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BREAST CANCER SERIES 2: Cancer Enigma

 

BREAST CANCER SERIES 2: Cancer Enigma


Human cells normally grow and multiply to form new cells as the body needs them. This process is called cell division. When cells grow old and worn-out, they die, making way for these new cells. This process is directed by genetic materials called DNA. Changes to DNA, specifically, changes to the section of the DNA called genes can cause cancers. Proto-oncogenes, tumor suppressor genes and DNA repair genes are the three main gene types that are affected by these genetic changes which lead to cancers.

Cancer is a large group of diseases that can start in almost any organ or tissue of the body when abnormal cells grow uncontrollably, go beyond their usual boundaries to invade adjoining parts of the body and/or spread to other organs. – World Health Organisation

Proto-oncogenes are normal genes in the cell. They are responsible for cell division and preventing cells from dying, that is to say, they help keep the cells alive. These processes are very important in cell growth and development. However, when there is a mutation or a change in these genes, they become activated when they are not supposed to be. At this stage they are turned into cancer-causing genes called oncogenes which make cells grow and survive when they should not, leading to cancer

By BioNinja

Proto-oncogenes act like the gas pedal of a car. They accelerate the growth and multiplication of cells. Tumour suppressor genes acts like the brake pedal, they stop cells from growing. When there is a mutation, proto-oncogenes are turned into oncogenes. These oncogenes(too much gas) cause cells to grow and multiply uncontrollably. At the same time, Tumour Suppressor genes are inactivated(no brake). These conditions result in a crash!(cancer)
Tumor Suppressor Genes are normal genes that regulate the process of cell division and apoptosis(cell death). They basically slow down the process of cell division and tell the cell when to die. An alteration in these genes renders them inactive resulting in uncontrolled cell division which can lead to cancer.
DNA Repair Genes as the name suggests are involved in the repair of DNA. The process of cell division is complex and mistakes may occur. It is the duty of the DNA Repair Genes to fix those mistakes. If they are unable to rectify the errors, they kill the cell so that the errors will not cause any further issues. When DNA Repair Genes become faulty, they are unable to correct errors that occur or even trigger the faulty cells to die. These errors will therefore build up which subsequently lead to formation of cancer cells.

BRCA1 AND BRCA2 GENES
BRCA stands for BReast CAncer gene. They prevent cells from growing too fast. Alterations in these genes cause the cells to grow out of control. Every body has BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. However, if you inherit faulty versions of any of these genes, you are at high risk of developing some types of cancers, including; breast, ovarian, prostate and pancreatic cancers

Tumours
A tumour is an abnormal mass formed when cells grow and divide excessively and do not die when they are supposed to. Tumours can be benign or malignant. Benign tumors are usually non-cancerous and do not spread to or invade nearby tissues. Some benign tumors are harmless and can be left alone but others can cause serious health issues or become cancerous. Malignant tumours are cancerous and may spread to or invade nearby tissues. Malignant tumours can be life threatening.
Not all types of cancers form solid tumours (lumps), some types of cancers including leukemia do not form solid tumours. Instead, they build up in the blood and bone marrow.
Cancer Metastases

When cancer spreads from where it originated to a distant area in the body, it is known as metastatic cancer. The process by which cancer spreads from where it started to other parts of the body is known as metastasis. Cancer can spread to different parts of the body via four routes: blood vessels, lymphatic vessels, transcoelomic(across body cavities) and direct seeding(the cancer spreads through direct contact with other organs).

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