MESOTHELIOMA & ASBESTOS: May 2016

Wednesday 25 May 2016

difference between normal and cancer cells & Drivers of cancer

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN NORMAL AND CANCER CELLS

There are some important difference between normal and cancer cells

1. normal cells develop into more distinct cells types with specific functions but cancer cells have many irregular functioning like abnormal division of the cells.

2. cancer cells have a property to ignore the anti-growth signals which is produced by tumor suppressor genes.due to this they divide continuously into the cells. but normal cells follow the anti-growth signal and due to this reason they control itself.

3. normal cells have a property of self suicide . but cancer cells does not do so.

4.immune system of the body is able to rectify the system from abnormal or damage cells but some of the cancer cells are able to hide from the immune system.

5. normal cells have the property of contact inhibition which means that when the normal cells contact with each other then dividing process of the cells is stopped. but in case of the cancer cells
due to the lack of the contact inhibition they does not stop dividing into cells.

6. normal cells have limited number of dividing. but cancer cells have unlimited dividing of the cells.

DRIVERS OF CANCER

As we know about the three main genes
1. tumor suppressor genes
2. proto-oncogenes
3. DNA repair genes

tumor suppressor genes are responsible to control the growth of the cells. in case of cancer these tumor suppressor genes become altered so that they can not prevent or control the cells division.

these are also involved in the normal cells and responsible to control the growth of the cells. when these genes are altered then they works as a driver for cancer cells.

DNA repair genes are involved in fixing damaged DNA. Cells with changes in these genes tend to develop additional changes in other genes. Together, these changes may cause the cells to become cancerous.

Sunday 22 May 2016

FEATURES OF CANCER CELLS

MAIN FEATURES OF CANCER CELLS

These are also known as hallmarks of the cancer.these hallmarks are develop to understand the complex nature of the cancer.with the help of these hallmarks we can reduce the complexity of the cancer into small understanding concepts.

SELF SUFFICIENCY OF CANCER CELLS GROWTH:-

cancer cells stimulate their own growth. the growth of the cancer cells is more self sufficient. because they does not require any signal to grow. some of the cancer cells have ability to develop their own signals.for example sarcomas develop its own TGF(tumor growth factor -alpha)

INSENSITIVITY TO ANTI-GROWTH SIGNALS

As we know that the growth of the cancer cells are abnormal type.so they are insensitive to the anti-growth signals.it means when it is required to stop the growth of the cancer cells then anti growth signal are produce by the protein. but because of insensitivity to the anti-growth signals cancer cells does not respond to these signal and continuously increasing its growth.

it is mostly require to control the division of the cancer cells.these processes are orchestrated by a protein known as tumor suppressor genes. these genes are responsible to control the growth of the cells. in case of cancer these tumor suppressor genes become altered so that they can not prevent the cells division.

there is a important features of the normal cells is contact inhibition.the normal cells are stop dividing when their is a contact between two or more normal cells. but cancer cells have no contact sensation. it means that when they comes in contact with each other they are not stop to dividing itself.

EVADING PROGRAMMED CELL DEATH

This is the process in which normal cells have a property to self cell suicide. it is most important feature of the normal cells. in this process when the cell become damage or infected then cell is programmed to self suicide this process is known as "apoptosis". it means cell destroyed itself when their is a damage in the cell.

but in case cancer cells this feature is skipped. it means cancer cells are not programmed to such type of action. it means that if their is any damage in the cancer cells then they will not destroyed itself.

LIMITLESS REPLICATIVE POTENTIAL

in case of normal cells : normal cells have limited dividation of cells or limited number of dividing. after the limit cells does not able to further dividing of cells. because DNA at the end of the chromosome is known as telomeres become short. due to this barrier the further dividing process does not take place.

in case of cancer cells: cancer cells has ability to skip this barrier by manipulating anzymes which increase the length of the telomeres.so that they can abnormally divided into large number of cancer cells.

their are two types of tumor suppressor proteins pRB and P53. these are the proteins which are responsible for continuous development of the cells until they reached at a position of crisis.

DEVELOPING BLOOD VESSELS

Angiogenesis is the process by which new blood vessels are formed. Cancer cells is able to start this process, ensuring that such cells receive a continual supply of oxygen and other nutrients.

Normal tissues of the body have blood vessels running through them that deliver oxygen from the lungs. Cells must be close to the blood vessels so that they get enough oxygen for them to survive. New blood vessels are formed during the development of embryos, during wound repair and during the female reproductive cycle. An expanding tumour requires new blood vessels to deliver adequate oxygen to the cancer cells, and thus exploits these normal physiological processes for its benefit. To do this, the cancer cells acquire the ability to orchestrate production of new vasculature by activating the 'angiogenic switch'. In doing so, they control non-cancerous cells that are present in the tumor that can form blood vessels by reducing the production of factors that inhibit blood vessel production, and increasing the production of factors that promote blood vessel formation.

TISSUE INVASION AND METASTASIS

Cancer cells can invade surrounding tissue and spread to distant body parts.

Cancer cells can attack or invade to neighobring tissues. It is what dictates whether the tumor is well-wishing or malignant. The cancer cells have to undergo a multitude of changes in order for them to acquire the ability to metastasis. this is the large process that starts with local invasion(to attack) of the cells into the surrounding tissues. Then they have to invade blood vessels, survive in the very strict environment of the circulatory system, exit this system and then start dividing in the new tissue.

Friday 20 May 2016

WHAT IS CANCER ?

WHAT IS CANCER

cancer is nothing but abnormal dividation of the cells. in cancer some of the body's cells started to dividing without stopping. in human bodies when the cells become old or damage then normally cells continuously divide itself to produce the new cells and replace the damage or old cells.

due to the cancer this normal cells dividation process does not hold good. because in this condition the generation of the cells is more abnormal which results to develop the more cells than needed. these extra cells can divided without stopping . this abnormal growth of the tissues known as tumor.

these cancer cells are harmful (malignant) and spread into tissues.the main reason of the cancer is the cancer cells (these are the cells that are rapidly divide ) the cancer is only proceed when natural killer cells(immune cells) are unable to detect or recognize the cancer cells.

here in diagram we can see that cancer in the lymph nodes

before that first i want to tell about lymph and lymphatic system

LYMPH

lymph is a clear fluid. lymph is the greek word which means clear water. lymph is the fluid which consist of white blood cells. these white cells are the protective cells and avoid the infection through out the body. it is pass through the tissues to keep them firm and then drains away through the lymphatic system.

MAIN FUNCTIONS OF THE LYMPH (FLUID)

1. it control the volume of the blood in the blood vascular (it is an orgain system that permits the blood to circulate and transports nutrients like amino acid and electrolyte).if the volume of the blood into the blood vascular is reduces then the lymph rushes through the lymphatic system to the blood vascular to maintain the volume of the blood in the blood vascular.

2. it absorbs the important vitamins and transport fat from the intestine(the lower part of the food passage in the man and animal).

3. it destroy the microorgainasim and bacteria in the lymph node.

4. it produces protective cells to avoid the infection throughout the body.

5.it keeps the cells moist.

6.it also carry the food , oxygen, and hormones to the body cells and also brings out the wastage like carbon dioxide , metabolic wastage from the blood.

LYMPH NODE

lymph nodes have a function of filter the whole lymphatic system. these nodes rectify the lymphatic system from the bacteria, toxins and cancer cells.

lymph nodes are look like a bean shaped structure which are also look like tiny bulbs.these are separated along the lymph vessels.

lymph nodes are found throughout the humman body. these are the 1-2 cm long in shapes.there are about 500 to 600 node in human body.

MAIN FUNCTIONS OF THE LYMPH NODE

1.IT consist of white blood cells which are also known as lymphocytes. these cells are act as a protective cells . these cells remove the bacteria, virus from the blood.

2.these cells control the immune system.

3.they filter the lymph.

LYMPHATIC SYSTEM

this is the system through which the lymph is circulated from the lymphatic vessels to the blood. this is the primary function of the lymphatic system.it mainly consist of lymphatic vessels. these are basically a type of capillaries which are further connected to the lymph nodes where the lymph become filtered.we know that their are hundreds of lymph node in human body such as around the heart, lungs etc.