Cancer is a group of diseases in which bodily cells divide uncontrollably and spread throughout the body. Cancer is fatal when it invades or grows into a vital organ such as a blood vessel or nerve. Cancer can develop from any human cell. The body normally produces billions of new cells every day through a process called cell division. These cells divide to create new ones, which replace the dead cells in the body. In cancer, this process is disrupted, causing abnormal cells to grow and form tumors, either cancerous or benign.
The first mutation provides the cancer cell with a reproductive advantage and makes it more difficult for its non-cancerous counterpart to survive. The second mutation intensifies the competitive advantage. Mutations in the DNA repair gene p53 also increase the rate of damage accumulation. Several key checkpoints in the cell’s life cycle are also missed, and repair genes are damaged. These events lead to an accumulation of damage and a new cycle of cancer. The progression of cancer is microevolutionary and involves multiple steps.
Tumors form when abnormal cells continue to divide uncontrollably. Tumors are often solid masses of abnormal tissue. Blood cancers, however, do not typically form solid tumors. These abnormal cells continue to divide and grow uncontrollably, and do not mature to perform specialized functions. They often form cancer cells in tissues covering internal organs such as the digestive tract, chest, and abdominal cavities. Because they do not mature, they are difficult to remove surgically.
Another type of cancer begins in the bone marrow, which is not a solid tumor. The cancer cells crowd out normal blood cells and prevent them from circulating in the body. A reduced level of normal blood cells makes it difficult to get oxygen to tissues, control bleeding, and fight infections. This is known as metastasis. When cancer has spread beyond the original location, it is referred to as metastasis. The disease also spreads to other parts of the body.
Some people inherit a faulty DNA, but most damage is caused by mutations in the cell that occur during the cell’s reproduction process. Sometimes, the damage can also be caused by environmental factors. Exposure to sunlight, cigarette smoke, and other environmental factors are obvious causes of DNA damage. The exact cause of DNA damage is unknown, but the fact remains that cancer is more common than you might think. The good news is that the odds of developing cancer have decreased significantly since the 1990s. Some cancers have five-year survival rates as high as ninety-five percent.
Tumors are created when abnormal cells multiply out of control. These abnormal cells form a tumor, which can be malignant or benign. Both types can spread throughout the body. Cancer is the most common form of cancer and affects one in every two men and three women in the United States. Approximately one in four deaths are caused by cancer, and most people have no idea how their disease started. It’s important to find the right treatment for cancer, so that it doesn’t spread to other parts of the body.
