• Question: what is YOUR theory of how cells become crazy and start dividing uncontrollably causing tumours and cancer

    Asked by gandialf to Mario, Alexis on 17 Jun 2013. This question was also asked by drelmo, moodycow, 15barbere, magicalponies, thans017.
    • Photo: Alexis Barr

      Alexis Barr answered on 17 Jun 2013:

      I think (and there is a lot of evidence for it), is that DNA cells gets mutated and that can cause cells to start dividing uncontrollably. If the DNA that gets mutated happens to be in a gene that is required for cell reproduction, then the cell might be able to start divide without being messaged to by other cells – i.e. out of control.
      Often a cell needs more than one mutation in its DNA to start dividing uncontrollably – often many genes have to be mutated. This is why the risk of getting cancer increases as you age – because it takes a long time to get these mutations. Also, chemicals in tobacco smoke and UV from the sun can also increase the risk of DNA becoming mutated.
      To make things worse, when a cell divides it has to make a copy all of its DNA every time. If a cancer cell already has some mutations and is out of control, it might be sloppy about replicating its DNA which could lead to more mutations.

Comments

  • Photo: Dr D

    Dr D commented on :

    There are two things that are needed. Uncontrolled cell growth (lots of new cells formed) and less cell death. There’s no problem with too much cell growth as long as you can kill the cells. The trouble with cancer is that they grow too much and are resistant to death.

    Mutations in DNA are key.