Cancer Cells
Explained

This week I will be covering Cancer Cells, their, creation, growth, and ability to spread.

Our bodies consist of billions, no trillions of macroscopic cells. Genes throughout our body inside the nucleus communicate to each cell (learned in Cell Communication topic) when to grow, divide, and eventually die (apoptosis). Typically our body hormones and genes will regulate this keeping our cells, functioning actively, optimally, and keeping our bodies healthy.

What would happen if our cells and genes work improperly? This is how Cancer Starts.

Cell Division is a regularly occuring process in our cells, that tell our cells when to grow, and divide. This makes copies of cells, and a cell divides into two identical cells. This would cause exponential growth of mutated, cancerous cells in this case. 

Since Cancer Cells differ, they have gene mutations that turn a normal typical cell into a Cancerous Cell. These can be caused from ciggarettes usage, alcohol substance abuse, and even utraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun!

These cancer cells differ from normal cells since they divide out and grow irregularly on rapid paces. These cells are additionally immature compared to normal cells. Cancer cells despite being drastically different and having differing causes, they all share a similar trait. They begin by growing abnormally, and out of the our hormone's control, yet are able to begin in any part of our bodies!

How does Cancer Cells grow specifically?

Gene mutations present in cancerous cells, mess with our cells encoding and growth. These cells can continue to grow in spite of acting differently than normal cells, as they:

• Rapidly divide out of our hormones control

• Immature developing the cell without any contributing towards the health of our bodies

• Avoids our immune system

• Ignores our bodies signals through cell communication indicating for scheduled cell death (apoptosis)

• Easily spreads throughout our bodies

• Damages our internal tissues and organs

Commonly as these cancerous cells spreads throughout our bodies, tumors will begin to form. Although similarly to normal cells, Cancerous cells still require blood supply to bring oxygen and nutrients in order to divide and survive. Thus when a tumor formed from a plethora of cancer cells is small, it grows exponetially as it is able to supply oxygen and nutrients from blood vessels nearby.

How does Cancer Spread exactly?
The tumor formed as a result of the cancerous cell, will grow and enlarge. This results in the spread to surroudning tissues involved. Coupled with the cancerous cells can be invasive which is named "local invasion" otherwise known as invasive cancer.

The term of cancer spreading from where it first began in other parts of the body is known as "metastasis". These cells can metastize after breaking from the tumor originally grown, travelling to a new location through blood or lymphathic system.

Plausible Cures for our Future?

Cancer be treated through many treatments such as chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or immunotherapy. Although cancer can still return even after being defeated, years or decades later. This is why doctors classify cancer as in a state of remission. This indicates less symptoms, and signs of cancer until they have completely been destroyed.