[kan-ser] 
[kang-kree] for 3. | 1. | Pathology.
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| 2. | any evil condition or thing that spreads destructively; blight. |
| 3. | (initial capital letter ) Astronomy. the Crab, a zodiacal constellation between Gemini and Leo. |
| 4. | (initial capital letter) Astrology.
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| 5. | (initial capital letter) tropic of. See under tropic (def. 1a). |
[trop-ik] | 1. | Geography.
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| 2. | Astronomy. either of two circles on the celestial sphere, one lying in the same plane as the tropic of Cancer, the other in the same plane as the tropic of Capricorn. |
| 3. | of, pertaining to, characteristic of, or occurring in the tropics; tropical: romance under the tropic skies of Old Mexico. |
| tropic of Cancer n. The parallel of latitude 23°27' north of the equator, the northern boundary of the Torrid Zone, and the most northerly latitude at which the sun can shine directly overhead. |
Imaginary line that circles the Earth about one-quarter of the way from the equator to the North Pole. The sun is directly overhead at the June solstice.
A disease characterized by rapid growth of cells in the body, often in the form of a tumor. Cancer is invasive — that is, it can spread to surrounding tissues. Although this disease is a leading cause of death in the United States, research has provided considerable insight into its many causes (which may include diet, viruses, or environmental factors) and options for treatment (which include radiation, chemotherapy, surgery, and possibly gene therapy).
Note: The term cancer is often used to describe a nonmedical condition that is undesirable, destructive, and invasive: “Watergate was a cancer on the presidency.”
cancer can·cer (kān'sər)
n.
Abbr. CA Any of various malignant neoplasms characterized by the proliferation of anaplastic cells that tend to invade surrounding tissue and metastasize to new body sites.
The pathological condition characterized by such growths.
