Cancer – A Type of Evolution

Cancer is a disease in which cells grow out of control and can spread to other parts of the body. It happens when genes that manage cell growth mutate (change). This can make abnormal cells that grow faster than normal cells and keep growing without control. They can also stop working properly and crowd out other healthy cells. Then, these abnormal cells can form a mass called a tumor. Cancer can happen in any type of blood cell or tissue in the body. There are over 100 types of cancer and they can affect different parts of the body. For example, blood cancers like leukemia and lymphoma start in the bone marrow and cause large numbers of abnormal blood cells to enter the bloodstream. Cancers of the nervous system include brain and spinal cord cancers.

Most cancers start when a person’s genes change over time. These changes may be caused by a person’s lifestyle or environment. Other times, these changes may be inherited from a parent. People who have inherited faulty genes are more likely to get certain cancers.

Mutations are part of the process of evolution. Mutations give rise to new traits and can help explain how some organisms have become better adapted to their environments. This is known as natural selection. Cancer can be seen as a type of evolution because it causes genes to mutate and create a population of abnormal cells that grow and divide without control and disrupt how the body functions.

In some cases, the cancer cells are able to evade the immune system, which is the body’s network of organs, tissues and specialized cells that protects the body from diseases and infections. In other cases, the cancer cells are able to get more genetic mutations that allow them to grow and thrive more quickly than other normal cells in the area.

A person can reduce their risk of cancer by not smoking or using tobacco products, eating a healthy diet and getting regular physical exams. For example, limiting the amount of red meat and processed meats a person eats can lower their cancer risk. It is also a good idea to limit how much alcohol a person drinks. In general, women should not drink more than 1 alcoholic beverage per day and men should not have more than 2 beverages per day. Developing a health plan with a doctor can also be helpful. If cancer is diagnosed, treatment can slow the growth of the tumor and improve a person’s quality of life. Some people with cancer go into remission, which means that the symptoms of the disease are gone and the cancer is no longer spreading. Other people with cancer have a more serious prognosis and need to continue treatment for the rest of their lives. Currently, many kinds of treatments are being developed to treat cancer and keep it from coming back. The main goal of cancer treatment is to cure the cancer.

Cancer is a disease in which cells grow out of control and can spread to other parts of the body. It happens when genes that manage cell growth mutate (change). This can make abnormal cells that grow faster than normal cells and keep growing without control. They can also stop working properly and crowd out other healthy cells. Then, these abnormal cells can form a mass called a tumor. Cancer can happen in any type of blood cell or tissue in the body. There are over 100 types of cancer and they can affect different parts of the body. For example, blood cancers like leukemia and lymphoma start in the bone marrow and cause large numbers of abnormal blood cells to enter the bloodstream. Cancers of the nervous system include brain and spinal cord cancers. Most cancers start when a person’s genes change over time. These changes may be caused by a person’s lifestyle or environment. Other times, these changes may be inherited from a parent. People who have inherited faulty genes are more likely to get certain cancers. Mutations are part of the process of evolution. Mutations give rise to new traits and can help explain how some organisms have become better adapted to their environments. This is known as natural selection. Cancer can be seen as a type of evolution because it causes genes to mutate and create a population of abnormal cells that grow and divide without control and disrupt how the body functions. In some cases, the cancer cells are able to evade the immune system, which is the body’s network of organs, tissues and specialized cells that protects the body from diseases and infections. In other cases, the cancer cells are able to get more genetic mutations that allow them to grow and thrive more quickly than other normal cells in the area. A person can reduce their risk of cancer by not smoking or using tobacco products, eating a healthy diet and getting regular physical exams. For example, limiting the amount of red meat and processed meats a person eats can lower their cancer risk. It is also a good idea to limit how much alcohol a person drinks. In general, women should not drink more than 1 alcoholic beverage per day and men should not have more than 2 beverages per day. Developing a health plan with a doctor can also be helpful. If cancer is diagnosed, treatment can slow the growth of the tumor and improve a person’s quality of life. Some people with cancer go into remission, which means that the symptoms of the disease are gone and the cancer is no longer spreading. Other people with cancer have a more serious prognosis and need to continue treatment for the rest of their lives. Currently, many kinds of treatments are being developed to treat cancer and keep it from coming back. The main goal of cancer treatment is to cure the cancer.