Cancer – Causes and Treatments
Cancer is a group of diseases that starts when abnormal cells grow and divide without control, spreading into other tissues and organs. These abnormal cells can damage or destroy these tissues and disrupt the body’s normal function. Cancer is one of the world’s leading causes of death, but researchers are testing new treatments all the time.
Cells in your body make and break down other cells to keep you healthy. This process is controlled by the genes in your cells—pieces of DNA that tell your cells how to behave. Sometimes, the genes in a cell can change and turn them into cancerous (malignant) cells. These cells usually die, but some of them survive and multiply quickly, forming a tumor or masses that grow and spread into other parts of the body.
Cancer cells often have mutations in DNA that allow them to grow and divide more quickly than normal cells, causing them to crowd out other cells and change the way your body works. The cause of these gene changes is not clear. They may be inherited or develop during your lifetime due to lifestyle habits, exposure to radiation or chemicals, or other factors.
There are more than 100 different kinds of cancer, based on what type of cells they are and how they grow. Each type of cancer has its own set of risk factors, which are things that increase or decrease your chance of getting the disease. For example, if you smoke or have close family members who had cancer, you are at higher risk of developing it as well.
Your immune system is a network of cells and organs that protect you against disease, including cancer. The lymphatic system—including the tonsils, spleen, thymus, and lymph nodes—transports immune cells throughout your body.
Scientists have long believed that cancers are caused by inherited genetic traits passed down from parents, but recent research suggests that many of these cancers are actually caused by the environment and other factors. The way people live, work, and play, as well as the chemicals and radiation they encounter in their daily lives, all affect the chances that they will get cancer.
Cancers develop when a person’s cells are damaged by toxins, radiation, or other factors that can damage the genes that control how fast they grow and divide. The damaged genes may then pass these faulty mutations to other cells, which can become cancerous and reproduce rapidly. This process is akin to evolution by natural selection: mutations that provide an advantage in the struggle for survival are more likely to be passed on to offspring. This process also applies to the development of cancer cells, which can evolve adaptive characteristics such as resistance to apoptosis or ability to evade the immune system.
Cancer is a group of diseases that starts when abnormal cells grow and divide without control, spreading into other tissues and organs. These abnormal cells can damage or destroy these tissues and disrupt the body’s normal function. Cancer is one of the world’s leading causes of death, but researchers are testing new treatments all the time. Cells in your body make and break down other cells to keep you healthy. This process is controlled by the genes in your cells—pieces of DNA that tell your cells how to behave. Sometimes, the genes in a cell can change and turn them into cancerous (malignant) cells. These cells usually die, but some of them survive and multiply quickly, forming a tumor or masses that grow and spread into other parts of the body. Cancer cells often have mutations in DNA that allow them to grow and divide more quickly than normal cells, causing them to crowd out other cells and change the way your body works. The cause of these gene changes is not clear. They may be inherited or develop during your lifetime due to lifestyle habits, exposure to radiation or chemicals, or other factors. There are more than 100 different kinds of cancer, based on what type of cells they are and how they grow. Each type of cancer has its own set of risk factors, which are things that increase or decrease your chance of getting the disease. For example, if you smoke or have close family members who had cancer, you are at higher risk of developing it as well. Your immune system is a network of cells and organs that protect you against disease, including cancer. The lymphatic system—including the tonsils, spleen, thymus, and lymph nodes—transports immune cells throughout your body. Scientists have long believed that cancers are caused by inherited genetic traits passed down from parents, but recent research suggests that many of these cancers are actually caused by the environment and other factors. The way people live, work, and play, as well as the chemicals and radiation they encounter in their daily lives, all affect the chances that they will get cancer. Cancers develop when a person’s cells are damaged by toxins, radiation, or other factors that can damage the genes that control how fast they grow and divide. The damaged genes may then pass these faulty mutations to other cells, which can become cancerous and reproduce rapidly. This process is akin to evolution by natural selection: mutations that provide an advantage in the struggle for survival are more likely to be passed on to offspring. This process also applies to the development of cancer cells, which can evolve adaptive characteristics such as resistance to apoptosis or ability to evade the immune system.