AN INVESTIGATORY PROJECT IN BIOLOGY FOR THE

PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF AISSCE 2023-2024

CANCER

SUBMITTED BY: GUIDED BY:

Soumya Ranjan Mahakud Mrs. Sagarika Basa

CLASS-XII, RS-4
AISSCE ROLL No. -
 CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that the project entitled “Cancer” is done by Soumya

Ranjan Mahakud a bonafide student of ODM Public School,
Bhubaneswar bearing AISSCE Roll no . Investigatory
project is in accordance with the norms of 2023-24 and the project is
submitted to CBSE for partial fulfillment of AISSCE 2023-24.

The project has been carried out the project under my

supervision and guidance. I certify that this project contains all
the standards and demands of CBSE rules and guidelines.

Signature of Internal Examiner

Signature of External Examiner

Signature of Principal
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I have taken efforts in the accomplishment of the project. However, it

would not have been possible without the kind support and help of

many individuals. I would like to thank our Vice Principal, Dr. Rajesh

Kumar Padhy, and also express my sincere thanks to our Biology

teacher Mrs. Sagarika Basa for giving me this great opportunity to do

this project on “Cancer”, which has helped me to gather details about

the topic. I am also thankful to my parents for their continuous

support and encouragement.

My thanks and appreciation also goes to my friends in developing this

project and to all the people who have willingly helped me out with

their abilities.

Name of the student:

Soumya Ranjan Mahakud
 CONTENTS

Sl. No. Pg. No.

1. INTRODUCTION 5

2. DIFFERENCE BETWEEN NORMAL 6

AND CANCER CELL

3. BENIGN VS MALIGNANT TUMORS 7-8

4. CAUSES OF CANCER 9

5. FOUR MAIN TYPES OF CANCER 10

6. CANCER DETECTION AND DIAGNOSIS 11

7. TREATMENT OF CANCER 12

8. CONCLUSION 13

9. BIBLIOGRAPHY 14
 INTRODUCTION

Cancer is a large group of diseases

that can start in almost any organ
or tissue of the body when
abnormal cells grow uncontrollably,
go beyond their usual boundaries
to invade adjoining parts of the
body and/or spread to other
organs. The latter process is called
metastasizing and is a major cause
of death from cancer. A neoplasm
and malignant tumour are other
common names for cancer.
 DIFFERENCE BETWEEN NORMAL AND

CANCER CELL
 Normal cells divide only when they receive a set of
appropriate signals whereas cancer cells divide
themselves despite the absence of those signals, and
they are resistant to the signals telling them to self-
destruct, known as apoptosis or programmed cell death.
 Cancer cells fuel their growth with different nutrients
than normal cells and some utilize different pathway to
transform those nutrients into energy, allowing them to
proliferate faster than normal cells. For instance, tumor
can induce new blood vessels formation (Angiogenesis),
bringing in more nutrients supply.
 Normal cells stop dividing when touching other cells.
They usually do not migrate to other areas. Cancer cells,
on the contrary, invade into surrounding tissues and
spread to other organs.
 Cancer cells can evade our immune system elements
which normally eliminate abnormal or invading cells.
They can co-opt our immune system to help them
proliferate. For instance, cancer cells can disguise as
normal cells via antigen expression on the cell
membrane.
 Cancer cell genes can be amplified, deleted, or altered.
Their chromosomes can be reshuffled.
 BENIGN VS MALIGNANT TUMORS

Benign Tumors
Benign tumors are those that stay in their primary
location without invading other sites of the body.
They do not spread to local structures or to distant
parts of the body. Benign tumors tend to grow
slowly and have distinct borders.

Benign tumors are not usually problematic.

However, they can become large and compress
structures nearby, causing pain or other medical
complications. For example, a large benign lung
tumor could compress the trachea (windpipe) and
cause difficulty in breathing. This would warrant
urgent surgical removal. Benign tumors are
unlikely to recur once removed. Common examples
of benign tumors are fibroids in the uterus and
lipomas in the skin.

Malignant Tumors
Malignant tumors have cells that grow
uncontrollably and spread locally and/or to distant
sites. Malignant tumors are cancerous (ie, they
invade other sites). They spread to distant sites via
the bloodstream or the lymphatic system. This
spread is called metastasis. Metastasis can occur
anywhere in the body and most commonly is found
in the liver, lungs, brain, and bone.
Malignant tumors can spread rapidly and require
treatment to avoid spread. If they are caught early,
treatment is likely to be surgery with possible
chemotherapy or radiotherapy. If the cancer has
spread, the treatment is likely to be systemic, such
as chemotherapy or immunotherapy.
 CAUSES OF CANCER
Cancer arises from the transformation of normal cells into
tumour cells in a multi-stage process that generally
progresses from a pre-cancerous lesion to a malignant
tumour. These changes are the result of the interaction
between a person's genetic factors and three categories
of external agents, including:
 physical carcinogens, such as ultraviolet and ionizing
radiation;
 chemical carcinogens, such as asbestos,
components of tobacco smoke, alcohol, aflatoxin (a
food contaminant), and arsenic (a drinking water
contaminant); and
 biological carcinogens, such as infections from
certain viruses, bacteria, or parasites.
WHO, through its cancer research agency, the
International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC),
maintains a classification of cancer-causing agents.
The incidence of cancer rises dramatically with age, most
likely due to a build-up of risks for specific cancers that
increase with age. The overall risk accumulation is
combined with the tendency for cellular repair
mechanisms to be less effective as a person grows older.
 FOUR MAIN TYPES OF CANCER

 carcinoma – this cancer begins in the skin or in

tissues that line or cover internal organs. There are
different subtypes, including adenocarcinoma, basal
cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and
transitional cell carcinoma
 sarcoma – this cancer begins in the connective or
supportive tissues such as bone, cartilage, fat,
muscle or blood vessels
 leukaemia – this is cancer of the white blood cells. It
starts in the tissues that make blood cells such as
the bone marrow.
 lymphoma and myeloma – these cancers begin in
the cells of the immune system
 CANCER DETECTION AND DIAGNOSIS

There is no single test that can accurately

diagnose cancer. The complete evaluation of a
patient usually requires a thorough history and
physical examination along with diagnostic
testing. Many tests are needed to determine
whether a person has cancer, or if another
condition (such as an infection) is mimicking the
symptoms of cancer.
Effective diagnostic testing is used to confirm or
eliminate the presence of disease, monitor the
disease process, and to plan for and evaluate the
effectiveness of treatment. In some cases, it is
necessary to repeat testing when a person's
condition has changed, if a sample collected was
not of good quality, or an abnormal test result
needs to be confirmed.
Diagnostic procedures for cancer may include
imaging, laboratory tests (including tests for tumor
markers), tumor biopsy, endoscopic examination,
surgery, or genetic testing.
Cancer diagnosis methods:
 Lab tests
 Diagnostic imaging
 Endoscopic exams
 Genetic tests
 Tumor biopsies
 TREATMENT OF CANCER
Cancer treatment is based on the stage of the cancer.
Sometimes, treatment is meant to cure the cancer. Other times,
the goal is to stop the cancer from spreading further. Some
treatments may be given to reduce side effects of other
treatments and relieve symptoms caused by the cancer or its
treatment. This is called palliative care and can be given at any
Cancer treatment may include—

 Surgery: An operation where doctors cut out tissue with

cancer cells.
 Chemotherapy: Special medicines that shrink or kill cancer
cells that we cannot see.
 Radiation therapy: Using high-energy rays (similar to X-
rays) to kill cancer cells.
 Hormone therapy: Blocks cancer cells from getting the
hormones they need to grow.
 Immunotherapy: A treatment that works with your body’s
immune system to help it fight cancer cells or to control
side effects from other cancer treatments.
 Stem cell transplant (bone marrow transplant): Replace
bone marrow cells lost due to very high doses of
 chemotherapy or radiation therapy. Most commonly used
to treat blood cancers and cancers that start in the lymph
nodes.
stage of your cancer treatment. Your treatment plan may
change over time.
 CONCLUSION
A plan for the diagnosis and treatment of cancer is a key
component of any overall cancer control plan. Its main goal is
to cure cancer patients or prolong their life considerably,
ensuring a good quality of life. In order for a diagnosis and
treatment programme to be effective, it must never be
developed in isolation. It needs to be linked to an early
detection programme so that cases are detected at an early
stage, when treatment is more effective and there is a greater
chance of cure. It also needs to be integrated with a palliative
care programme, so that patients with advanced cancers, who
can no longer benefit from treatment, will get adequate relief
from their physical, psychosocial and spiritual suffering.
Furthermore, programmes should include a awareness-raising
component, to educate patients, family and community
members about the cancer risk factors and the need for taking
preventive measures to avoid developing cancer.
 BIBLIOGRAPHY
Special thanks to the following source :-

1. NCERT textbook of biology class 12

2. www.wikipedia.com
3. Online library