National cancer institute

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In medicine, cancer is a general term for any of a number of different diseases where some of the body's own cells divide in an uncontrolled manner. The resulting new cells can form a malignant tumor (a neoplasm) or propagate throughout the body.

Malignant tumors such as carcinoma or sarcoma, lymphoma or leukemia originate from a cell or a group of cells in a multicellular organism that has several distinct properties:

evading apoptosis
Unlimited Growth Potential
self-sufficiency of growth factors
insensitivity to anti-growth factors
increased cell division rate
altered differentiation (specialization) ability
no ability for contact inhibition
ability to invade neighbouring tissue
ability to build metastases
ability to promote blood vessel growth (angiogenesis)

Cancer is, ultimately, a disease of genes. Typically, a series of several mutations is required before a cell becomes a cancer cell. We distinguish between oncogenes, which promote cancer when "switched on" by a mutation, and tumor suppressor genes, which prevent cancer unless "switched off" by a mutation. These mutations can have various causes: radiation or chemicals called carcinogens; some inherited predisposition is not uncommon; some viruses that can cause cancer have also been described. Usually, they carry in their genome some oncogene or tumor suppressor inactivating gene. In about 15% of all cancers, viruses seem to play a role; Bacteria, like Helicobacter pylori, also induce carcinogenesis by a process of chronic inflammation. Finally, damage by free radicals, which are a natural by-product of oxygen metabolism, can cause mutations in the DNA.

Wikicities: Cancer
An open-publishing wiki portal for those interested in this topic. Available for viewing or editing.
CancerSupport UK
An online directory of resources.
MCW Healthlink: Cancer
Medical College of Wisconsin Physicians and Clinics resource which provides news articles and information about recent developments.
Cancer Mondial
The International Agency for Research on Cancer provides access to reports and databases on occurrence and characteristics.
Cancer Survivors Project
A community resource for long term survivors. Includes access to the ACOR email discussion group.

National cancer institute