cancer without an article

Hi,

I’m curious about the grammar of the sentence below:

Cancer has spread to his bones.

In this case, I think we can put an article before cancer: A cancer has ~ or The cancer has spread~. How about without both of them? I know cancer can be used as an uncountable noun. But when? If it’s okay, does it have the same meaning as “A cancer has spread~”?

Oh, one more.

The disease has spread to many people.

I think instead of ‘to’, how about among?

Thanks,
sweetpumpkin

never do people use an article before cancer and in general almost every disease.

If we have never heard that he has cancer, and it’s brand new information, we would say, “Cancer has spread to his bones.”

If we already know he has cancer, we would say, “The cancer has spread to his bones,” or probably, “His cancer has spread to his bones.”

Or instead of “spread”, if you want to be sophisticated, you can say “metastasized”.

Thank both of you for your attention! :smiley:

You’re right jamie. I read all topics carelessly so replied to them carelessly too. But i think these words without articles are seen more often in communication.