Cancer" Is The Latin Word For Crab.: Normal Mechanism of Body Growth

Introduction
Cancer is one of the most dreaded diseases of the human

being and is the major cause of death all over the globe.
More than 1million Indians suffer from cancer and large
number of die annually
Cancer” is the Latin word for crab.
Cancer is the uncontrolled abnormal and excessive cell division .

These abnormal and excessive mitotic division of cells are called
cancerous cells.
In our body, cell growth and differentiation is highly

controlled and regulated. In cancer cells, there is breakdown
of these regulatory mechanisms. Normal cells show a
property called contact inhibition by virtue of which contact
with other cells inhibits their uncontrolled growth. Cancer
cells appear to have lost this property. As a result of this,
cancerous cells just continue to divide giving rise to masses
of cells called tumors.
Normal mechanism of body growth-
Normal cell growth is under thecontrol of some regulatory

genes which regulate cell proliferation and survival.
Alteration in these genes lead to oncogenic transformation .
These genes can be divided into three categories:
 . Cellular oncogenes(C-onc) or proto-oncogenes are

found in normal cells, which when get activated under
certain conditions lead to oncogenic transformation of
normal cells.
 Genes that inhibit cellular proliferation (Tumor suppressor
gene)
 Genes that regulate programmed cell death (suicide
genes)
Cancer is caused by mutant alleles of these genes, whose
product do not respond to normal regulatory signals.
Tumors are of two types: benign and malignant.

1. Benign tumors – They normally remain confined to their
original location and do not spread to other parts of the body.
Benign tumors are noncancerous and do not spread to
nearby tissues. But sometimes, they can grow large and
cause problems when they press against neighboring organs
and tissue.
2. Malignant tumors The malignant tumors are a mass of
proliferating cells called neoplastic or tumor cells. They grow
very rapidly and invade and ultimately damage surrounding
tissues. Cancerous cells actively divide and grow. They also
starve the normal cells by competing for vital nutrients. Cells
sloughed from such tumors reach distant sites through
blood, and wherever they get lodged in the body, they start a
new tumor there. This property is called metastasis and is
the most feared property of malignant tumors
The property by which cancer cells moves to distant places

from their origin by blood and invade the normal cells and
make them cancerous is called as metastasis
Types of Cancer
The major types of cancer are

carcinoma, sarcoma, melanoma, lymphoma,
and leukemia. Cancers are named for the area in which they
begin and the type of cell they are made of, even if they spread to
other parts of the body. For example, a cancer that begins in the
lungs and spreads to the liver is still called lung cancer. There are
also several clinical terms used for certain general types of
cancer:
1. Carcinoma is a cancer that starts in the skin or the tissues
that line other organs. For eg- Brain carcinoma, Oral cancer,
Breast Cancer , Colorectal Cancer , Bladder Cancer.
2. Sarcoma is a cancer of connective tissues such as bones,

muscles, cartilage, and blood vessels. Sarcomas start in
connective tissues, which are the supporting tissues of the
body. Connective tissues include the bones, cartilage,
tendons and fibrous tissue that support organs. Sarcomas
are much less common than carcinomas. They are usually
grouped into 2 main types:
a. bone sarcomas (osteosarcoma)
b. soft tissue sarcomas
Altogether, these make up less than 1 in every 100
cancers (1%) diagnosed every year.
3. Melanomas are cancers that arise in the cells that make the
pigment in skin.
4. Leukemia is a cancer of bone marrow, which creates blood

cells.
5. Lymphoma and myeloma are cancers of the immune

system.
Incidence-
Breast cancer in female and prostate cancer in male is
common in the world.
Cervix cancer in female and Oral cancer in male are

common in India.
Causes of cancer-
Transformation of normal cells into cancerous cells may be
induced by physical, chemical or biological agents called
as carcinogens
1. Physical carcinogens- ionizing radiation like X-rays, gamma
rays and non-ionizing radiations like UV radiation of sun. There
is 5 times more risk of leukemia in Hiroshima and Nagasaki
due to radiation effect of nuclear bombing.
2. Chemical carcinogens- tobacco and betel chewing causes oral
cancer. Heavy smoking (N- Nitrosodimethyl amine causes
cancer of larynx and lungs.Excess estrogen causes breast
cancer. Urinary bladder cancer is common in dye workers.
3. Physical factor- Sharp teeth causes tongue cancer.
4. Biological carcinogens-
a. Cancer causing viruses are called oncogenic viruses have
genes called viral oncogenes.
For eg - Hepatitis B (HBV), Hepatitis C (HCV)- causes
Hepatocarcinoma
Human papillomaviruses (HPV)- are associated with

cancers of cervix, anus, penis, vulva/vagina, and oropharyngeal
cancer.
EBV (Epstein Bar virus)-Burkitt's lymphoma,
b. Cellular oncogenes or proto-oncogenes in normal cells,

when get activated lead to oncogenic transformation of normal
cells.
Detection of cancer- Early detection of cancers is essential as it

allows the disease to be treated successfully in many cases.
Following are the techniques for cancer detection and diagnosis-

o Biopsy and histo-pathological study of the tissues: Suspected
tissue is cut into thin sections, stained and examined under a
microscope.
o Detection of Alpha feto Interferon for liver cancer, PSA
(Prostate Specific Antigen) for prostate cancer, alkaline
phosphatase for bone metastasis.
o Blood and Bone marrow tests for increased cell counts in the
case of leukemia.
o Pap smear: It is used for cervical carcinomas.
o FNAC (Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology): Fluid connected from
tumors is examined for presence of cancer cells.eg Breast cyst.
o Radiography by using X-rays
o CT (computed tomography)- . Computed tomography uses X-
rays to generate a three-dimensional image of the internals of
an object.
o MRI (magnetic resonance imaging). - MRI uses strong
magnetic fields and non-ionizing radiations to accurately detect
pathological and physiological changes in the living tissue.
These are very useful to detect cancers of the internal organs.
Treatment of cancer-
o Surgery- By removing the entire cancerous tissue and
involved lymph nodes.
o Radiation therapy- tumor cells are irradiated lethally, taking
proper care of the normal tissues surrounding the tumor
mass.Cobalt therapy(Co-60), Iodine therapy(I-131), X ray are
given.
o Chemotherapy- Several chemotherapeutic drugs are used to
kill cancerous cells. Some of these are specific for particular
tumors. For eg- Vincristine, vinblastine and Taxol. Majority of
drugs have side effects like hair loss, anemia, etc.
Most cancers are treated by combination of surgery,

radiotherapy and chemotherapy.
o Immunotherapy-Monoclonal antibodies- They are

designed to attach specific proteins in cancer cells. Their
uses: To allow the immune system itself to destroy the
cancer cells and to deliver radiation and drugs directly to
cancer cells.
o Biological response modifiers- alpha-interferon which activate

the immune system and help in destroying the tumor.
Measures to prevent cancer:
1. Eat a healthy, balanced diet-Limit intake of

processed meats. Consider plant-based foods,
lean proteins, and healthy fats.Avoid alcohol, or
drink in moderation. Keep a healthy weight and
stay active by getting at least 30 minutes of
physical activity every day.
2. Stay protected from the sun.
3. .Get vaccinated against viral infections that can lead to
cancer, such as hepatitis B and HPV.
4. Avoid the use of tobacco and avoid secondhand smoke.
5. Don’t engage in risky behaviors. Practice safe sex and don’t
share needles.
6. See your doctor regularly so they can screen you for various
types of cancer. This increases your chances of catching any
possible cancers as early as possible.

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Introduction

Cancer is one of the most dreaded diseases of the human

Cancer is the uncontrolled abnormal and excessive cell division .

In our body, cell growth and differentiation is highly

Normal mechanism of body growth-

Normal cell growth is under thecontrol of some regulatory

These genes can be divided into three categories:

 . Cellular oncogenes(C-onc) or proto-oncogenes are

Tumors are of two types: benign and malignant.

The property by which cancer cells moves to distant places

The major types of cancer are

2. Sarcoma is a cancer of connective tissues such as bones,

4. Leukemia is a cancer of bone marrow, which creates blood

5. Lymphoma and myeloma are cancers of the immune

Cervix cancer in female and Oral cancer in male are

Human papillomaviruses (HPV)- are associated with

EBV (Epstein Bar virus)-Burkitt's lymphoma,

b. Cellular oncogenes or proto-oncogenes in normal cells,

Detection of cancer- Early detection of cancers is essential as it

Following are the techniques for cancer detection and diagnosis-

Most cancers are treated by combination of surgery,

o Immunotherapy-Monoclonal antibodies- They are

o Biological response modifiers- alpha-interferon which activate

Measures to prevent cancer:

1. Eat a healthy, balanced diet-Limit intake of

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