Cancer is a disease caused by abnormal cell growth and can start anywhere in the body. Cancer cells differ from normal cells in that they grow uncontrollably, invade other tissues, and are often immortal. Cancer is a major cause of death worldwide, with over 10 million new cases and 9.5 million cancer deaths annually. The number of new cancer cases is projected to increase significantly in the coming decades. Some key causes of cancer include tobacco use, poor diet and lack of exercise, certain infections, and genetic factors. Prevention strategies focus on avoiding risk factors and promoting healthy behaviors.

1. BIOLOGY INVESTIGATORY PROJECT
A STUDY REPORT ON CANCER CELLS
-ONCOLOGY
INTRODUCTION TO CANCER CELLS:
Cancer is referred to as a disease in which there are abnormal growth of body’s
cells which grow uncontrollably and spread to other parts of the body.
This disease is a unique disease as it could start anywhere – in any part of the body
– which is made up of millions or billions or even trillions of cells. These cells
differ from normal cells in the bodyin many ways. Normal cells become cancerous
only when a series of mutations lead the cell to continue to develop and grow and
then divide rapidly out of control and we can also say, that in a way, cancer cells
are a distinctive kind of cells which has achieved immortality.
In a normal healthy body, cells multiply through a process called cell division to
form new cells as the bodyneeds them which take the place of the old cells or
damaged cells which eventually die. When this orderly process breaks the chain,
an abnormal or damaged cells grow and multiply in the places where they
shouldn’t be formed or multiplied. This results in the formation of tumors. Tumors
are those abnormal mass of tissue that forms when cells grow and divide more than
they should or do not die when they should. These tumors may be benign (i.e.,
non-cancerous) or malignant (i.e., cancerous).
There are a group of diseases involving abnormal cell growth which has the
potential to invade our bodyand spread to other parts. They divide endlessly and
replicate us of control causing a mass of cancer cells in our bodywhich are
harmful and can cause death as well. Cancerous cells can form tumors which
impair the immune system and cause other changes preventing the bodyfrom its

2. regular and usual functioning. This tumor spread into, or invade, nearby tissues and
can travel to distant places in the bodyto form new tumors (a process called
metastasis). Many cancers form solid tumors but cancers of the blood such as
leukemias generally do not.
STATISITCS ABOUT CANCER:
Cancer has a major impact on society in India and other parts of the world too. It is
one of the most feared diseases in the world and among the leading causes of death
worldwide, and it affects over 1.1 million people in India every single year alone.
Worldwide more than 10 million people are capitulated to this disease every year.
 In 2018, there were 18.1 million new cases and 9.5 million cancer related
deaths worldwide.
 By 2040 the number of new cancer cases per year is expected to rise to 29.5
million and the number of cancer-related deaths to 16.4 million.
 The projected incidence of patients with cancer in India among males was
reported to be 679,421 (94.1 per 100,000) and among females 712,758
(103.6 per 100,00) for the year 2020 alone.
 One in 68 males (lung cancer), 1 in 29 females (breast cancer), and 1 in 9
Indians will develop cancer during their lifetime (0-74 years of age). The

3. projected 5 most common cancers in 2020 for males (lung, mouth, prostate,
tongue, and stomach) constitute 36% of all cancers and for females (breast,
cervix uteri, ovary, corpus uteri, and lung) constitute 53% of all cancers.
 The rate of new cases of cancer is 442.4 per 100,000 men and women per
year (based of the censes of 2013-17 cases)
 The cancer death rate i.e., cancer mortality rate is 158.3 per 100,000 men
and women per year (based of the censes of 2013-17 cases).
 The cancer mortality rate is higher among men than women (189.5 per
100,000 men and 135.7 per 100,000 women). When comparing groups
based on race/ethnicity and sex, cancer mortality is highest in African
American men (227.3 per 100,000) and lowest in Asian/Pacific Islander
women (85.6 per 100,000).
 In 2020, an estimated 16,850 children and adolescents ages 0 to 19 will
be diagnosed with cancer and 1,730 will die of the disease.

4. It is taken into note that the Prostate, lung and colorectalcancers accountfor an
estimated 43% of all cancers diagnosed in men in 2020.
For women, the three most common cancers are Breast, lung and colorectal, and
they account for an estimated 50% of all new cancer diagnoses in women in 2020.
CANCER CELLS VS NORMAL CELLS:
There are a number of differences between cancer cells and normal cells and some
of them are mentioned below:
Growth: - Normal cells grow as a part of their development such as during
childhood or to repair an injured tissue. Cancer cells on the other hand continue to
grow/reproduce even when further cells aren’t needed. They also fail to listen to
signals that signal them to stop growing or commit cell suicide (commonly referred
to as apoptosis)when the cells become of old age or damaged.
Ability to invade nearby tissues: - Normal cells respond to signals from other
cells which direct them and tell them that they have reached a boundary whereas
cancer cells do no respond to these signals and extend into nearby tissues often
with finger like projections. This is one of the reasons why it is difficult for
surgeons to get rid of a cancerous tumor.
Immortality: - Most normal cells, like that in a human being, have a limited
lifespan. When they reach that particular time, they die of age. Cancer cells on the
other hand has developed a way to “defy” death, on the contrary. On the end of our
chromosomes lie a structure known as a telomere. It gets shorter every time a cell
divide. When the telomeres become short enough, the cells die. Cancer cells have
figured out a way to restore their ‘telomeres’ so that they don’tcontinue to shorten

5. as the cell divides like the telomeres of the normal cells thus making them
immortal.
NORMAL CELLS CANCER CELLS
LARGE CYTOPLASM SMALL CYTOPLASM
SINGLE NUCLEUS MULTIPLE NUCLEUS
SINGLE NUCLEOLUS MULTIPLE & LARGE NUCLEOLUS
FINE CHROMATIN COURSE CHROMATIN
DEFINED LIFESPAN IMMORTAL
STAYS WITHIN BOUNDARIES INVADES OTHER TISSUES
GROWS WHEN NEEDED MAY KEEP GROWING

6. WHY DOES THE BODY NOT RECOGNIZE CANCER CELLS
AS ABNORMAL AND DESTROY THEM EFFECTIVE
IMMEDIATELY?
The answer to this is very simple. Cancer cells are indeed detected and removed by
our immune systems.
Cells in our immune system called natural killer cells have the job of finding cells
that have becomeabnormal so they can be removed by other cells in our immune
system. Cancer cells remain alive wither by evading detected by disguising
themselves in different ways or by inactivating the immune cells that come to the
scene. The ability of the immune system to recognize and eliminate cancer cells is
thought to be responsible for the uncommon but well-documented phenomena of
some cancers going ways without treatment of the spontaneous remission of
cancer. This process also lies at the crux of the new fields of cancer treatment
known as immunotherapy.
SOME CAUSES OF CANCER:
 HEAVY ALCHOL/TOBACCO CONSUMPTION
 EXCESS BODY WEIGHT
 PHYSICAL INACTIVITY
 POOR NUTRTION

7. TYPES OF CANCER:
1. BreastCancer:- A cancer that forms in the cells of the breasts. They can
occurin women but rarely in men
SYMTOMS:- They include lump in the breast, bloody discharge from
nipple and changes in the shape or texture of the nipple or the whole breast
in itself.
CAUSES: - Doctors estimate that about 5-10% of breast cancers are linked
to gene mutations passed through generations of a family. Other causes
being tobacco and alcohol consumption
2. Lung Cancer: - cancer that begins in the lungs and most often occurs in
people who smoke. Tow major types of lung cancer are non-small cell lung
cancer and small cell lung cancer
SYMPTOMS:- symptoms include a cough (often with blood), chest pain,
wheezing and weight loss. These symptoms often don’tappear until the
cancer is advanced
CAUSES: - Cause of lung cancer include smoking, second-hand smoke,
exposure to certain toxins and family history.

8. 3. ColorectalCancer: - cancer of the colon or the rectum located at the
digestive tract’s lower end. Early cases can begin as non-cancerous polyps.
These often have no symptoms but can be detected by screening. Forthis
reason, doctors recommend screening for those at high risk or over the age
of 50.
SYMPTOMS:- Depends on the size and location of the cancer. Some
commonly experienced symptoms include changes in bowel habits, changes
in stool consistent, blood in the stool, abdominal discomfort, etc.
CAUSES: - processed meats, grain-fed meat, refined flour and sugary foods
and drinks (low fiber and high fat diet), a sedentary lifestyle and through
inherited genes of course.
4. Skin Cancer: - Skin cancer — the abnormal growth of skin cells — most
often develops on skin exposed to the sun. But this common form of cancer
can also occuron areas of your skin not ordinarily exposed to sunlight.
There are three major types of skin cancer — basal cell carcinoma,
squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma
SYMPTOMS:- a large brownish spotwith darker speckles. A mole that
changes color, size or feel or that bleeds. A small lesion with an irregular
borderand portions that appear red, pink, white, blue, or blue-black.
CAUSES: - excessive sun exposure (sunburns), high altitude climates,
moles, precancerous skin lesions, family history of skin cancer (inherited
gene)

9. 5. BloodCaner: - Also called leukimia is a cancer of blood-forming tissues,
hindering the bodys ability to fight infections. This is a type of cancer of
blood forming. Many types exists such as acute lymphoblastic leukemia,
acute myeloid leukemia and chronic lymphocytic leukemia
SYMPTOMS:- patients with slow-growing types of leukimia don’thave
symptoms. Rapidly growing types of leukemia may cause symptoms that
include fatigue, weight loss, frequent infections and easy bleeding or
bruising.
CAUSES: - Weak immune system, certain infections, aging and due to few
inherited genes.
PREVENTION METHODS FOR CANCER:
Between 30%-50% of cancer deaths could be prevented by modifying or avoiding
key risk factors.

10.  avoid tobacco use, including cigarettes and smokeless tobacco
 maintain a healthy weight
 eat a healthy diet with plenty of fruit and vegetables
 exercise regularly
 limit alcohol use
 practice safe sex
 get vaccinated against hepatitis B and human papillomavirus (HPV)
 reduce exposure to ultraviolet radiation and ionizing radiation
 avoid urban air pollution and indoor smoke from household use of solid
fuels
 get regular medical care
 some chronic infections are also risk factors for cancer.
SOME FOODS THAT COULD LOWER THE RISK FOR CANCER
1. BROCCOLI
2. CARROT
3. BEANS
4. BERRIES
5. CINAMMON
6. NUTS
7. OLIVE OIL
8. TURMERIC
9. CITRUS FRUITS
10.TOMATOES