Cancer

Cancer was a class of diseases among humans and other species, characterised by uncontrolled division of cells and the ability of these cells to invade other tissues. This unregulated growth is caused by damage to DNA, resulting in mutations to genes that control cell division. If untreated, cancers may eventually cause death.

References

• The First Doctor met the elderly Christian leader Hebron, who was dying from cancer. The revelation of this humbled him, who up till then was immersed in self-pity over the loss of the TARDIS and separation from his companions. (PDA: Byzantium!)

• One of Lord Carnon's prisoners was a scientist with hopes of finding a cure for cancer, until Death took him. (ST: The Eternity Contract)

• Tegan Jovanka's father died from cancer. (PDA: Divided Loyalties)

• By 2006 Tegan herself had cancer, a brain tumour. (BFA: The Gathering)

• A man living on Arcadia who was dying from cancer wrote his memoirs using burnt sticks for pencils and old sheets for parchment. (Prelude to NA: Deceit, published in DWM Issue 198)

• Carolyn McConnell had dreams of finding a cure for cancer when she started out as a pre-med student in 1976 in San Francisco. A portion of her passion was diverted towards an interest in vampires after the Eighth Doctor and Sam Jones rescued her from one of these creatures. (EDA: Vampire Science)
• ==real world==
• Elisabeth Sladen died from cancer on 19th April 2011