Heart cells are "post-mitotic" cells. That means they do not replicate themselves through additional rounds of mitosis. (That is why the heart cannot repair itself after an injury like a heart attack. Cells that can replicate themselves, like skin cells or liver cells, are able to repair themselves after an injury.)
A cancer cell starts with a mutation in a 'parent' cell. This mutation is passed on to a 'daughter' cell when the parent cell replicates or copies itself (mitosis). The daughter cell then passes on the mutation to it's 'daughter' cells. Thus, the ongoing process of cell division (mitosis) produces a growing 'clone' of identically mutated cells.
Post-mitotic cells (heart cells, muscles cells, neurons, etc.) are low risk for developing cancer because they do not replicate themselves and therefore, cannot pass on to new cells a mutation.
Multiple mutations, and other genomic events, must develop in a cell before it can become a cancer cell. Duplication of cells (mitosis) significantly increases the number of cells, each containing the first mutation. This process gradually increases the number of mutated cells available to develop the needed additional mutations to become cancerous.
Hope this wasn't too complicated to be helpful. Best wishes.
2006-08-08 17:42:42
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answer #1
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answered by Doctor J 7
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Because heart has its own ailments which are very special and much more deadly.
I wish ALL types of cancer becomes rare, still better if these are totally eliminated.
2006-08-07 01:15:29
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answer #2
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answered by Anonymous
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Cancer has no reservation like that.
Why can't you go to a Cancer specialist and ask him about this.
& why are you so much interested in heart cancer?
2006-08-07 01:11:22
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answer #3
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answered by Anonymous
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Watch Joes Video from Mayo Clinic good info
2006-08-07 01:40:28
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answer #4
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answered by saultdebbie 3
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http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/heart-cancer/AN01288
2006-08-07 01:09:07
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answer #5
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answered by Anonymous
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i've been in the health field for years and only once seen ca of the aorta, hope it is rare.
2006-08-11 20:15:41
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answer #6
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answered by lol 6
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