Cancer
Rate of cell division (mitosis) is carefully controlled.
Sometimes a cell or group of cells lose the ability to control the rate of cell division.
They form a mass of cells called a tumour which can be benign or malignant.
Cancer is a group of disorders in which certain cells lose their ability to control both the rate of mitosis and the number of times mitosis takes place.
Sometimes a cell or group of cells lose the ability to control the rate of cell division.
They form a mass of cells called a tumour which can be benign or malignant.
Cancer is a group of disorders in which certain cells lose their ability to control both the rate of mitosis and the number of times mitosis takes place.
Benign tumours
Benign means kind, they are not life threatening and do not invade other tissues. Eg warts, skin tags.
Cells stop dividing after some time
Cells stop dividing after some time
Malignant tumours
Uncontrolled multiplication of abnormal cells
Malignant tumours (cancers) invade other cells and move around the body
Movement of these cells called Metastasis.
Malignant cancer cells divide indefinitely.
Malignant tumours (cancers) invade other cells and move around the body
Movement of these cells called Metastasis.
Malignant cancer cells divide indefinitely.
Causes of Cancer
Caused when normal genes are altered to form cancer-causing genes called oncogenes.
Brought about by cancer causing agents called carcinogens eg cigarette smoke, asbestos fibres, ultraviolet radiation and some viruses
Most cancers can be cured with Radiation (burn out cancer), Chemotherapy (Chemicals slow down mitosis) and surgery
Brought about by cancer causing agents called carcinogens eg cigarette smoke, asbestos fibres, ultraviolet radiation and some viruses
Most cancers can be cured with Radiation (burn out cancer), Chemotherapy (Chemicals slow down mitosis) and surgery