The ABCs of cancer

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  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.

Cancerous tumors spread into nearby tissues and can travel to distant places in the body to form new tumors . Cancerous tumors may also be called malignant tumors. Many cancers form solid tumors, but cancers of the blood generally do not. Benign tumors do not spread into, or invade, nearby tissues. When removed, benign tumors usually don’t grow back, whereas cancerous tumors sometimes do. Benign tumors can sometimes be quite large, however. Some can cause serious symptoms or be life threatening, such as benign tumors in the brain.

                    Differences between Cancer Cells and Normal Cells.

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

•   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.
•  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. 

                    How cancer is develop?

Cancer is a genetic disease—that is, it is caused by changes to genes that control the way our cells function, especially how they grow and divide.

Genetic changes that cause cancer can happen because: 

            of errors that occur as cells divide.

            of damage to DNA caused by harmful substances in the environment, such as the chemicals in tobacco smoke and ultraviolent rays from the sun. 

The body normally eliminates cells with damaged DNA before they turn cancerous. But the body’s ability to do so goes down as we age. This is part of the reason why there is a higher risk of cancer later in life.

Each person’s cancer has a unique combination of genetic changes. As the cancer continues to grow, additional changes will occur. Even within the same tumor, different cells may have different genetic changes.

                    They are different types of Genes that Cause Cancer.

The genetic changes that contribute to cancer tend to affect three main types of gene _proto-oncogenes , tumor suppressor genes and DNA repair genes. These changes are sometimes called “drivers” of cancer.

Proto-oncogenes are involved in normal cell growth and division. However, when these genes are altered in certain ways or are more active than normal, they may become cancer-causing genes allowing cells to grow and survive when they should not.

Tumor suppressor genes are also involved in controlling cell growth and division. Cells with certain alterations in tumor suppressor genes may divide in an uncontrolled manner.

DNA repair genes are involved in fixing damaged DNA. Cells with mutations in these genes tend to develop additional mutations in other genes and changes in their chromosomes, such as duplications and deletions of chromosome parts. Together, these mutations may cause the cells to become cancerous.
                        When Cancer Spreads?

A cancer that has spread from the place where it first formed to another place in the body is called metastatic cancer. The process by which cancer cells spread to other parts of the body is called metastasis.

Metastatic cancer has the same name and the same type of cancer cells as the original, or primary, cancer. For example, breast cancer that forms a metastatic tumor in the lung is metastatic breast cancer, not lung cancer. metastatic cancer cells and cells of the original cancer usually have some molecular features in common, such as the presence of specific chromosome changes.

                Did you know there are tissue Changes that are not Cancer?

 Some tissue changes may develop into cancer if they are not treated. Here are some examples of tissue changes that are not cancer but, are monitored because they could become cancer.

        Hyperplasia occurs when cells within a tissue multiply faster than normal and extra cells build up. It can be caused by several factors or conditions, including chronic

       Dysplasia the cells look abnormal and there are changes in how the tissue is organized. The more abnormal the cells and tissue look, the greater the chance that cancer will form. Some types of dysplasia may need to be treated, but others do not.

      Carcinoma in situ  although it is sometimes called stage 0 cancer, it is not cancer because the abnormal cells do not invade tissue the way that cancer cells do. But because some carcinomas in situ may become cancer, they are usually treated.

                        What are the most common types of cancer, and how do they differ?

Types of cancer are usually named for the organs  where the cancers form. For example, lung cancer starts in the lung, and brain cancer starts in the brain. Cancers also may be described by the type of cell that formed them, such as an epithelial cell. They are categories of cancer that begin in specific types of cells.       

       Carcinomas are the most common type of cancer. They are formed by epithelial cells, which are the cells that cover the inside and outside surfaces of the body. There are many types of epithelial cells, which often have a column-like shape.

        Sarcomas are cancers that form in bone and soft tissues, including muscle, fat, blood vessels, lymph vessels, and fibrous tissue.

    Leukemia it's a cancer that begin in the blood -forming tissue of the bone marrow.

    Lymphoma is cancer that begins in lymphocytes . These are disease-fighting white blood cells that are part of the immune system. In lymphoma, abnormal lymphocytes build up in lymph nodes and lymph vessels, as well as in other organs of the body.

In conclusion, cancer is a diverse and challenging group of diseases that require a multidisciplinary approach for diagnosis, treatment, and prevention. Early detection, advances in medical science, and a focus on healthy living can contribute to improved outcomes and increased survival rates for those affected by cancer. It's crucial to consult with healthcare professionals for personalized information and guidance related to cancer prevention and treatment.