Cancer Overview and History

A group of cells that grow abnormally and are not part of the body's original plan.

The oldest known description of cancer was found on an Egyptian papyri written between 3000-2000 BC. This writing referred to tumors of the breast.

Cancer is not contagious because it does not involve the transmission of pathogens. Cancer is caused by a faulty gene in your own cells.

A malignant tumor is a growth that spreads to other parts of the body, while a benign tumor is contained to one area and does not spread.

The ancient Greek philosopher Hippocrates is credited with recognizing the difference between benign and malignant tumors.

Hippocrates noticed that blood vessels swell around malignant tumors. He compared this to crab claws and named the disease 'karkinos', which translates to 'carcinoma'.

Tumors can be classified based on the behavior of the cells. Benign tumors are non-cancerous, slow-growing, and do not spread.

Malignant tumors are cancerous, invasive, spread to other parts of the body, and can cause death.

Hippocrates was an ancient Greek physician who lived in the 5th century BC. He described tumors as resembling a crab due to their tendrils, which he believed gripped onto surrounding tissue.

The term 'cancer' is used to describe a disease where cells grow and divide uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors that invade surrounding tissues and can spread to other parts of the body.

Cancer arises from damage to genes that control cell division. These damaged genes allow cells to divide unchecked, leading to the formation of tumors.

Cells divide for normal biological processes like growth, repair, and replacement.

Cells have a programmed cell death mechanism. Old cells need to be replaced by new ones.

Environmental factors, such as pollution and pesticides, have been linked to increased cancer rates in certain areas.

Substances that can damage DNA, leading to genetic mutations.

Genes that regulate and stimulate cell division, acting as an accelerator for cell growth.

Genes that control and suppress cell division, acting as brakes to regulate growth.

The cancer type with the highest number of estimated cases.

The process of a cell dividing into two identical daughter cells.

The cancer type with the lowest number of estimated cases.

1. Growth and development: for an organism to grow, more cells are needed.
2. Repair and replacement: damaged or worn-out cells need to be replaced.
3. Reproduction: some organisms reproduce by cell division.

Survival rate is the percentage of individuals who survive a particular cancer. It can be calculated by dividing the number of survivors by the total number of estimated cases and multiplying by 100%.

A change in the sequence of DNA caused by damage or errors during replication.

The cancer type with the biggest difference between estimated cases and estimated deaths.

The cancer type with the smallest difference between estimated cases and estimated deaths.