How cancer develops | Bupa Health

Summary

This video explains how the cells in your body function and how their nuclei control cellular processes. It highlights the role of genes in regulating cell growth and the potential consequences of genetic damage, which can lead to cancer. Damage may be inherited or caused by external factors like cigarette smoke. Uncontrolled cell multiplication due to damaged genes forms tumours, which can be benign or malignant. Malignant tumours invade surrounding tissues and can spread through blood and lymph vessels, leading to metastasis and secondary cancers.

Takeaways

• 😀 Your body is made up of cells, which are the basic building blocks of life.
• 😀 Almost every cell in your body has a nucleus, which acts like the cell's control center.
• 😀 The nucleus contains genes that control everything about the cell's function and behavior.
• 😀 Cancer starts when these genes are damaged, causing the cell to grow and divide abnormally.
• 😀 Gene damage can be inherited or caused by external factors like cigarette smoke and poor lifestyle choices.
• 😀 Your body is constantly making new cells to help repair and grow tissues and organs.
• 😀 The nucleus controls how many cells are made to keep your body healthy and balanced.
• 😀 In cancer, cells multiply uncontrollably, often forming a lump called a tumor.
• 😀 Tumors can be benign (non-cancerous) or malignant (cancerous), with benign ones staying in one place.
• 😀 Malignant tumors can invade surrounding tissues and spread through the blood and lymph vessels, causing metastasis.
• 😀 Metastasis is when cancer cells spread to other parts of the body, forming secondary cancers.

Q & A

What role does the nucleus play in a cell?

The nucleus acts as the 'control center' of the cell, containing genes that regulate the cell's functions and activities.

How do genes in the nucleus affect the cell's behavior?

Genes in the nucleus control various cellular processes, including growth, division, and function. Damage to these genes can disrupt normal cellular functions, leading to conditions like cancer.

What causes gene damage that leads to cancer?

Gene damage can be caused by inherited genetic factors or external factors such as exposure to cigarette smoke, pollution, or poor lifestyle choices.

How does the body ensure that the right number of cells are produced?

The nucleus controls the process of cell division, ensuring that cells multiply at the correct rate for growth and tissue repair, maintaining a balance in the number of cells in the body.

What happens when the genes controlling cell division become damaged?

Damaged genes can cause cells to multiply uncontrollably, often resulting in the formation of a lump or tumor, which may develop into cancer.

What is the difference between benign and malignant tumors?

Benign tumors are non-cancerous and do not spread to surrounding tissues or other parts of the body, while malignant tumors are cancerous, invade nearby tissues, and can spread through the body.

What is metastasis?

Metastasis is the process by which cancer cells spread from the original (primary) tumor to other parts of the body, typically through the bloodstream or lymphatic system.

Can benign tumors become malignant?

Benign tumors generally do not become malignant. However, some benign tumors may have the potential to transform into malignant ones over time, though this is rare.

How do cancerous tumors spread to other parts of the body?

Cancerous tumors spread by invading blood vessels or lymph vessels, which provide a route for cancer cells to travel to distant parts of the body and form secondary tumors.

What factors contribute to the uncontrolled cell growth seen in cancer?

Uncontrolled cell growth in cancer is primarily caused by genetic mutations or damage to the genes that regulate cell division, which leads to excessive and unregulated cellular multiplication.