carcino-, carcin-

Concerning an affinity for cancerous tissue: A carcinophilic property exists in some chemical agents.

The irrational fear of being afflicted with cancer: Carcinophobia, also known as cancerophobia, can be one of the most debilitating because the slightest pain or the appearance of new mole or lump on the body is thought to be a guarantee of a tumor or malignancy. Carcinophobia, or the extreme dread of getting a tumorous disease, typically affects those who have had the disease or have known people infected with it and it’s normal to experience such an alarming concern and worry.

People with carcinophobia often take their dread to the extreme and when that terror impacts their everyday life, it becomes a real source for concern because of anxiety about everything associated with malignant growths and the possibility of painful treatments, the loss of hair, the spreading of the disease, and concern that it will be followed by death.

1. A condition characterized by the development of many carcinomas throughout the body.
2. The extensive spread of cancer throughout the body.