In this Special Topics in Biology booklet, the causes, growth patterns, and possible treatments of various types of cancers are presented in a clear and concise format. The Second Edition provides updated information on DNA damage and mutations, with new discussions of radiation, environmental toxins and chemicals that can lead to cancer, and a new section that explores the role of viral infections in causing cancer. To provide you with a broader foundation for understanding current research, new co-author Dorothy Lobo has also added material on the properties of cancer and its treatments, including aneuploidy, cancer stem cells, failure of immunosurveillance, and epigenetics.