Each year, millions of people worldwide are diagnosed with cancer. Medical researchers are working hard to cure and prevent this spread and have identified certain factors, like genetics, lifestyle and environment, that can be major causes.
It is widely known that cancer is a complex disease, with numerous factors such as genetics, lifestyle and environmental factors. Genetics is an important place to begin research into cancer because it is suggested that genetics are the start point for many diseases, and even the determining factor.
Cancer and DNA Damage
DNA damage is a rather common occurrence, with all individuals suffering cell damage during a lifetime. DNA damage can occur, amongst other things, when cells are copied, through the aging process and if the body is exposed to harmful or toxic stimulus.
Consider daily aspects of ordinary life. Factors like smoke, pollution, radiation from the sun etc. can all cause repeated damage to DNA in cells. However, we don’t all end up with cancer, so clearly there are other unknown factors that appear to protect the body from cancer. In many cases a cell can repair damage to DNA and the body has built in protection to mistakes in DNA copying.
Genetic Links To Cancer
Even with your body's ability to repair itself, it can still have excessive damage and cancer can occur. It may be surprising to learn that cancer can actually be caused by mutations in the genes that manage cell repair. To date, genes have been identified with regards to mutations linked to cancer.
Tumor suppressor genes work to fix direct DNA errors, direct apoptosis and affect the speed of cell division. If damaged, a tumor suppressor gene can cause cancer.
The second identified genes are called oncogenes.
Other genes exist which are able to mutate and improve the cancer’s ability to survive in a person’s body.
What Does The Future Hold?
So much about cancer is still unknown, however research is progressing rapidly and improvements occur with every new revelation. The area of DNA and genetics is a very important one in relation to cancer research, and much is being done to improve treatment and save the lives of cancer sufferers.
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