Introduction to Anatomy & Physiology

The human body consists of 11 organ systems that are all related and intertwined to keep the body functioning properly. There are many parts to each system and each structure is dependent and influenced by structures of other systems. As a result, when one structure or process regulating the human body is affected, multiple areas of the body may show symptoms.

Certain types of diseases can occur practically anywhere in the body. For example, the term cancer is a simpler medical term to describe abnormal cell division. Cancer can occur at the surface level of the skin or internally within specific organs such as the brain or liver. When a person is diagnosed with cancer, the specific cancer they have will have a name that reflects the location or structure where it is primarily located.

Like cancer, all bodily dysfunctions pose a risk to cause harm to multiple locations. Cancer has the ability to spread; common diseases will cause symptoms and failure within other body systems. The following chart provides common examples of medical problems associated with the identified body system, but keep in mind that these diseases affect multiple body systems due to the body’s connections for maintaining homeostasis.