Understanding How Cancer Develops
Cancer is a disease that causes cells in the body to grow and spread beyond their normal boundaries.
The development of cancer is a complex process that involves many different changes. A cancerous cell is one that has mutated, or changed, its DNA and is no longer able to function properly as a normal cell. The mutated cells then form a tumor, or collection of abnormal cells that can grow and spread through the body to other places called metastases.
In the past, scientists could not explain how these changes caused cancer to develop. They did not know how cancer developed step by step, across time, and what factors were important in its progress from a harmless state to a malignant state.
This lack of understanding stymied science for years. Scientists were constantly trying to identify the agents that were causing cancer, but they often did not have a clear answer to how they might do so.
For example, they believed that cancer might be caused by chronic irritation of the tissues by chemicals or by exposure to radiation from X-rays. Other ideas involved a connection to infectious agents or to genetic mutations that predisposed individuals to the development of cancer.
It was not until the middle of the twentieth century that scientists finally had a clearer idea about what caused cancer to develop. They began by studying the genes of cancer cells.
They learned that some genes cause cancer by guiding the cells to divide and die when they should not, and others change proteins that normally repair damaged cells. They also learned that cancer can be inherited, or transferred to offspring, from parents who have changed a gene.
These discoveries helped lead to an understanding that cancer develops over a long period of time, in which many different molecular changes occur that eventually produce the characteristics of a malignant state. These changes can involve an incredibly large number of mutations in the same gene, and they can occur in an unlimited number of different locations within a cell.
Some mutations, or changes, are very large, while others are much smaller. These differences are important in how cells respond to chemical and environmental stressors and how they grow and divide.
Most of the mutations that contribute to a cancerous state happen over a long period of time, as the cells divide and change over multiple generations. These changes are called chromosomal rearrangements and alterations.
Once a cancer develops, it is very difficult to destroy the cells that make up the tumor, but treatments can help. They can include surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy.
The treatment for your type of cancer will depend on its stage and location in the body. Your doctor will discuss all the options with you.
Chemotherapy, a drug that kills cancer cells, is one of the most common types of treatment. It is given in many ways, including through an IV, injection or as a liquid that you drink.
Cancer is a disease that causes cells in the body to grow and spread beyond their normal boundaries. The development of cancer is a complex process that involves many different changes. A cancerous cell is one that has mutated, or changed, its DNA and is no longer able to function properly as a normal cell. The mutated cells then form a tumor, or collection of abnormal cells that can grow and spread through the body to other places called metastases. In the past, scientists could not explain how these changes caused cancer to develop. They did not know how cancer developed step by step, across time, and what factors were important in its progress from a harmless state to a malignant state. This lack of understanding stymied science for years. Scientists were constantly trying to identify the agents that were causing cancer, but they often did not have a clear answer to how they might do so. For example, they believed that cancer might be caused by chronic irritation of the tissues by chemicals or by exposure to radiation from X-rays. Other ideas involved a connection to infectious agents or to genetic mutations that predisposed individuals to the development of cancer. It was not until the middle of the twentieth century that scientists finally had a clearer idea about what caused cancer to develop. They began by studying the genes of cancer cells. They learned that some genes cause cancer by guiding the cells to divide and die when they should not, and others change proteins that normally repair damaged cells. They also learned that cancer can be inherited, or transferred to offspring, from parents who have changed a gene. These discoveries helped lead to an understanding that cancer develops over a long period of time, in which many different molecular changes occur that eventually produce the characteristics of a malignant state. These changes can involve an incredibly large number of mutations in the same gene, and they can occur in an unlimited number of different locations within a cell. Some mutations, or changes, are very large, while others are much smaller. These differences are important in how cells respond to chemical and environmental stressors and how they grow and divide. Most of the mutations that contribute to a cancerous state happen over a long period of time, as the cells divide and change over multiple generations. These changes are called chromosomal rearrangements and alterations. Once a cancer develops, it is very difficult to destroy the cells that make up the tumor, but treatments can help. They can include surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy. The treatment for your type of cancer will depend on its stage and location in the body. Your doctor will discuss all the options with you. Chemotherapy, a drug that kills cancer cells, is one of the most common types of treatment. It is given in many ways, including through an IV, injection or as a liquid that you drink.