Cancer A class of non-infectious diseases occurring when cell cycle control mechanisms fail. Prefix: Onco.

CancerA class of non-infectious diseases occurring when cell cycle control

mechanisms fail. Prefix: Onco

Carcinogen: any agent capable of mutating DNA and disabling genes.

Cancer: uncontrolled cell growth.

• Nonspecialized: they do not carry out the functions of the tissues where they form. As a result the tissue loses its functioning power.

• Have abnormal nuclei, usually enlarged with mutated chromosomes displaying extra copies.

• Divide non stop and have the ability to form multiple layers, resulting in tumor formation. Do not undergo apoptosis and have mechanisms to resist immune system attack.

• May undergo metastasis (spreading out).

• May cause angiogenesis (formation of new blood vessels).

Characteristics of cancer cells.

• Have a much shorter cell cycle and enter mitosis more often.

Healthy cells and tissues are starved of nutrients and/or physical squashed by the growth of the tumor cells.

Death due to loss of organ function.

METASTASIS Spread of cancerous cells and formation of secondary tumors.

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ANGIOGENESIS Formation of blood vessels supplying cancer cells.

• Multiple mutations are generally needed for full-fledged cancer; thus the incidence increases with age.

• At the DNA level, a cancerous cell is usually characterized by at least one active oncogene and the mutation of several tumor-suppressor genes.

Cancer and Aging

• Carcinoma: Begins in the skin or in organ tissue. Makes up 80% of all cancers.

Types of Cancer

• Lymphoma: Cancer of the lymphatic system.

• Melanoma: Cancer of the melanocytes (skin cells responsible for skin color).

• Leukemia: Cancer of blood-forming tissue in the bone marrow).

• Sarcoma: Cancer that starts connective tissue (fat, bone, muscle, cartilage..).

Skin cancer(Melanoma)

Hodgkin & Burkitt’s Lymphoma (Lymphoma)

Burkitt Lymphoma

Osteosarcoma (Sarcoma)

Myosarcoma (Sarcoma)

Lymphoblastic Leukemia (Leukemia)

Colon cancer (Carcinoma)

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Lung cancer (Carcinoma)

Pancreatic Cancer (Carcinoma)• Probably the deadliest type of cancer due to its high mortality rate and low

survival rate (1-year survival rate = 25%, 5-year survival rate = 6%, survival past the 5-year mark is extremely rare).

• “Silent killer” because early pancreatic cancer has no symptoms and tends to go undiagnosed until too late. Late cancer symptoms include abdominal pain, loss of appetite, nausea & vomiting, weight loss...

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Prostate cancer (Carcinoma)

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Testicular cancer (Carcinoma)

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Cervical cancer(Carcinoma)

Most common treatment: Hysterectomy (surgical removal of uterus and/or vagina)

Breast cancer (Carcinoma)

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Most common treatments: Lumpectomy & Mastectomy-Lumpectomy: surgical removal of cancerous lump.-Mastectomy: surgical removal of breast.

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• Surgery: If diagnosed early; requires preventive medicine. Examples: mastectomy, hysterectomy...)

Treatment

• Chemotherapy: Drugs designed to arrest cell division or target fast-dividing cells. Many side-effects.

• Radiotherapy: Controlled doses of radiation designed to destroy cancerous tissue. Only possible for superficial cancers.

• Specialized treatments: Such as bone transplants for leukemia.