5--Cancer

1-Nonspecialized--never become functional tissue like muscle or skin
2-Abnormal nuclei--nucleus is often enlarged with abnormal # of chromosomes
3-Located in areas with frequent cell division
4-Unlimited potential to replicate--telomerase enzyme preserves telomeres
5-Do not stop dividing rapidly on contact with neighboring cells
6-Angiogenesis--cause new blood vessels to form towards tumor

Programmed cell death--occurs when cells contain defective chromosomes, extra copies or deletions of some genes. Does NOT occur in defective cancer cells.

Areas with frequent cell division, lining of lungs and GI tract.

Caps on normal chromosomes. Get shorter after each cell division, until so short that ends bind together and cell undergoes apoptosis.
Cancer cells often produce teolomerase enzyme that preserves telomeres so it can divide indefinitely.

Spread of cancer cells from main neoplasm into lymphatic or circulatory system and new sites in the body.

Normal cells stop dividing rapidly when they come in contact with neighboring cells.

Cancer cells continue dividing, forming large masses of cells called tumors.

Local growth and expansion
or
Metastasis

Initiation: mutated gene divides
Promotion: Tumor develops, cells continue to mutate
Progression: invasive tumor invades underlying tissues.
Malignant tumor invades lymphatic and blood vessels, distant tumors occur some distance from original tumor.

Low oxygen levels in core of tumor may trigger genes in cancer cells to produce angiogenic growth factors, causing new blood vessels to form that help to support the tumor.

Heredity
Radiation--DNA structure is affected
Viruses--lysogenic viruses alter DNA
Inhaled organic chemicals--eg, tobacco smoke.

tumor-suppressor gene. Its mutation is linked with breast cancer.

Genes inserted into patient's APC leukocytes, causing cells to produce a tumor antigen. Display tumor antigen to cytotoxic-T cells, which then recognize and attack tumor.

For cancers found in their place of origin, have not spread.

X-rays or gamma rays disrupt chromosomes and cell division of cancers, usually for cancers found in place of origin that have not spread.

Drugs that kill by damaging or interfering with cancer's DNA, often used for metastatic cancer because it treats entire regions of the body.

Using chemicals that cause extreme localized vasoconstriction or inhibit angiogenesis. Reduces blood supply, limiting glucose and oxygen supply, may slow growth or even kill tumor.

Surgery
Radiation therapy
Chemotherapy
Immunotherapy
Tumor starvation

Cancerous cells here will appear immature when compared with other epithelial cells.

Most mammary gland tumors are benign, but malignant cancers here are so dangerous that all tumor detections require follow-up mammography (low intensity x-ray examination)

Heavy exchange with circulatory and lymph systems causes rapid metastasis, resulting in high death rates.

Prostate-specific antigens increase in the blood of men with prostate cancer. Easily spreads to become testicular cancer.

Basal cell carcinoma--begins in stratum basale, erupts as a scaly red patch.
Squamous cell carcinoma--produces keratin and may metastasize quickly
Malignant melanoma

Asymmetry
Border is irregular
Color varies from one area to another
Diameter greater than 6mm
Elevated and evolving over time

Death is common in late stages.