# Cancer Somatic (body) cells are essentially an expendable defense against outside sources (Ex: Radiation, Handling Nutrietns, etc.) **Homeostasis:** The tendency towards a relatively stable equilibrium **Apoptosis:** The intentional suicide of a cell to control their population Cancer affects the process of homeostasis by both rapidly increasing cell division and reducing the rate of apoptosis. **Neoplasia:** uncontrolled, abnormal growth of cells or tissues in the body ## Types of Cancer > See also: > - [[Blood Cancer]] ## Cancer Mechanisms ### Mutation of Cell Cycle Regulators Tumor suppressor genes | Term | Definition | | --------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Oncogene | A gene that has the potential to cause cancer. Encodes for oncoproteins.<br>(Ex: RAW, WNT, MYC, ERK, TRK) | | Proto-oncogenes | Normal genes which affect normal cell growth and proliferation, but have the potential to contribute to cancer development if their expression is altered. (Analogous to [[Pathogens\|opportunistic pathogens]]) | | | | Cancerous mechanisms within a population can Through the repeated usage of cancer therapies such as chemotherapy, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3660034/ ### Immune Checkpoint Inhibition > See also: > - [[T-Cells]] > - [[Biological Signaling]] > - [[Programmed Cell Death]] ![[Pasted image 20231218100001.png|300]] ## Tumors ### Types of Tumors These changes can lead to large clumps of mutated cells known as tumors - Benign Tumors - Malignant Tumors | Term | Definition | | --------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Metastatic | Spread of tumor cells away from the place they first formed (in another part of the body) | | Primary Tumor | A term used to describe the original, or first, tumor in the body | | | | --- Not all cancers manifest as tumors. Most notably, [[leukemia]] and lymphoma, which primarily affect the blood or lymphatics system ### The Tumor Microenvironment > See also: > - [[Microbiomes]] tags: related: - "[[Leukemia]]" - "[[apopt"## Types of Tumors These changes can lead to large clumps of mutated cells known as tumors - Benign Tumors - Malignant Tumors | Term | Definition | | --------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Metastatic | Spread of tumor cells away from the place they first formed (in another part of the body) | | Primary Tumor | A term used to describe the original, or first, tumor in the body | | Oncogene | A gene that has the potential to cause cancer. Encodes for oncoproteins.<br>(Ex: RAW, WNT, MYC, ERK, TRK) | | Proto-oncogenes | Normal genes which affect normal cell growth and proliferation, but have the potential to contribute to cancer development if their expression is altered. (Analogous to [[Pathogens\|opportunistic pathogens]]) | | | | | | | --- Not all cancers manifest as tumors. Most notably, [[leukemia]] and lymphoma, which primarily affect the blood or lymphatics system ## The Tumor Microenvironment