catflap.org Online Dictionary Query

  Cancer \Can"cer\, n. [L. cancer, cancri, crab, ulcer, a sign of
     the zodiac; akin to Gr. karki`nos, Skr. karka[.t]a crab, and
     prob. Skr. karkara hard, the crab being named from its hard
     shell. Cf. Canner, Chancre.]
     1. (Zo["o]l.) A genus of decapod Crustacea, including some of
        the most common shore crabs of Europe and North America,
        as the rock crab, Jonah crab, etc. See Crab.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. (Astron.)
        (a) The fourth of the twelve signs of the zodiac. The
            first point is the northern limit of the sun's course
            in summer; hence, the sign of the summer solstice. See
            Tropic.
        (b) A northern constellation between Gemini and Leo.
            [1913 Webster]
  
     3. (Med.) Formerly, any malignant growth, esp. one attended
        with great pain and ulceration, with cachexia and
        progressive emaciation. It was so called, perhaps, from
        the great veins which surround it, compared by the
        ancients to the claws of a crab. The term is now
        restricted to such a growth made up of aggregations of
        epithelial cells, either without support or embedded in
        the meshes of a trabecular framework.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     Note: Four kinds of cancers are recognized: (1) Epithelial
           cancer, or Epithelioma, in which there is no
           trabecular framework. See Epithelioma. (2) Scirrhous
           cancer, or Hard cancer, in which the framework
           predominates, and the tumor is of hard consistence and
           slow growth. (3) Encephaloid cancer, Medullary
           cancer, or Soft cancer, in which the cellular
           element predominates, and the tumor is soft, grows
           rapidy, and often ulcerates. (4) Colloid cancer, in
           which the cancerous structure becomes gelatinous. The
           last three varieties are also called carcinoma.
           [1913 Webster]
  
     Cancer cells, cells once believed to be peculiar to
        cancers, but now know to be epithelial cells differing in
        no respect from those found elsewhere in the body, and
        distinguished only by peculiarity of location and
        grouping.
  
     Cancer root (Bot.), the name of several low plants, mostly
        parasitic on roots, as the beech drops, the squawroot,
        etc.
  
     Tropic of Cancer. See Tropic.
        [1913 Webster]

  Cancer \Can"cer\, n. [L. cancer, cancri, crab, ulcer, a sign of
     the zodiac; akin to Gr. karki`nos, Skr. karka[.t]a crab, and
     prob. Skr. karkara hard, the crab being named from its hard
     shell. Cf. Canner, Chancre.]
     1. (Zo["o]l.) A genus of decapod Crustacea, including some of
        the most common shore crabs of Europe and North America,
        as the rock crab, Jonah crab, etc. See Crab.
  
     2. (Astron.)
        (a) The fourth of the twelve signs of the zodiac. The
            first point is the northern limit of the sun's course
            in summer; hence, the sign of the summer solstice. See
            Tropic.
        (b) A northern constellation between Gemini and Leo.
  
     3. (Med.) Formerly, any malignant growth, esp. one attended
        with great pain and ulceration, with cachexia and
        progressive emaciation. It was so called, perhaps, from
        the great veins which surround it, compared by the
        ancients to the claws of a crab. The term is now
        restricted to such a growth made up of aggregations of
        epithelial cells, either without support or embedded in
        the meshes of a trabecular framework.
  
     Note: Four kinds of cancers are recognized: (1) Epithelial
           cancer, or Epithelioma, in which there is no
           trabecular framework. See Epithelioma. (2) Scirrhous
           cancer, or Hard cancer, in which the framework
           predominates, and the tumor is of hard consistence and
           slow growth. (3) Encephaloid, Medullary, or Soft
           cancer, in which the cellular element predominates,
           and the tumor is soft, grows rapidy, and often
           ulcerates. (4) Colloid cancer, in which the cancerous
           structure becomes gelatinous. The last three varieties
           are also called carcinoma.
  
     Cancer cells, cells once believed to be peculiar to
        cancers, but now know to be epithelial cells differing in
        no respect from those found elsewhere in the body, and
        distinguished only by peculiarity of location and
        grouping.
  
     Cancer root (Bot.), the name of several low plants, mostly
        parasitic on roots, as the beech drops, the squawroot,
        etc.
  
     Tropic of Cancer. See Tropic.