Cancer

• checkpoint checks if cell is large enough, if DNA is copied properly, and checks chromosomes lined in metaphase.
• Cancer occurs when checkpoints fail and mutations to cell DNA aren't detected. Some mutations cause cell to skip G0 phase (resting phase) and start the cell cycle again immediately. Out of control cell division is the nature of cancer.
• When cell detects a problem with the DNA at any checkpoints it can do cell limbo(stall in cycle while it fixes itself) or apoptosis
• Most cancers are not visible without looking at cells.
• Doctors can take a sample of cells from area and look under a microscope (biopsy)
• During a biopsy, if cells are not interfering with surrounding cells, it is called benign.
• During a biopsy, if cells are interfering with surrounding cells, it is called malignant.
• Cells don't live forever, they will divide through mitosis or apoptosis. However, cancer cells don't die and divide uncontrollably and crowd out healthy productive cells.
• Cancer is caused by carcinogens which are external factors in the environment damaging DNA and interfering with a cell's normal cycle, disrupting cell's ability to control when and how often it divides.
• Carcinogen examples are smoking, vaping, alcohol, and harmful chemicals.
• HeLo cells are immortal line of cell. They are used to study the cell cycle.
• Cancer cells have an unusual number of chromosomes due to incomplete mitosis or cytokinesis.
• Cancer cells are abnormally shaped or larger than normal cells.
• Cancer cells can lose their attachment to nearby tissue and travel to other parts of the body where they continue to divide and cause problems at other locations. - secondary growths of cancer at a distance from the primary site are referred to as metastasis.
• In case of leukemia, WBC grow uncontrollably and crowd out RBC reducing ability to deliver nutrients to body and affecting blood's ability to clot and repair wounds.
• Cancer -- out of control cell division.
• Tumor -- swelling of any kind and usually abnormal growth of cells that can be cancerous
• Malignant tumor -- cells interfering with surrounding cells.
• Benign tumor -- cells not interfering with other cells
• metastasis -- secondary growth of cancer at a distance from primary sites.
• mutation - a change in the DNA sequence of a gene that can lead to a change in the amino acid sequence of a protein.
• Carcinogen - external factors damaging DNA and interfering with cell cycle.