What is lung cancer

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Treatment of cancer typically involves surgery to remove tumors and nearby lymph nodes to which the cancer may have spread, combined with radiation therapy and/or chemotherapy. The latter two target cells in the body that are rapidly dividing. This includes the cancer cells but also certain healthy ones, which is the reason for the severe side effects of these treatments.

A cell that degenerates into a tumor cell does usually not acquire all these properties at once, but its daughter cells are selected to build them. This process is called cellular evolution. A first step in the development of a tumor cell is usually a small change in the DNA, often a point mutation, which leads, among other things, to a genetic instability of the cell. The instability increases to a point where the cell loses whole chromosomes, or has double ones. Also, the DNA methylation pattern of the cell changes, activating and deactivating genes more or less at random. Cells that divide at a high rate, such as stem cells, show a higher risk of becoming tumor cells than those which divide less or not at all, for example neurons. If the initial tumor cell (or group of tumor cells) is not removed by the immune system, it will develop into cancer.

In cellular model systems, cells are exposed to carcinogenic influences (chemicals, radiation). In these systems, the first signs of a cell developing into a tumor cell are:

Immortality. The usual number of cell divisions for a mammalian cell is 50-60 (cell senescence), then it ceases to divide. Tumor cells keep dividing forever.
Altered morphology.
Building of cellular clusters (Foci).
Loss of contact inhibition.
Low or no need for growth factors.

Items 2-4 (above) can sometimes be traced to mutations in genes that result in a disruption of cell adhesion. Some cell adhesion proteins are oncogenes.

Meds.com: Cancer Glossary
Aims to provide a better understanding of words frequently used in patient care.
Cancer Network.com
Information resource aimed at health professionals. Requires registration.
Cancer Forums
Online discussions on various types of cancers. Includes topics such as coping, support, clinical trials and treatment options.
CancerEducation
Disseminates educational programming in a multimedia electronic clips format. Aimed at both a lay and professional audience.
CancerLinks.org
Resources about the condition and treatment in a links format.

What is lung cancer