Cancer cells, type of cancer cells, characteristics of cancer cells, causes and risk factors of cancer cells and preventive factors of cancer cells
Overview of Cancer Cells
Overview of Cancer Cells
In this world, each and every living organism is made up of certain specialized cells which are the structural and functional unit of life in them to sustain all their metabolic processes which are necessary for their survival. The number of cells may vary from organism to organism depending upon their shape, size, and functions, and the division of these cells occurs in a controlled and systematic way in a healthy person. But the division gets disturbed or gets uncontrolled in the case of Cancer patients. In simple words, cancer is a disorder that occurs when the division of cells/tissues gets uncontrolled in the body or in a particular organ causing swelling or tumors. Cancer is not just a disease, it's a group of diseases. In today’s medical science (Oncology), there are more than 200 types of cancers of different types are discovered. The effect of cancer has been increasing at an alarming rate which makes cancer a leading disease taking millions of lives worldwide.
Cancer Cells
Cancer cells are abnormal cells that have a special ability to divide and show uncontrolled growth. Like the normal cells found in the body, cancer cells don't have a special mechanism or regulation for proliferation and development.
The characteristics of cancer cells include:
- Mutations Genetic mutations are the main causes either in development or in causing a particular disorder the changes in some genes cause the development of oncogenes which are responsible for converting normal cells into cancerous cells.
- Oncogenes Development: The formation of cancer-causing genes known as Oncogenes started first.
- Cell Cycle Disturbances: Due to the formation of oncogenes, the normal functioning of the cell cycle and its different phases get affected.
- Uncontrolled Growth: As discussed earlier, the main property of cancer cells is their uncontrolled proliferation (rapid unregulated uncontrolled differentiation of cells).
- Immortality: Like normal cells have a fixed lifespan but in the case of cancer cells, there is no fixed or limited lifespan, there is a special property known as Apoptosis (a programming property of death of cells that eradicates unwanted or degraded cells) which make them capable to live and grow indefinitely.
- Mutations: Genetic mutations are the main causes either in development or in causing a particular disorder the changes in some genes cause the development of oncogenes which are responsible for converting normal cells into cancerous cells.
- Immune Invasion: The cancer cells invade the immune system's recognition ability due to which they grow and spread and they cannot even be destroyed or identified by the body's immune cells (B-cells and T-cells) because the immune system does not have any memory for those cells.
- Metastasis: It's a special property of cancer cells which makes them capable to move, grow or spread to different parts of the body causing tumors in different organs due to which it acts as a major barrier in the treatment of cancer because due to this property cancer cells change their location and the infection along with them travels to different parts wherever these cells spread. This is the reason why doctors say it's hard to treat cancer at this stage because at this stage so many organs are involved or we can say affected so it becomes a crucial stage in the treatment of cancer.
Types of Cancer Cells
There are different types of cancer cells depending upon their origin and their characteristic features:
1- Carcinoma Cells
2- Lymphoma Cells
3- Melanoma Cells
4- Sarcoma Cells
1- Carcinoma Cells
The most common type of cancer is the Carcinoma. Around 70-80 % of cancers are carcinomas. These type of cells have an origin from the epithelial tissues which covers the body's internal and external surfaces. In simple language, carcinoma is the cancer of tissues of organs such as the breast, prostate, lung, colon, etc. Examples of carcinoma cancer are Breast Cancer, Prostrate Cancer, Pancreatic Cancer, Kidney Cancer, Thyroid Cancer, Cervical Cancer, etc.,
2- Lymphoma Cells
These types of cancer cells are rare and have an origin in the lymphatic system (more precisely the lymphocytes). Lymphocytes are a type of WBC (white blood cells) which has the special function of providing protection to our body. It acts as a defense mechanism. The lymphocytes have two different cells known as B-cells or T-cells providing immunity to the human body. There are two types of lymphoma cells- Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) and Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). These are named after Dr. Hodgkin who was a scientist who explained these lymphoma cancers first.
Hodgkin lymphoma is very common in both young and old ages and its origin is from the B-lymphocyte cells it is most commonly found in the organs such as the chest, neck, and armpits.
Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma is more common than Hodgkin lymphoma and it can occur at any age the organ that it affects are the skin, gastrointestinal tract (GIT), and bone marrow.
3- Melanoma Cells
Melanoma cancer cells are responsible for causing skin and eye cancer and have an origin from the melanocytes cells which secretes melanin and, are responsible for the pigmentation in the skin. Melanomas cancers are commonly found in people who have higher exposure to the UV-radiations because the higher levels of UV rays directly affect the skin causing skin cancer (cutaneous melanoma) and the eyes causing eye cancer (ocular melanoma)
4- Sarcoma Cells
Sarcoma cells are a very rarest type of cancer cells and have an origin from the connective tissue which includes the cartilage, bones, muscles, etc. The occurrence of sarcomas can be found in the arms, chest, legs, abdomen, etc. Some examples of sarcomas are- osteosarcoma, chondrosarcoma, and rhabdomyosarcoma.
The Causes & Risk Factors Involved in Cancer
A risk factor can be defined as a behavior, exposure, certain activities, and characteristics that increase the chances of developing or having a disease. Here we will discuss the risk factors involved in the development of cancer along with some common risk factors which not only cause cancer but several infectious or chronic diseases.
Risk factors are classified into different categories:
- Environmental factors
- Lifestyle factors
- Genetic factors
- Hormonal factors
- Age factors
1- Environmental Factors
These factors play a crucial role in developing cancer cells. Environmental factors include the different types of air and water pollution, exposure to carcinogens (these are the cancer-causing antigens that can be found anywhere), some occupational hazards (for example- workers in petrochemical factories, the coal mining factories, nuclear power plants, people who are having more exposure to UV-rays, are more prone to develop normal cells into cancer cells because the carcinogens present in the air, water or food (like benzene, radon, formaldehyde, radioactive decays, UV-rays. That's why people are suggested or advised to use masks that protect them from any type of contaminants entering their bodies and causing cancer.
2- Lifestyle Factors
Lifestyle factors also contribute to the development of cancer cells. In simple words, lifestyle means the way we live our life whether it could be healthy/disciplined or it can be unhealthy/undisciplined, it totally depends on our habits. For example, there are two persons, the 1st person smokes, drinks alcohol, eats unhealthy junk food or processed chemical-based foods, doesn't do any type of physical activity, uses a mobile phone, laptop every time, doesn't take enough sleep, the 2nd person do not smokes, don't drink alcohol, eats healthy balanced diet food including fruits and green vegetables, went to gym for workout, uses gadgets (mobiles and laptops) in a limited way, takes a 8hour sleep. So, from the above discussion, we conclude that the lifestyle of the 1st person is hazardous for him and he is more prone to developing normal cells into cancer cells. That's how these factors affect the human body and become the reason for developing cancer.
3- Genetic Factors
Genetic factors play an important role in the development of cancer and it includes the family history and the mutations in the genes, mutations involving somatic mutations, and inherited genetic mutations. Somatic mutations are the most common mutations responsible for cancer, the changes in the DNA which can be stimulated by some carcinogens, environmental factors, and some cell cycle inabilities. Inherited genetic mutations related to the family history means these inherited type of mutations are present in cancer susceptibility genes like BRCA1 & BRCA2 which is responsible for causing breast and ovarian cancers.
4- Hormonal Factors
The hormonal factors involve the influence of hormones on certain types of cancer in both males and females. In males, prostate cancer is very common and it occurs when the male sex hormone testosterone is produced in large amounts and is responsible for influencing the development of the prostate gland cancer. In females, breast cancer and ovarian cancer are very common and it occurs when there is increased exposure to estrogen which causes problems in menstruation (early menstruation and late menopause) this unbalancing of hormones causes breast cancer and in the case of ovarian cancer, there is a disturbance in the ovulatory cycles.
5- Age Factors
The chances of developing cancer increase with increasing age because with increasing age the cells are exposed to many factors which cause mutations and then uncontrolled growth occurs of cancer cells and the most important is the immune function of the body. As an individual gets older, the cells started to lose their functionality, and their ability to kill antigens, and when there is a weak immune system so any type of carcinogen can enter the body and can develop cancerous cells.
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