Why can’t you just cut off cancer cells?

Question

I know there’s a reason, but I don’t know what it is.

In: Biology

Answer 1

We can actually cut out cancer cells. If someone has cancer in a limb for example that limb can be amputated.

But cancers spread, so there is never a 100% guarantee that will work. And in places that aren’t limbs removing cancer through surgery can be difficult or impossible due to vital organs in the area.

You can remove the cancerous cells sure, but the nearby cells are probably “infected” with cancer, and unlike a leg you can’t just remove the surrounding tissue for good measure when it’s someone’s brain or heart.