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CANCER WHAT IS C ANCER • Cancer is caused when the body’s cells begin to divide in an uncontrollable way. • Cell division is a controlled process however in cancerous cells, this process is not as regulated. • Normal cells divide a certain number of times and eventually die, however cancerous cells are immortal and divide an unlimited number of times. HOW DOES C ANCER ARISE? • Cancer is a genetic disease which means it can be inherited from your parents. • Cancer can also be cause by environmental factors such as overexposure to radiation (UV from the sun) , chemicals in tobacco smoke ect. These can damage DNA which can lead to cancer TUMORS • A tumor is a mass of tissue resulting from the accumulation of cells after uncontrolled cell division. • Cancers of the blood such as leukemias don’t result in tumor growth. • There a different types of tumors- benign and malignant • Benign tumors do not spread into or invade nearby tissues and once a benign tumor is removed, it does not grow back. • Malignant tumors spread and invade nearby tissues. THE SPREAD OF C ANCER • The process by which cancer is spread around the body is called metastasis. • Cancer is spread when cancerous cells break off of a tumor and travel through the blood or lymph system and create new tumors. PROTO-ONCOGENES • The types of cells are involved in cell growth and division. • When these genes become altered they become cancer causing genes (oncogenes) which allow cells to grow and survive when they should not. TUMOR SUPPRESSOR GENES • These genes also control cell division and growth • Cells with certain alterations in tumor suppressor genes may divide in an uncontrollable manner. DNA REPAIR GENES • These genes are involved in fixing damaged DNA. • Cells with mutations in these genes tend to develop additional mutations in other genes. • Together, these mutations may cause cells to become cancerous. C ANCEROUS CELLS VS NORMAL CELLS • Cancer cells are unspecialised • Cancer cells are able to ignore signals that instruct them to stop cell division or induce apoptosis (cell death) • Cancer cells can influence normal cells, molecules and blood vessels to surround and feed a tumor. This is how tumors are supplied with oxygen and nutrients but also how tumors get rid of waste products such as carbon dioxide. • Cancer cells are able to evade the immune system. RECENT INNOVATIONS • Atovaquone is an anti-malarial drug that has been around since 2000 but is now looking to be used to treat cancer patients. • The drug works by combating areas of hypoxia in tumors ( areas with low levels of oxygen) • This allows radiotherapy to be more effective as the damaged DNA is unable to repair itself as well after damage caused by the radiation. RADIOTHERAPY