Are all the different cancers really that different or is it all just cancer and we just specify where it formed?
In: Biology
While every cell in your body has the same DNA, every different knid of cell uses the DNA differently. They all read different parts of DNA to control how they behave. Skin cells behave differently from bone marrow cells because they read different parts of the DNA code.
The mechanisms that control reproduction and replication of each cell is very complex and like any complex system, things go wrong all the time. It’s just that the error correction systems are pretty robust and they deal with these errors very well.
I work with oncologists, writing software for them and its interesting how I can understand what they’re trying to explain to me, a layperson. Here’s the simplest explanation of cancer. Three distinct mutations to the cell’s system have to happen to create malignant cancer.
One: the mechasim that controls when the cell divides has to break in such a way that the cell divides too much. Normally, this isn’t that bad because the excess cells will usually just die off because they won’t get a blood supply.
Two: the mechanism that controls how a cell signals the surrounding tissues to include it in the blood supply has to break in such a way that other cells will provide blood supply even though they shouldn’t. Normally, this isn’t a problem because the cell isn’t dividing uncontrollably.
Three: the machansim that tells the cell where it can divide and grow has to be break in such a way that the cell will divide and grow even when it’s not in the right environment. Normally this isn’t a problem because it isn’t dividing uncontrollably and can’t get blood supply even if it does.
Every cell responds to different signals and mechanisms to perform all these operations. All the different types use different genes, or use the same genes differently for these common processes. So, how any given cell acquires all three kinds of mutations is different for every kind of cell.
Latest Answers