Everything in the body happens so fast, so why do some cancers take 20 years to manifest?

Question

?

Answer 1

Cancer formation (carcinogenesis) is thought to occur as a 3-stage process.

1) Initiation
2) Promotion
3) Progression

Initiation is a quick, initial mutation of the DNA in one cell that allows that abnormal cell to multiply aggressively.

Promotion is a long-term process where the initiated cell (actually it's daughter cells) gradually accumulate additional mutations that allow these cells to grow into a tumor (not yet a cancer)

Progression is the final long-term process where the tumor develops more mutations that allow these cells to invade or metastasize (spread). This stage is considered a 'cancer' and is potentially deadly.

A simple analogy may help. Think of the process by which weeds 'destroy' a garden. The first step (Initiation) is the germination of the first weed seed in the garden. This is a fairly rapid process.

The second step (Promotion) is the growth of the seed into a weed plant. This is a longer term process.

The final step (Progression) is the spread of the weeds to take over the garden.

Hope this is helpful. Best wishes.

Answer 2

Some cancerous cells are fast growing cells and others are a slower form. My girlfriend passed away from a fast growing cancer cell that took 21 years to become fatal due to the region of the body it formed in, her chest cavity. Any other part of the body, it usually becomes fatal before the age of 5.

Answer 3

The average tumor of 1cm takes about 10 years to develop, but from then on the tumor grows in a much faster rate. Sometimes, you cannot find the tumor til its already 2inches big, because your body did not react to it early enough.

Answer 4

Comparing on a scale, societies take a couple of hundred of centuries to turn cancerous, the body, on a scale of 1mm = 100,000 miles takes twenty to thirty years. ha.ha.ha.ha.ha. hope you got the drift and you got the crux in one big go!!! :) thanks.