of the body (the last part your stool passes through the anus when you go for a poo). It isn’t a common cancer – it causes less than 1% of all cancers - but HPV (human papillomavirus) infection increases your risk of developing anal cancer. HPV is a virus passed on through sexual intercourse. Most people will be infected with HPV infection in their lifetime and the majority will not develop anal cancer. Both HPV infection and anal cancer are more common in people who have anal sex with a lot of different partners, those who smoke, those with a lowered immune system, or those who have had cervical, vulval or vaginal cancer. The most common symptoms of anal cancer are bleeding, pain, itching, discharge and faecal incontinence (losing the ability to control when you poo). There are many more common causes of bleeding, pain and itching symptoms that are not anal cancer, so please don’t be worried if you have symptoms but always get them checked out. We should be clear - anal cancer is rare. More subtle signs of cancer can be unexplained tiredness or loss of weight, night sweats or pain in your bones.

Kidney cancer is one of the 10 most common cancers in the UK. Known medically as renal cancer, it is more common in men than women and it’s rare in people under the age of 50. Each year in the UK around 12,000 people are diagnosed with this type of cancer. There are several different types of kidney cancer but the commonest type is known as renal cell cancer. Others include transitional cell cancer, and Wilm’s tumours and clear cell sarcomas that only occur in children. You have two kidneys, one on either side of your tummy (your flanks) and slightly to the back. Their job is absolutely critical in keeping us alive - they balance up the salts (sodium, potassium and chloride) in our blood and excrete out any excess in urine. They filter out toxins into the urine and balance out fluids by making the urine more concentrated or more watery, depending on what we need. Signs that might alert you to a problem in the kidneys are blood in the urine or a lump in one of your flanks. It’s confirmed with blood tests, urine tests and scans.

Melanoma (also known as malignant melanoma) is the most serious type of skin cancer caused by sun exposure. It's serious because the cancer can spread to other organs in the body, so it needs prompt identification and treatment. You can take steps to prevent it, but also keep a watch for any moles or other skin marks that are new, changing or don't look like your other moles. Melanoma is the 5th most common cancer in the UK, with almost 17,000 new cases each year. The number of cases has doubled in the last 30 years, and it can occur at any age.

The ovaries are two small organs in the pelvis whose main function is to store and release eggs in the monthly cycle that can cause pregnancy to occur in women of child-bearing age. Because of this they have little use after the menopause. Cancer can develop in an ovary and this type of cancer particularly affects women over 50 years old. Sadly, ovarian cancer is often diagnosed late, which means it carries a higher chance of death than some other cancers. It is the sixth most common cancer in women in the UK, affecting around 7,000 women each year, and around half of these are over the age of 65. There are a number of types of ovarian cancer, distinguished from each other by the type of cell the cancer occurs in. These include epithelial ovarian cancer (that causes around 90% of cases), germ cell cancer that arises from the egg-making cells and stromal ovarian cancer which is rare.

A mole is usually a mid or dark brown flat mark (a junctional naevus), or a dome-shaped brown or flesh-coloured bump (a dermal naevus). It should be neither itchy nor bothersome. You may have numerous moles, and they may run in your family. They may have been present for as long as you can remember, or since birth, although new moles can appear throughout childhood and even into your 20s, especially after recent sun exposure. Certain skin types such as those with pale skin, blue eyes and red or blond hair, and who are likely to easily burn, are likely to be more at risk of concerning changes to moles.

Testicular lumps are more common than you would think and can be caused by a variety of things. The majority of these are nothing serious, but they should always be checked out by your doctor. This is because a small number of cases may turn out to be cancerous. The good news is the survival rate for testicular cancer is high, especially when caught early and treated. Healthwords' advice is that anyone with testicles should remember to check their balls at least once a month. This is different to prostate cancer.

An SCC (squamous cell carcinoma) is usually a firm pink or red lump and typically occurs in sun-exposed areas like the face, ears, forearms and hands, shoulder, upper chest and back. It might feel tender to press, it may develop a solid horny lump sticking up and it can sometimes ulcerate, giving a wet appearance. This grows slowly over weeks, months or even years. It usually occurs in people aged over 50, in response to years of sun damage. While skin cancers all develop in response to sun damage, and similar risk factors make some more susceptible than others, there are different types of skin cancer. Melanoma is the most well-known, but actually the less common. This is where a new mole appears or an existing mole changes. SCC is a different process and doesn't usually start as a mole.