Important Details
1. Genetic Mutations: Cancer begins with DNA damage that may be inherited, caused
by environmental exposure (e.g., UV radiation, tobacco), or occur randomly during cell
division.
2. Unchecked Proliferation: Cancer cells bypass normal regulatory "go" signals by
producing their own growth factors or permanently activating growth pathways.
3. Ignoring "Stop" Signals: Tumor suppressor genes, which normally halt cell division
under stress or crowding, are disabled in cancer cells, removing growth brakes.
4. Evading Apoptosis: Cancer cells avoid programmed cell death, allowing damaged
cells to survive indefinitely, contributing to tumor persistence.
5. Angiogenesis: Tumors secrete signals that induce the growth of new blood vessels,
ensuring a supply of oxygen and nutrients necessary for growth.
6. Metastasis: Cancer cells invade surrounding tissues, enter blood or lymphatic
vessels, and establish secondary tumors in distant organs, increasing lethality.
7. Immune System Evasion: Cancer cells express proteins that "cloak" them from
immune detection, preventing immune cells from attacking.
8. Tissue Invasion: Cancer cells produce enzymes that degrade the extracellular matrix,
enabling invasion into neighboring tissues.
9. Metabolic Reprogramming: Cancer cells shift energy production toward glycolysis
(even with oxygen present), fueling rapid growth and survival in harsh conditions.
10. Genomic Instability: Cancer cells accumulate mutations at a high rate, promoting
rapid evolution, treatment resistance, and heterogeneity within tumors.
11. Chemotherapy’s mechanism targets dividing cells broadly, leading to side effects
such as hair loss, nausea, and bone marrow suppression.
12. Immunotherapy includes checkpoint inhibitors that block cancer cell signals used for
immune evasion and CAR T-cell therapy, which engineers patient immune cells to better
recognize cancer.
13. Radiation therapy uses high-energy X-rays or protons to cause irreparable DNA
damage, with modern techniques focusing radiation precisely on tumors to minimize
harm to normal tissues.
14. Targeted therapy drugs identify and inhibit specific dysfunctional proteins driving
cancer growth, offering a more precise and often less toxic
ml bpjgb on v ? Bi.mb b I ll ll.?v k MLB bnl .l /b ml mm b ?hmm l o0 m b/ n /n b km.
?.l0/ MI l n ll b l ml.?. b ? .bn l9o.B? . blk nm ? b .m. !m.m ?ml??!MOalternative to
chemotherapy.
15. Hormone therapy is effective in hormone-sensitive cancers by reducing hormone
production or blocking hormone receptors, effectively starving the tumor of its growth
signals.