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Biology Project by - Shivani Tyagi Xii - C Roll No. - 33
Biology Project by - Shivani Tyagi Xii - C Roll No. - 33
By
SHIVANI TYAGI
XII C
Roll no. 33
Cancer
Recent years have seen a major revolution in molecular biology, genetics, cytology and medicine. Many novel treatment strategies
have emerged for treatment of cancer. There have been obvious triumphs, for instance in cure of acute lymphocytic leukemia and
other childhood cancers, Hodgkin's disease, and testicular cancer. However, substantial advances in molecular oncology have yet
to substantially alter the mortality statistics.
What is Cancer?
Cancer is a group of many related diseases. All cancers begin in cells inside the body. Cells are the body's basic unit of life. All
the tissues and organs inside body are made up of cells. Under normal conditions, cells grow and divide to form new cells as the
body needs them. When a cell grows old it dies and new cells take their place. If this orderly process goes wrong, then new cells
form when the body does not need them, and old cells do not die when they should. These extra cells can form a mass of tissue
called a growth or tumor.
Tumors can be benign or malignant. Malignant tumors are cancer. Cancer cells can invade and damage nearby tissues and
organs. Also, cancer cells can break away from a malignant tumor and enter the bloodstream or the lymphatic system. That is
how cancer cells spread from the original (primary) tumor to form new tumors in other organs. The spread of cancer is called
metastasis.
Tumors are overgrowths, clones within clones, of cells bearing cumulative genetic injuries which each confer growth advantages
over their neighbors ("NOWELL'S LAW"). Tumor cells typically have failure of division control, failure of senescence
("immortalization"), and failure of proper apoptosis (programmed cell death). By the time a tumor is visible, the changes have
been underway for a long time (at least months, usually years).
Carcinogens are a class of substances that are directly responsible for damaging DNA, promoting or aiding cancer. Tobacco,
asbestos, arsenic, radiation such as gamma and x-rays, the sun, and compounds in car exhaust fumes are all examples of
carcinogens.
Inherited Cancer:
Features of Inherited Cancer
What is sporadic cancer?
The word sporadic means "to occur by chance." Families who have a single person with cancer at an older age are usually
classified as "sporadic." In other words, there is not an inherited pattern of cancer present, and often only one or two individuals
in the family have cancer at a typical age of onset. Relatives are usually not at increased risk of developing cancer. Genetic testing
is usually not beneficial in these families.
reduced penetrance (a mutation associated with lower cancer risks and later onset of cancer). In general, with familial cancer,
close relatives have a modestly increased risk of developing the cancer in question. The chance that genetic testing will be
beneficial in further assessing cancer risks is usually small.
These families have multiple family members with the same or related cancers. The cancers tend to occur at younger than
average ages (usually <50 years). Also, there is often a history of persons who developed two or more separate cancers; i.e., colon
cancer in a breast cancer survivor, bilateral cancers (bilateral breast cancer), or multifocal cancers (two or more cancers in the
same organ such as two separate colon cancers). Families with inherited cancer often have cancer in two or more generations
with cancer displaying an autosomal dominant pattern of inheritance. In other words, when a parent has inherited
predisposition to cancer, each child has a 50/50 (one in two) chance of inheriting the predisposition.
Adeno- = gland
Chondro- = cartilage
Erythro- = red blood cell
Hemangio- = blood vessels
Hepato- = liver
Lipo- = fat
Lympho- = white blood cell
Melano- = pigment cell
Myelo- = bone marrow
Myo- = muscle
Osteo- = bone
Uro- = bladder
Retino- = eye
Neuro- = brain
Lung cancer is called "primary" if the cancer originates in the lungs and "secondary" if it originates elsewhere in the body but has
metastasized to the lungs. These two types are considered different cancers from diagnostic and treatment perspectives.
In 2007, about 15% of all cancer diagnoses and 29% of all cancer deaths were due to lung cancer. It is the number one cause of
death from cancer every year and the second most diagnosed after breast and prostate cancers (for women and men,
respectively). Lung cancer is usually found in older persons because it develops over a long period of time.
Squamous cell carcinoma or epidermoid carcinoma. As the most common type of NSCLC and the most common type of
lung cancer in men, squamous cell carcinoma forms in the lining of the bronchial tubes.
Adenocarcinoma. As the most common type of lung cancer in women and in nonsmokers, adenocarcinoma forms in the
Carcinogens
Carcinogens are a class of substances that are directly responsible for damaging DNA, promoting or aiding cancer. Tobacco,
asbestos, arsenic, radiation such as gamma and x-rays, the sun, and compounds in car exhaust fumes are all examples of
carcinogens. When our bodies are exposed to carcinogens, free radicals are formed that try to steal electrons from other
molecules in the body. These free radicals damage cells and affect their ability to function and divide normally.
About 87% of lung cancers are related to smoking and inhaling the carcinogens in tobacco smoke. Even exposure to second-hand
smoke can damage cells so that cancer forms.
Genes
Cancer can be the result of a genetic predisposition that is inherited from family members. It is possible to be born with certain
genetic mutations or a fault in a gene that makes one statistically more likely to develop cancer later in life. Genetic
predispositions are thought to either directly cause lung cancer or greatly increase one's chances of developing lung cancer from
exposure to certain environmental factors.
Surgery
Surgery is the oldest known treatment for cancer. If a cancer is in stage I or II and has not metastasized, it is possible to completely cure a patient
by surgically removing the tumor and the nearby lymph nodes. After the disease has spread, however, it is nearly impossible to remove all of the
cancer cells.
Lung cancer surgery is performed by a specially trained thoracic surgeon. After removing the tumor and the surrounding margin of tissue, the
margin is further studied to see if cancer cells are present. If no cancer is found in the tissue surrounding the tumor, it is considered a "negative
margin." A "positive margin" may require the surgeon to remove more of the lung tissue.
Radiation
Radiation treatment, also known as radiotherapy, destroys or shrinks lung cancer tumors by focusing high-energy rays on the cancer cells. This
causes damage to the molecules that make up the cancer cells and leads them to commit suicide. Radiotherapy utilizes high-energy gamma-rays
that are emitted from metals such as radium or high-energy x-rays that are created in a special machine. Radiation can be used as the main
treatment for lung cancer, to kill remaining cells after surgery, or to kill cancer cells that have metastasized.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy utilizes strong chemicals that interfere with the cell division process - damaging proteins or DNA - so that cancer cells will commit
suicide. These treatments target any rapidly dividing cells (not just cancer cells), but normal cells usually can recover from any chemical-induced
damage while cancer cells cannot. Chemotherapy is considered systemic because its medicines travel throughout the entire body, killing the
original tumor cells as well as cancer cells that have spread throughout the body.
A medical oncologist will usually prescribe chemotherapy drugs for lung cancer to be taken intravenously, but there are also drugs available in
tablet, capsule, and liquid form. Chemotherapy treatment occurs in cycles so the body has time to heal between doses, and dosages are
determined by the type of lung cancer, the type of drug, and how the person responds to treatment. Medicines may be administered daily, weekly,
or monthly, and can continue for months or even years.
Dana Reeve:
Dana Reeve was an American singer and actress, and the wife of actor Christopher Reeve. She publicly announced that she
was diagnosed with lung cancer in August 2005. She suffered from this disease even though she never smoked in her
entire life. Later, she informed that the tumor was shrinking as a result of therapy. Unfortunately, in March 2006, Dana died
at the age of 44 at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City.