1. Uncontrolled growth: Cancer cells have lost the ability to regulate their growth and division, leading to uncontrolled proliferation.
2. Ability to invade and metastasize: Cancer cells can invade surrounding tissues and spread to other parts of the body through the bloodstream or lymphatic system.
3. Resistance to cell death: Cancer cells can evade programmed cell death (apoptosis), allowing them to survive and continue to grow.
4. Altered metabolism: Cancer cells have a unique metabolism that allows them to thrive in low-oxygen environments and use nutrients more efficiently.
5. Genetic instability: Cancer cells often have mutations in their DNA that can lead to further genetic changes and promote tumor growth.
6. Immune evasion: Cancer cells can evade detection and destruction by the immune system, allowing them to continue to grow unchecked.
7. Angiogenesis: Cancer cells can stimulate the growth of new blood vessels (angiogenesis) to supply nutrients and oxygen to the tumor.
8. Heterogeneity: Cancer cells within a tumor can be genetically and phenotypically diverse, leading to resistance to treatment and disease progression.
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Google Gemini AI
more than 3 weeks ago
Key Properties of Cancer Cells:
1. Uncontrolled Cell Division: - Cancer cells bypass normal cell cycle checkpoints, leading to uncontrolled cell division. - This results in the formation of a proliferative mass called a tumor.
2. Evasion of Apoptosis (Programmed Cell Death): - Normal cells undergo apoptosis when damaged or no longer needed. - Cancer cells develop mechanisms to evade apoptosis, allowing them to survive and accumulate.
3. Sustained Proliferative Signaling: - Cancer cells have alterations in signaling pathways that normally regulate cell growth. - These alterations lead to sustained activation of pro-growth signals, promoting uncontrolled proliferation.
4. Replicative Immortality: - Normal cells have a finite lifespan and divide a limited number of times. - Cancer cells acquire the ability to bypass replicative senescence, enabling indefinite proliferation.
5. Angiogenesis (Formation of New Blood Vessels): - Tumors require a blood supply to sustain their growth. - Cancer cells secrete factors that stimulate the formation of new blood vessels, providing nutrients and oxygen to the tumor.
6. Tissue Invasion and Metastasis: - Cancer cells can invade surrounding tissues, breaking through normal tissue boundaries. - They can also spread to distant sites (metastasis) through the lymphatic system or bloodstream, forming new tumors.
7. Escape from Immune Surveillance: - The immune system normally targets and destroys abnormal cells. - Cancer cells develop mechanisms to evade immune detection, allowing them to escape immune surveillance.
8. Metabolic Alterations: - Cancer cells have a unique metabolic profile, often characterized by: - Increased glucose uptake and glycolysis (the Warburg effect) - Reduced oxidative phosphorylation - Altered lipid and amino acid metabolism
9. Genetic Instability: - Cancer cells often have a high rate of genetic mutations and chromosomal aberrations. - These genetic changes drive the development and progression of cancer.
10. Dysregulated Gene Expression: - Changes in gene expression are common in cancer cells, contributing to altered cell behavior and tumor formation. - This can involve the activation of oncogenes (promoting cancer) and the silencing of tumor suppressor genes (inhibiting cancer).