Understanding Cancer: A Comprehensive Overview (C2)

What is Cancer?

Cancer is a complex disease characterized by abnormal cell growth and division. Unlike healthy cells that follow a regulated life cycle, cancer cells disregard the body’s normal control mechanisms. These rogue cells continue to multiply uncontrollably, potentially invading surrounding tissues and spreading throughout the body.

The Cell Cycle Gone Wrong

Normal cells follow a strict protocol of growth, division, and death. This process is controlled by genes that act as switches, telling cells when to grow and when to stop. In cancer cells, these genetic switches malfunction. The result is continuous cell division without the usual checkpoints that maintain cellular order. These abnormal cells can eventually form masses called tumors.

Types of Mutations

Cancer develops when specific genes experience mutations, or changes in their DNA sequence. Two main types of genes are typically involved: oncogenes, which promote cell growth and survival, and tumor suppressor genes, which normally help control cell growth. When mutations activate oncogenes or deactivate tumor suppressor genes, cells can begin growing uncontrollably.