• Cancers demonstrate how important it is that?cell division?is?precisely controlled, as cancers arise due to?uncontrolled mitosis
• Cancerous cells divide repeatedly and uncontrollably, forming a?tumour?(an irregular mass of cells)
• Cancers start when?changes occur in the genes that control cell division
  • A change in any gene is known as a mutation
• If the mutated gene is one that?causes?cancer?it is referred to as an?oncogene
• Mutations are common events and don’t lead to cancer most of the time
  • Most mutations either result in?early cell death?or result in the cell being destroyed by the?body’s immune system
  • As most cells can be easily replaced, these events usually have no harmful effect on the body
• The mutations that result in the generation of cancerous cells?do not result in early cell death or in the cell being destroyed by the body’s immune system
• This means that the?harmful mutation?occurring in the original cell can be?passed on?to all that cell’s descendants
• A typical tumour contains around a thousand million cancerous cells by the time it is detected

Carcinogens

• Mutagens?are agents that?alter?the?genetic material?of an organism
  • E.g. biological organisms (viruses), radiation (X-rays, UV light) or chemical substances (tar in tobacco smoke)
• If?mutagens?cause cancers?they are called?carcinogens
• Carcinogens?are any agents that may cause cancer

Types of tumour

• Some tumours (such as warts) do not spread from their original site – these are known as?benign?tumours and?do not cause cancer
• Some tumours spread through the body, invading and destroying other tissues – these are known as?malignant?tumours and?cause cancer
  • Malignant tumours?interfere with the normal functioning?of the organ/tissue in which they have started to grow (eg. they may block the intestines, lungs or blood vessels)
  • Malignant tumour cells can?break off the tumour and travel?through the?blood and/or lymphatic system?to form?secondary growths?in other parts of the body
  • The spreading of cancers in this way is known as?metastasis
  • Metastasis is very dangerous as it can be?very difficult to detect, locate and remove?secondary cancers

Stages in the development of cancer

• Scientists studying the incidence and distribution of certain cancers identified links between smoking and cancer
• However, it was only when laboratory investigations showed that cigarette smoke contained more than 4000 chemicals, at least?40?of which were?carcinogens,?that a?correlation?was established
• There is a?positive correlation?between smoking and cancer. The more cigarettes smoked per day the higher the chance of developing certain cancers (e.g. lung and mouth)