Cancer is the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells anywhere in a body Causative agents – chemical, toxic compound exposures, ionizing radiation, some pathogens Most cancer form tumors, but not all tumors are cancerous.

1. Cancer
Characteristic features and types

2. Cancer is the uncontrolled growth of abnormal
cells anywhere in a body
Causative agents – chemical, toxic compound
exposures, ionizing radiation, some pathogens
Most cancer form tumors, but not all tumors are
cancerous.

3. According to national cancer control
programme – there are nearly 2.5 million
cancer patients in India
More than 60% of these patients are in
the age of 35-60
the number of cases will
triple in the coming years

4. About 1 in 4 of us will get cancer
About 1 in 5 of will die due to
cancer

5. There are trillions of cells in our body
Healthy cells are programmed to
“know what to do and when to
do it”.

6. Cancer cells donot know “what to
do, and when to do”

7. Cancer cells Produce
malignant tumors
Tumors can invade surrounding healthy
tissues (Metastasis)

9. Cancer some terms
01
Neo-plasm – new
growth
02 03
Tumor – swelling
caused by
neoplasm
04
Benign neoplasm
– one which is
restricted by its
capsule – doesnot
spread to other
areas of body
Malignant – one
which spreads to
different parts of
the body

12. Types of cancer

20. About the Symptoms
Depends on the types
Fatigue Skin changesWeight loss Pain
Unusual
bleeding
Persistent
cough
Fever

23. Spread of cancer

26. Characteristics of Cancer
It can involves changes in gene expression.
Lack of contact inhibition
Loss of limitations on the number of cell division
01
02
03
Ability to grow in culture.
Angiogenesis.
04
05

27. Characteristics of Cancer
It shows uncontrolled mitotic divisions
Lack differentiation
They loss ability to communicate with other
cells.
07
08
09
They are less adhesive than normal cells.
They exhibits number of alterations.
10
11
Due to uncontrolled growth – tumor
is formed.
They lose sensitivity.
06

28. It can involves changes in gene expression.

29. Lack of contact inhibition

30. Ability to grow in culture.

31. Loss of limitations on the number of cell division

32. Angiogenesis is the formation of new blood vessels. This process involves the
migration, growth, and differentiation of endothelial cells, which line the inside
wall of blood vessels.
A tumor needs nutrients and oxygen to grow and spread.

33. The loss of growth control
Cancer cells are immortal
Cancer cells have very high errors in DNA
Cancer cells are protected from apoptosis
Cancer cells depends on glycolysis for
energy
Cancer cells are monoclonal
Characteristics of Cancer

34. The loss of growth control
When the normal cell proliferates and cover the bottom of the
culture dish, their growth rate decreases and they tend to remain
as a single layer (monolayer) due to contact inhibition
In contrast, when malignant cells are cultured under the same
condition, they continue to grow & pile up on top of another (NO
contact inhibition).

35. Cancer cells are immortal
➔ The normal cell in culture exhibits a limited capacity for cell
division.
➔ After a finite number of mitotic divisions they undergo the ageing
process.
➔ The cancer cells are immortal and they do not undergo the ageing
process.
➔ They divide continuously.
➔ The continuous growth is due to the presence of telomerase
enzyme in them (Telomerase enzyme is absent in the normal

36. DNA in the Cancer Cells has High Errors
➔ DNA replication in the normal cell is comparatively slow than
cancerous cells.
➔ Cancerous cells have very high aberrations in the chromosomes.
➔ Aberrations are due to the defects in mitotic checkpoints.
➔ Normal cell induces apoptosis when the genetic content becomes
highly mutated.
➔ Cancerous cells escape the apoptotic pathway

37. Cancer Cells are Protected from Apoptosis
Apoptosis is programmed cell death.
Cancer cells do not induce apoptosis
Normal cells do not divide unless they are stimulated to do so, but
cancer cells do
Normal cells do not survive if they have any irreparable damages,
but cancer cells do.
Cancerous cells express :
High anti-apoptotic factors (Bcl-2, Bcl-XL)
Low pro-apoptotic factors (Bax, Bak, Bid, Bcl)

38. Cancer Cells dependent on Glycolysis for
Energy
This request high metabolic requirement for the cancer cells
Hypoxia Inducible Factor induce new blood vessel formation in the
tumors
The formation of new blood vessels is called angiogenesis.
Angiogenesis also facilitates the migration of cancerous cells
(metastasis)
to other healthy tissues of the body

39. Prevention is cure
• Limiting tobacco exposure
• Limiting alcohol intake
• Modifying diet
• Limiting exposure to UV rays
• Screening programs

40. Cancer cells are our cells –
• killing them = killing ourselves
• Main treatments available
– Surgery – Recurs
– Chemotherapy – damages normal cells
– Radiotherapy – damages nearby areas

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