Cancer Types: Find a Guide to Your Diagnosis
A cancer diagnosis begins with identifying the specific type and subtype of cancer. Different types — and even different subtypes within the same organ — can differ in how they are tested, which treatments are considered, and what questions are worth asking your oncology team.
This directory links to educational guides for major cancer types. Each guide separates the name of the diagnosis, the tests used to characterize it, and the treatments that are approved or being studied for that specific disease.
This directory is an educational resource. It is not a diagnosis, does not interpret pathology reports, and does not determine which treatment is right for you.
Why the Exact Diagnosis and Subtype Matter
Cancer is not a single disease. The specific type and subtype can affect which tests are relevant, which treatments are considered, and which clinical trials may be open. The points below describe how this works in general terms; they do not apply to every patient.
1. The name of the diagnosis
The pathology report usually names the organ of origin, the cell type (for example, adenocarcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma), and sometimes a subtype based on molecular or histological features. This name is the starting point for the relevant guide.
2. Stage and grade are different from type and subtype
Stage describes how far the disease has spread. Grade describes how the cells look under the microscope. Neither replaces the type and subtype; they work together to describe the disease and the treatment options that may be considered.
3. Biomarker testing is not universal
Some cancers are tested for specific biomarkers, and some of those results can affect which treatments are considered. Other cancers are not routinely tested. A biomarker result that matches a drug does not guarantee benefit, and a test may not identify an actionable treatment. Your oncology team determines which tests, if any, are appropriate for your case.
4. Tumor testing and inherited testing are different
Tumor testing looks at the cancer cells themselves. Inherited (germline) testing looks at genes you were born with. They answer different questions and are used in different situations. Your team can explain which type, if any, is relevant for you.
5. Secondary cancers and primary cancers are different
A cancer that started in another organ and spread to the liver is not the same disease as a cancer that started in the liver. The guide for the organ of origin is usually the relevant one, and your oncology team can clarify which applies in your case.
Browse Cancer Guides
The guides below are organized by diagnosis. Each guide focuses on the type and subtype, the tests used to characterize it, and the treatments that are approved or being studied for that specific disease. Some groups (such as leukemia, lymphoma, and rare cancers) contain several distinct diseases; the guide for each covers the subtypes and how they differ.
Leukemia
Cancers of the blood-forming tissues. Leukemia is not one disease; acute lymphoblastic (ALL), acute myeloid (AML), chronic lymphocytic (CLL), and chronic myeloid (CML) leukemia differ in cell of origin, course, and treatment.
Read the leukemia guide →Lymphoma
Cancers of the lymphatic system. Hodgkin lymphoma and the many types of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) differ in cell of origin, behavior, and treatment.
Read the lymphoma guide →Multiple Myeloma
A cancer of plasma cells in the bone marrow. It is usually managed as a chronic condition, with treatment planned around disease phase and prior therapies.
Read the multiple myeloma guide →Breast Cancer
Breast cancer is categorized by hormone receptor status (HR+ or HR−), HER2 status (HER2+ or HER2−), and other features. These categories are not interchangeable, and they guide the tests and treatments that may be considered.
Read the breast cancer guide →Lung Cancer
Lung cancer is divided into non-small cell (NSCLC) and small cell (SCLC) types. These are different diseases, with different staging systems and different treatment categories. Within NSCLC, molecular features (such as EGFR, ALK, or ROS1 alterations) can further shape the options that may be considered.
Read the lung cancer guide →Liver Cancer
Primary liver cancer (hepatocellular carcinoma, HCC) and cancer of the bile ducts (cholangiocarcinoma) are different diseases, even when both are found in the liver. Their staging and treatment categories differ.
Read the liver cancer guide →Colorectal Cancer
Colorectal cancer is characterized by location (colon or rectum), stage, and molecular features. Some features (such as MSI-H/dMMR status) are relevant to which treatment categories may be considered.
Read the colorectal cancer guide →Gastric (Stomach) Cancer
Gastric cancer is characterized by location within the stomach, stage, histological type, and molecular features (such as HER2 status). These features shape the treatment categories that may be considered.
Read the gastric cancer guide →Prostate Cancer
Prostate cancer ranges from low-risk disease that may be monitored to advanced disease that may require systemic treatment. Risk category, stage, and molecular features guide which options may be considered.
Read the prostate cancer guide →Melanoma
Melanoma is characterized by stage, location, and molecular features (such as BRAF alterations). Some patients with advanced disease may be considered for immune-based or targeted treatment categories.
Read the melanoma guide →Ovarian Cancer
Ovarian cancer includes several distinct diseases. The most common, epithelial ovarian cancer, is characterized by stage, histology, and molecular features (such as BRCA alterations or HRD status). These features shape the treatment categories that may be considered.
Read the ovarian cancer guide →Cervical Cancer
Cervical cancer is characterized by stage and histology. For many stages, radiation therapy (often combined with chemotherapy) and brachytherapy are established treatment categories, alongside surgery for some early stages and systemic treatment for advanced disease.
Read the cervical cancer guide →Thyroid Cancer
Thyroid cancer includes differentiated types (papillary and follicular), medullary thyroid cancer, and anaplastic thyroid cancer. These are different diseases, and they differ in how they are treated — including whether radioactive iodine is relevant.
Read the thyroid cancer guide →Kidney (Renal) Cancer
Kidney cancer includes several subtypes. The most common, clear cell renal cell carcinoma, is characterized by stage and risk category. These features shape the treatment categories that may be considered, including surgery for localized disease and systemic treatment for advanced disease.
Read the kidney cancer guide →Rare Cancers
Rare cancers are a broad group, including sarcomas, neuroendocrine tumors, and mesothelioma, among many others. Each is a distinct disease with its own diagnostic and treatment approach.
Read the rare cancers guide →Additional Cancer Types
Other guides in the directory include:
- Glioblastoma and other brain tumors
- Pancreatic cancer
- Head and neck cancers
- Bladder cancer
- Bone cancer (including osteosarcoma)
- Pediatric cancers
Please visit the full cancer-types directory to find a guide.
What to Do With This Information
This directory is a starting point. The next steps below are designed to help you prepare for a conversation with your oncology team, not to replace their assessment.
1. Find the name of your diagnosis in the pathology report
The pathology report usually states the organ, the cell type, and sometimes a subtype. If you are not sure what a term means, the guide for your cancer type explains the common terms. Your oncology team can also clarify which terms apply to your case.
2. Ask which tests, if any, are relevant
Not every cancer requires the same tests. Ask your oncology team which tests, if any, could change the treatment options that are considered for your specific disease. A test may not identify a treatment, and a matching result does not guarantee benefit.
3. Read the guide for your specific diagnosis
Each guide separates the name of the diagnosis, the tests used to characterize it, and the treatments that are approved or being studied. It also includes questions you can bring to your next appointment.
4. Consider whether a clinical trial is worth discussing
For some cancers, clinical trials are part of the standard set of options to consider. Your oncology team can help you understand whether any are relevant for your specific case. Public registries such as ClinicalTrials.gov list studies by disease and stage; a registry listing itself does not establish eligibility.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. The directory links to educational guides. It does not interpret your medical records, recommend a specific treatment, or determine which options are appropriate for your case. Treatment decisions should be made with your oncology team, taking account of your diagnosis, health, treatment history, and preferences.
Please do not send medical records or personal health information. We do not review records and do not provide individual medical advice. A second opinion is best requested through your treating hospital or through a clinical program that can review your records directly. If you send health information anyway, it is not used for medical advice; how it is handled is described in our privacy notice.
Not necessarily. A biomarker test can identify a feature of the cancer, but this does not guarantee that a treatment exists for it, that you are eligible for it, or that it would benefit you. Your oncology team can explain what a specific result means for your case.
This directory covers major cancer types and groups. If your cancer type is not listed, the relevant guide may be found through your treating hospital or a national cancer institute resource. We continue to expand the directory; please check back.
No. CancerCareE is an educational information resource. It does not provide introductions to hospitals and does not act as an intermediary between patients and treatment centers. Any communication with a treatment center is established directly by you and your oncology team.