# Cancer of.... **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 30, 2007, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cancer-of/410000 "2007-06-30T01:21:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 2\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Psycho\_Originals](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d26b3c/32.png) [@Psycho\_Originals](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Psycho_Originals)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2007, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cancer-of/410000/1 "2007-06-30T01:21:15Z")
I guess i’m still kind of in the dark about how cancer actually effects systems and causes death, but i recently read an article about Joel Sigel dying of colon cancer, and this got me thinking. If i were to get cancer of the…spleen, would i be ok since i really don’t need one (if the cancer doesnt spread)? Or would i still be screwed because of the liquids that flow through the spleen carrying cancer cells with it? ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2007, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cancer-of/410000/2 "2007-06-30T01:28:54Z")
That’s a big topic. Here’s the Mayo Clinic website’s stab at explaining cancer for the layman, with lots of links: [http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/cancer/CA00003](http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/cancer/CA00003) Basically, if the cancer spread from your spleen and lodged elsewhere, you’d have a reduced chance of surviving it than if it was removed completely from your spleen before it had spread. BTW, primary splenic cancer is pretty damn rare in humans, tho I understand it happens in dogs a lot.