Blog Post #2 - Cancer

 Introduction 

Cancer can be a difficult topic. While writing this post, I found that there's a lot that goes into understanding cancer, and yet there's still a lot we don't know. Today we are going to skim the surface of understanding cancer, and I will be talking about it on a broad, basic level. My main topics will include what cancer is, what causes it, and how to prevent and treat it. 

What Is Cancer? 

Cancer is essentially uncontrolled cell division. The National Cancer Institute defines cancer as "a disease in which some of the body’s cells grow uncontrollably and spread to other parts of the body" (National Cancer Institute, 2023). This can happen during interphase of the cell cycle when the DNA is being replicated. 

What Causes Cancer?

There are many different types of cancer. Some can be caused by genetics, while others are caused by environmental factors. Cancer can be caused by genetic mutations that are either inherited from birth, or acquired later in life (American Cancer Society, 2023). Inherited gene mutations are abnormal genes which are passed through generations and can cause cancer, so it's not that the cancer itself that is passed down, but rather it's the genes that can lead to cancer that are passed down (American Cancer Society, 2023). An example of hereditary cancer would be HBOC (Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer Syndrome). HBOC is often caused by an inherited gene mutation, putting women with these mutations at a very high risk of developing breast or ovarian cancer (American Cancer Society, 2023). 

 A dividing breast cancer cell
(National Cancer Institute, 2023)

A lot of cancers are not caused by inherited gene mutations, instead, most are caused by acquired gene mutations (American Cancer Society, 2023). Acquired gene mutations can happen for different reasons, "Sometimes they happen when a cell’s DNA is damaged, such as after being exposed to radiation or certain chemicals. But often these mutations occur randomly, without having an outside cause" (American Cancer Society, 2023). For example, during the process when a cell is dividing to make two new cells, the cell must replicate all of its DNA, and sometimes mutations can occur while this is happening (American Cancer Society, 2023). Certain environmental factors can also cause acquired gene mutations, such as the use of tobacco. People who use tobacco products have a higher risk of getting cancer because of the damaging chemicals found in tobacco products (National Cancer Institute, 2023). 

(HealthCentral, 2023)

How To Prevent/Treat Cancer 

Understanding cancer and its causes will help us determine ways to prevent and treat it. The CDC lists some healthy choices you can make to lower your risk of cancer, such as avoiding tobacco, protecting your skin by using sunscreen, and limiting your alcohol intake (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2023). There are also things like cancer screening tests that are used to find cancer early, such as breast cancer, cervical cancer, and colon cancer (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2023). 

Cancer treatment depends on the type and stage of the cancer, and the treatment might change over time. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2023). Common types of cancer treatments include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, hormone therapy, immunotherapy, and stem cell transplants (bone marrow transplants) (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2023). 

A Lot We Still Don't Know

While our knowledge of cancer has grown over the years, there is still a lot we don't understand. We know some of the reasons cancer is caused, but like the American Cancer Society says, acquired gene mutations often occur randomly, without having an outside cause (American Cancer Society, 2023). 

Conclusion 

To summarize, cancer is when a body's cells grow uncontrollably and spread. Cancer can be caused by inherited gene mutations and acquired gene mutations. You can lower your chances of getting cancer by making healthy lifestyle choices, and by getting cancer screenings done to detect cancer early on. There are different ways you can treat cancer, but someone's specific treatment plan will be determined by the type and stage of the cancer. While our knowledge of cancer has greatly increased, there is still a lot to be learned in the years to come. 

References

(2023). American Cancer Society. https://www.cancer.org/

(2023). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/

(2023). HealthCentral. https://www.healthcentral.com/condition/lung-cancer

(2023). National Cancer Institute. https://www.cancer.gov/