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Cancer, heart disease - are they countable ?

General English Grammar & Vocabulary,... » ESL General English Grammar Questions

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Latest post Thu, Sep 4 2008 2:58 AM by Feebs11. 3 replies.
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Seraphin  +  562168 Wed, 03 Sep 08 09:59 PM
While both "cancer" and "heart disease" seems countable, as we hear it all the times that
"you have a cancer" or "you have a heart disease"; why do we say "you are at risk of cancer"
"you are at risk of heart disease"? Any idea? 
Seraphin
Joined on Sat, Feb 9 2008
Full Member 151
Anonymous, 1 yr 81 days ago
I have never used, nor heard being used, the expressions "you have a cancer" or "you have a heart disease".  Certainly "you have a tumor"--although that is not specifically a cancerous growth.  But usually I use and hear "you have cancer" or "you have heart disease".
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Seraphin  +  562174 Wed, 03 Sep 08 10:18 PM
Guess I am surrounded by doctors with poor knowledge of English grammar ?
They say it all the times that "you have A cancer in your prostate" or "you have A cancer in your stomach", although they also say 
"it's cancer" to their patients. :)
Seraphin
,
Feebs11  +  562239 Thu, 04 Sep 08 02:58 AM
 They are either using a shorthand for "A cancerous tumour" or they are indicating that there is some kind of cancer but they are not sure which one precisely. Cancers are very variable.
Feebs11
Joined on Thu, Nov 23 2006
UK
Veteran Member 5,015
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