Cancer
What is it? How does it happen? Any way to treat it?
Something “tells” cells when it is time to
divide, duplicate their chromosomes, or
enter another phase of the cell cycle
 Cyclins proteins that regulate the
timing of the cell cycle in eukaryotic cells

Cell Cycle is regulated!
The cell cycle is also controlled by
regulatory proteins inside and outside of
the cell
 Internal regulators proteins that
respond to events occurring inside of a
cell (allow cell cycle to proceed only when
cetain events have occurred)
 External regulators outside of cell;
direct cell to speed up or slow down the
cell cycle

Cyclins are just the beginning…
Stimulate growth and division of cells
(type of regulatory protein).
 very important in wound healing
  also help inhibit cell growth (so tissues
don’t protrude out and get into another
tissue’s space)!

Growth Factors


Apoptosis is
programmed cell
death; leads itself to
self-destruction
Apoptosis is cell
suicide 
Cell Death 
Cells can die (just like people)
in one of two ways:
1. Apoptosis
2. Damaged naturally (UV
rays, etc.)

A disorder in which
body cells lose the
ability to control
growth
Cancer…
Cancer cells do NOT respond
to the signals that regulate
the growth of most cells…as a
result the cells divide
uncontrollably



A mass of cells that forms
due to uncontrollable
growth is called a tumor
Malignant tumors are
bad…they invade and
destroy other tissues
Benign? You’re
fine…benign tumors stay
in one place. Just get it
surgically removed if it’s
causing
discomfort…otherwise you
can live with it!



Many cases of Cancer
have a defect in a gene
called p53
This gene normally halts
the cell cycle until all
chromosomes have
been properly replicated
If defective, p53 cause
cells to lose the
information needed to
respond to signals that
normally control their
growth
I don’t want
Cancer…what
causes it????
Lots of things can trigger
cancer growth…including but
not limited to:
Smoking (tobacco)
Tanning (UV ray
destruction)
Specific virus exposure
Defected, inherited genes

Cancer is never a
death sentence due to
great advances in
technology
Treatments
Radiation
Chemotherapy
Surgery
Most common treatments…
1.
2.
3.
If you have a family
history, go to the doctor
for check-ups often
Always better to catch
Cancer early so treatment
can begin and be more
effective!
Always look for changes in
moles, or new formations
on skin…Melanoma (the
most serious cancer) has
a very high mortality rate