Final answer:
Carcinoma, particularly basal cell carcinoma, is the most common type of cancer, accounting for about 40% of all new cases. Lung, prostate, breast, and colorectal cancers are common carcinomas but less prevalent than basal cell carcinoma.
Step-by-step explanation:
The most common type of cancer is carcinoma, specifically basal cell carcinoma. This type of skin cancer alone makes up about 40% of all new cancer cases each year in the United States. Carcinoma is a category that includes several types of cancer that originate in the epithelial cells covering the body surfaces and lining most internal organs.
Common types of carcinoma include lung, prostate, breast, and colorectal cancers, affecting various organ systems. However, these are not as common as basal cell carcinoma, they do account for a higher number of cancer deaths. In contrast, leukemia is a common cancer in children and sarcoma refers to cancers of connective tissues like bone and muscle, whereas melanoma is a rarer form of skin cancer but more dangerous due to its higher likelihood of metastasis.