Cancer: The Virulent Disease Essay

All cancers arise as a result of changes that have occurred in the DNA sequence of the cell genomes, occurring through chromosome abnormalities (Stratton, Campbell, and Futreal, 2009). Chromosomes are made up of tightly wound DNA and proteins which form a highly condensed tertiary structure. Chromosomal abnormalities are a prominent characteristic of cancer cells, often resulting from nondisjunction, the failure of chromosomes to separate properly during meiosis (Peña-Diaz et al., 2012). Nondisjunction results in cells that have too many or too few chromosomes. A normal human karyotype would contain forty-four autosomes and two sex chromosomes; each chromosome has a homologous pair. Females

Cancer results from abnormal, unregulated cell growth which can create physiological impairments in body tissues (1). Two adverse characteristics of cancer cells include the ability to invade other tissues and the inability to die (2). Cells generally become cancerous due to changes in gene expression and subsequent errors in protein function (2). These faults in genes and physiology can be caused by mutations which can result from exposure to carcinogens. One of the most common substances associated with carcinogens (though not carcinogenic itself) that promotes cancerous growth is nicotine (3). Nicotine has been shown to stimulate growth, promote the creation of blood vessels (angiogenesis), and prevent cell death through nicotinic acetycholine receptors (nAChRs)(3). In mice, for example, nicotine increased levels of angiogenesis by altering mechanisms involved in a heightened response of the COX-2, prostacyclin, VEGFR-2, MMPs, uPA, and e-NOS protein activity (3). These increases in cell sensitivity to these particular factors stimulated by nicotine promoted cell growth and migration to other tissues (3).

Our bodies are made up of millions of cells that contain the code of our genetic makeup. When the genetic code of a normal cell breaks, it causes that normal cell to transform its normal behavior. Cancer occurs when these damaged cells continue to form, gather together and begin to invade the normal tissues in the human body. Broken, damaged cells that begin in the breast tissue is identified as breast cancer. (Link, 2012, p. 9-11)

The risk factors of pancreatic cancer are habits that most Americans have developed and can not seem to break. There are five major risk factors that people should consider which include the following; Genetics, Diabetes, Smoking, Obesity and Diet (Wax, 2012). Pancreatic cancer runs in five to ten percent of people who have immediate family members who have also had it (Wax, 2012). Different genes have been indicated as risk but no “pancreatic cancer gene” has yet been discovered (Wax, 2012). “People with diabetes develop Pancreatic cancer about twice as often then people without it” (Margolis, 2002, p.497) and the two diseases have been linked (Wax, 2012). Tobacco use is known to increase the risk of pancreatic cancer (Cancer Research UK, 2013). Smoking will double the risk in developing the disease (Wax, 2012). People, who quit smoking, can reduce the risk of pancreatic, lung, mouth, and certain other cancers and diseases. It is a known fact that people with a body mass index ( BMI) higher

Cancer is defined as a disease caused by an uncontrollable division of abnormal cells in a part of the body. Cancer can be caused by many variables in one’s environment and the variables that are more likely to cause cancer are often referred to carcinogens. Carcinogens are harmful factors that can increase one’s chance of developing a form of cancer. Carcinogens can be anything from ultra violet rays to dust particles from wood; tobacco is one of the most well-known carcinogens because it increases one’s chances of developing lung cancer by a stagger amount. The reason tobacco has the ability to make such an impact is because tobacco contains more than 70 carcinogens altogether. When it comes down to it, the carcinogens are all working together

But when I inquired about the genetics of cancer, I learned something astonishing. “... Most cancer is NOT inherited. Only about 5-10% of cancer is related to a mutation in a single gene that is being passed on through the family causing significantly increased risks for certain types of cancer” (Schenck). To me, this was a shocking revelation.

If there are mutations of the oncogene, then there will be uncontrolled cell division and therefore tumour formation will occur. However, the chances of the tumour developing into a benign tumour is unlikely as the tumours must break free and invade nearby tissue and this is life threatening. The chances of this happening is slim, however, due to the increased longevity of humans in the recent century, the chances of cancer will therefore increase. The signs of growth are practical abilities that permit malignancy cells to survive, duplicate and spread. Harm to cell DNA is included in mutagenesis and the improvement of malignancy. The DNA in a human cell experiences a few thousand to a million harming occasions for every day, created by both outside (exogenous) and inside metabolic (endogenous) forms. Changes to the phone genome can produce blunders in the interpretation of DNA and resulting interpretation into proteins

All living things are made up of cells yet, these "building blocks of life" are too minute to be seen by the naked human eye. How is it then that something so small can have such a huge impact on one’s life? Our genes undergo certain mutations that may evoke diseases or abnormalities in our bodies such as; mucinous carcinoma of the breast. However, as science progresses and new treatments are found, the cure for cancer and other mutations is within reach. Although mucinous carcinoma of the breast may pose as an unpredictable malady, it is a very rare cancer, has multiple treatment options, and puts a new perspective on life for the people that have it and their loved ones.

People with certain risk factors may be more likely than others to develop cancer of the pancreas. Some risk factors that may increase the chance of getting cancer of the pancreas include smoking tobacco, the most important risk factor for pancreatic cancer. People with diabetes, family history with pancreatic cancer increases the risk of developing the disease, inflammation of the pancreas and having pancreatitis for a long time. Overweight or obese people may likely than other people to develop pancreatic cancer. Possible risk factors being studied include, diet high in animal fat and heavy drinking of alcoholic beverages. “Another area of active research is whether certain genes increase the risk of disease. Many people who get pancreatic cancer have none of these risk factors, and many people who have known risk factors don’t develop the disease”.(pg. 7).

There are twelve major types of cancer that affect most Americans and they can be related by the mutation of genes. Cancer is not just one disease, but a massive group with over 100 diseases by unrestrained and vicarious growth of the cells in the body and have the ability of the cells to propagate. One out of every four Americans will die from cancer. It is the second leading cause of death in this country, surpassed only by heart disease. Five to ten percent of cancer are genetic and hereditary. 1.2 million new cases are found in every year the United States, “Men have a one in two lifetime risk of developing cancer, and for women the risk is one in three” (Freivogel 201).

The majority of the studies done on the link between diet and cancer indicate that there is a relationship between high fat intake and an increased risk

Our complicated body system are made up to trillion of living cells. Each part of the body has its own specialized cells and functions to corroborate with your body. Everyday, our body are constantly making new cells to replace injured and worn out cells so that it can allow the body to function normally. These new cells are made through the division of one cell into two through the process called mitosis. During the process of cell production, it is important to have cell correctly or properly divided. If anything goes wrong during this complicated process, the result of cell becomes cancerous.

One might ask, what is the point of living healthy? Even though, random mistakes are enough to cause cancer alone sometimes. However, in other cases a mix of random mistakes, blunders of environmental factors and unhealthy life style, Will turns the cell into cancers, Vogelstein said. However, according to Live Science 42 percent of cancers could be prevented with changes to person’s life

Cancer is often conceived as a single disease. The general idea of cancer deals with the proliferation of cell division amounting into tumors. The cause of cancer and how it’s treated is what scientists have spent decades trying to understand. In recent decades, scientists have been effective in characterizing the “hallmarks” of cancer and better understanding the disease through the use of molecular biology techniques. Additionally, scientists have been successful in understanding the influence that environmental factors and genetics play in the progression of cancer. Cancer is now understood to be caused by the mutation of genes leading to the activation/inactivation

Cancer is a genetic disease caused by certain changes to genes that control the way our cells function, especially how they grow and divide. Genes carry the instructions to make proteins, which do much of the work in our cells. Certain gene changes can cause cells to evade normal growth controls and become cancer. Genetic changes that promote cancer can be inherited from our parents if the changes are present in germ cells, which are the reproductive cells of the body (eggs and sperm). Such changes, called germline changes, are found in every cell of the offspring. In general, cancer cells have more genetic changes than normal cells. But each person’s cancer has a unique combination of genetic alterations.