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Cancer

Cancer is a disease characterized by uncontrolled cell growth and the spread of abnormal cells. Cancer occurs when cells grow and divide uncontrollably to form tumors and spread to other parts of the body. Cancer cells differ from normal cells in that they ignore signals telling them to stop growing, invade nearby tissues, and spread to distant areas. There are many types of cancer that can behave differently and require specific treatment approaches aimed at that particular cancer type.

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31 views

Cancer

Cancer is a disease characterized by uncontrolled cell growth and the spread of abnormal cells. Cancer occurs when cells grow and divide uncontrollably to form tumors and spread to other parts of the body. Cancer cells differ from normal cells in that they ignore signals telling them to stop growing, invade nearby tissues, and spread to distant areas. There are many types of cancer that can behave differently and require specific treatment approaches aimed at that particular cancer type.

Uploaded by

chloesmarilyn
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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INTRODUCTION

A disease in which abnormal cells divide uncontrollably and destroy body tissue.

Cancer is a disease in which some of the body’s cells grow uncontrollably and spread
to other parts of the body.

Cancer can start almost anywhere in the human body, which is made up of trillions of
cells. Normally, human cells grow and multiply (through a process called cell division)
to form new cells as the body needs them. When cells grow old or become damaged,
they die, and new cells take their place.

Sometimes this orderly process breaks down, and abnormal or damaged cells grow
and multiply when they shouldn’t. These cells may form tumors, which are lumps of
tissue. Tumors can be cancerous or not cancerous (benign).

Cancerous tumors spread into, or invade, nearby tissues and can travel to distant
places in the body to form new tumors (a process called metastasis).

The place where a cancer starts is called the primary site. From there, it can
spread (metastasize) to other parts of the body. Regardless of where a cancer
may spread, it is always named for the place it began. For instance, breast
cancer that spreads to the liver is called metastatic breast cancer, not liver
cancer.

Different types of cancer can behave very differently. For example, lung cancer
and breast cancer are different diseases that grow at different rates and
respond to different treatments. That is why people with cancer need
treatment that is aimed at their particular type of cancer.

Although there are many types of cancer, they all start because of
uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells.
HOW NORMAL CELLS DIFFER FROM CANCER CELLS
Normal cells grow, divide and die in an orderly fashion.

Cancer cells continue to grow and divide hence, they outlive normal cells and
form new abnormal cells.

Cancer cells differ from normal cells in many ways. For instance, cancer cells:

 grow in the absence of signals telling them to grow. Normal cells only grow
when they receive such signals.
 ignore signals that normally tell cells to stop dividing or to die (a process known
as programmed cell death, or apoptosis).
 invade into nearby areas and spread to other areas of the body. Normal cells
stop growing when they encounter other cells, and most normal cells do not
move around the body.
 tell blood vessels to grow toward tumors. These blood vessels supply tumors
with oxygen and nutrients and remove waste products from tumors.
 hide from the immune system. The immune system normally eliminates damaged
or abnormal cells.
 trick the immune system into helping cancer cells stay alive and grow. For
instance, some cancer cells convince immune cells to protect the tumor instead
of attacking it.
 accumulate multiple changes in their chromosomes, such as duplications and
deletions of chromosome parts. Some cancer cells have double the normal
number of chromosomes.
 rely on different kinds of nutrients than normal cells. In addition, some cancer
cells make energy from nutrients in a different way than most normal cells. This
lets cancer cells grow more quickly.
TYPES OF CANCER
TREATEMENT OF CANCER
Different types of cancer can behave very differently. For example, lung cancer
and breast cancer are different diseases that grow at different rates and
respond to different treatments. That is why people with cancer need
treatment that is aimed at their particular type of cancer.
CAUSES OF CANCER

GENETIC CAUSES

Cancer cells develop because of damage to DNA, which directs all activities in
each cell. When DNA becomes damaged, the body is usually able to repair it.
In cancer cells, however, the damaged DNA is not repaired. People can inherit
damaged DNA, which results in approximately 10 percent of all cancers. More
often, though, a person’s DNA becomes damaged by exposure to something
in the environment or random cellular events.
TYPES OF TUMOUR

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