Knowra Cancer Cancer Cancer is a group of diseases in which abnormal cells grow and may invade nearby tissues or spread to distant parts of the body. Its forms differ by the cells involved and the genetic changes driving their growth.
Oncogene : A gene whose altered or excessive activity can drive cancer-cell growth and survival. Oncogenes can push cancer cells to divide or resist cell death.
Mutation : A change in the DNA sequence of a cell or organism. Cancer-driving mutations alter genes that regulate cell growth and survival.
Cancer screening : Testing people without symptoms to detect cancer or precancerous changes early. Screening can find certain cancers before symptoms appear and improve outcomes.
Cancer epidemiology : The study of cancer patterns, causes, and outcomes across populations. It reveals how cancer incidence and mortality vary by place, age, and exposure.
Benign tumor : An abnormal tissue growth that does not invade nearby tissue or spread to distant sites. Unlike cancer, a benign tumor lacks the defining capacity for invasion or metastasis.
Tumor suppressor gene : A gene that normally restrains cell division, preserves genome integrity, or promotes damaged-cell death. Cancer can develop when these safeguards are disabled.
Clonal evolution : The change in a population through competition among lineages that inherit different variations. Cancer cells diversify and compete, producing tumor evolution and treatment resistance.
Biopsy : The removal of tissue or cells for examination to diagnose disease. Pathologists usually confirm cancer and identify its type by examining sampled tissue.
Carcinogen : An agent or exposure that can cause cancer by damaging cells or altering biological processes. Tobacco smoke, ultraviolet radiation, and some infections contribute to preventable cancers.
Carcinoma in situ : A noninvasive epithelial lesion whose abnormal cells remain confined to their tissue of origin. It has not invaded surrounding tissue, unlike invasive cancer.
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