Cancer

Cell Division Gone Wrong!

• Cancer is not just one disease, but many diseases – over 200 different types of cancers

Types of CancerMost common types of cancers in males

include lung, prostate, colorectal, and stomach

The most common types in females include lung cancer, breast cancer, cervical cancer.

Most common cancers often have routine screening- colon, prostate, breast

Some cancers are more deadly than others. Pancreatic cancer kills 96% if

those diagnosed – deadly because of lack of symptoms. Often too advanced when discovered.

Cell Cycle Normal body cells grow, divide and die

in an orderly fashionCyclins are proteins that control the

cell cycle

PART 2 – CANCER

Cell Repair Checkpoints Fail…then2 fates if a cell cannot repair itselfAutolysis or apoptosis is the last

resort to prevent a cell from getting out of control

Cancer – if DNA damage interferes with cell death or encourages out-of-control cell division

Tumor – solid growth or mass of cells

Cell Division Control• DNA controls all cell activities including

cell division• Oncogenes promote cell growth and

tumor suppressor genes inhibit cell division and survival.

• Some cells lose their ability to control their rate of cell division – the DNA of these cells has become damaged or changed (mutated)

• These super-dividing cells form masses called tumors

Tumors

A large ductal carcinomaIn a mastectomy specimen

Examples of Carcinogens Chemicals – radon gas, cigarettes,

formaldehyde, asbestos, mustard gas, benzene and many others (CDC lists approximately 1,000 potential carcinogens

Radiation – UV rays for the sun, sunlamps, X-rays,

Viruses – Human Papillomavirus (HPV)- causes

cervical, vaginal, penile, and certain head and neck cancers,

Epstein-Barr (mononucleosis) linked to lymphoma (cancer of the lymph nodes),

Hepatitis B and C (liver cancer)

• Benign tumors are not cancerous – these cells do not spread to other parts of the body

• Malignant tumors are cancerous – these cells break loose and can invade and destroy healthy tissue in other parts of the body (called metastasis)

• Carcinogen is a cancer causing agent

CANCER WARNING SIGNS Changes in bowel or bladder habits Sore that will not heal Unusual bleeding Thickening or a lump in the breast or somewhere else Chronic indigestion Obvious change in a mole Nagging cough Also look for extreme tiredness, weight loss, fever

and sometimes pain

Diagnosis of Cancer Cells Patient History- MRI, X-rays, ultrasounds to “look” inside the body to

identify location and size of tumor Biopsy is performed- removal of sample tissue for a

specialist to check for cancer cells- look for abnormalities.

Determine if the cancer has spread to other organs- metastasis of malignant tumor. - blood or lymph testing can indicate spread of cancer – if cancer cells are present

Patients will visit and oncologist- doctor who examines tissue for diseases like cancer

Remission – period of time when the cancer is responding to treatment or is under control

STAGING OF CANCER Generally, the lower the stage, the less advanced

the cancer is and the better the treatment outcome is likely to be.

Stage 0 = precancer Stage 1 = small cancer found only in the organ

where it started Stage 2 = larger cancer that may or may not have

spread to the lymph nodes Stage 3 = larger cancer that is also in the lymph

nodes Stage 4 = cancer in a different organ from where it

started

SKIN CANCERS Most common types include squamous cell

and basal cell carcinoma (both benign) and melanoma (malignant)

3.5 million cases of basal and squamous cell carcinomas each year in the U.S.

Approximately 73,000 cases of melanoma each year in the U.S.- w/ about 10,000 deaths

Approximately 13,000 skin cancer deaths (10,000 from melanoma)

ABCDE RULES FOR MOLES

This 28 year old woman had a smaller melanoma on her neck.

Study of Telomers

Telomeres are caps on the ends of chromosomes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wRrNjHYxP_ohttp://

www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/adamcurtis/2010/06/the_undead_henrietta_lacks_and.html

Proteus Syndrome: Elephant Man http://io9.com/10-unusual-genetic-mutations-in-humans-470843733