Cancer cells and treatment

They forget to die

Telomerase, the enzyme which rebuilds telomeres, the “aglet” of a chromosome, gets turned on, stopping the chromosome from getting worn down after the cell is split again and again. Usually the cell can reproduce 70x, but with the enzyme turned on, it will not die on its own, but can still be killed. The cell is “immortal”

Forget their manners

They start sucking up all the food leading to uncontrolled growth. It calls in more blood vessels; this is called angiogenesis

They forget where they live

They metastasize. Cancer cells leave their place of origin, traveling in the bloodstream to a new place and therefore a new tumor. These new tumors are called malignant tumors. They are hard to find, contain, and treat. This process is called metastasis

Telomerase

The enzyme which rebuilds telomeres, the “aglet” of a chromosome.

Treatment 1: Surgery

A medical procedure that involves the removal of cancerous tissue from the body.

Treatment 2: Radiation

A cancer treatment that uses high doses of radiation to kill or damage cancer cells and shrink tumors.

Treatment 3: Chemotherapy

A type of cancer treatment that uses drugs to kill cancer cells or stop their growth, often affecting both cancerous and healthy cells.