# cancer

/ˈkænsɝ/ (US) · /kˈænsɐ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/cancer
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. medical disease

noun · CEFR B2

a serious disease where cells in the body grow in a way that is not controlled.

For teachers: a disease caused by an uncontrolled division of abnormal cells in a part of the body. Uncountable when referring to the disease generally; countable when referring to a specific instance or type.

- Early detection is very important for treating many types of cancer successfully.
- Recent advancements in immunotherapy have significantly improved the prognosis for patients diagnosed with advanced lung cancer.

### 3. zodiac sign

noun · CEFR B2

the fourth sign of the zodiac, represented by a crab, for people born in late June and early July.

For teachers: the fourth sign of the zodiac, symbolized by the crab; the sun enters this sign at the summer solstice.

- My sister was born in early July, so her star sign is Cancer.
- In traditional astrology, Cancer is considered a water sign ruled by the Moon, associated with emotional depth and intuition.

### 4. a person born under the sign

noun · CEFR B2

a person who was born under the star sign of Cancer.

For teachers: a person born when the sun is in the zodiacal sign of Cancer.

- She is a typical Cancer because she loves being at home with her family.
- As a Cancer, he often found himself more affected by the changing phases of the moon than his peers.

### 5. extremely unpleasant

adjective · CEFR C2 · Slang · Vulgar

a very rude way to describe something that you think is terrible or annoying.

For teachers: used to describe something perceived as extremely toxic, unpleasant, or socially harmful.

- The comments section on that video is absolutely cancer.
- The moderator resigned, citing the cancer culture that had taken over the forum's political discussion boards.

Usage: Usually used to describe online communities, behaviors, or media content.

Teaching tip: This sense is highly offensive to many people because it trivializes a serious disease; students should avoid using it in professional or polite settings.

## Examples

- Early testing can help doctors find and treat cancer.
- The hospital is famous for its research into new ways to treat various types of lung cancer.
- While some forms of the disease are highly aggressive, medical advancements have significantly improved the survival rates for many patients diagnosed with early-stage cancer.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.