What is the cancer?

Answer 1

Cancer is a class of diseases or disorders characterized by uncontrolled division of cells and the ability of these cells to invade other tissues, either by direct growth into adjacent tissue through invasion or by implantation into distant sites by metastasis. Metastasis is defined as the stage in which cancer cells are transported through the bloodstream or lymphatic system or by droplet contamination of reachable structures away from the immediate vicinity. Cancer may affect people at all ages, but risk tends to increase with age, due to the fact that DNA damage becomes more apparent in aging DNA. It is one of the principal causes of death in developed countries.

In plain English, cancer generally occurs when some of your body cells decide to go crazy due to damage in their chromosomes. This damage can happen in many ways, such as toxins (smoking), radioactivity or even viruses. These "crazed" cells start multiplying rapidly. The body's immune system does not fight back, since the cancer cells do belong to the body itself. This explains the side effects of chemo-therapy, where these cells are weakened with toxins that do affect the rest of the body as well.

The danger level of cancer is decided by 3 main factors:
- The cancered cells are not detected by the body, as explained above.
- The function of the infected cells: usually, a cancered cell stops performing its usual function and is dedicated to multiplying only. This is lethal when the affected cells are supposed to perform some vital function in the body, such as blood or brain cells.
- The method of cell transportation: not all cells in the body are stationary. Some types are supposed to flow through the whole body, such as the blood's red and white cells. When cancer cells are stationary, they only multiply in the place they exist, making it relatively easier to remove them. An example is breast cancer. When the infected cells are mobile, it is impossible to extract them out, and the only option is to weaken them (chemo-therapy). Example: Blood cancer (leukemia).

Answer 2

What is THE cancer? Sounds ominous. I don't know about THE cancer, but CANCER is an abnormal growth in any tissue caused by a mutation which gets rid of the check on cell growth. Without this check, cells reproduce at a rapid rate past their normal boundaries, forming a tumor.

Answer 3

Cancer is growth of a population of cells in the body without regulation.

Answer 4

Its a birth sign or a virus in your body. Depends.. give more, and we might be able to help. =o)

Answer 5

We need more info to help you