Biology Stack Exchange
Biology Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [cancer]

A malignant group of uncontrollably dividing cells that form a tumour. Questions regarding (proto)oncogenes and tumour-suppressor genes should also use this tag.

Questions should be about the biology of cancer (such as the role of genetics or mutagens) or the biology of its treatment. Questions regarding medical advice are strictly off topic.

435 questions
18
votes
2 answers

Why are organs not harvested from deceased cancer patients?

From my understanding, cancer is not contagious, and if a cancerous cell from a patient is introduced to a healthy person, then the immune system of the latter can destroy this cell. In such a case, why are internal organs from cancer patients not…
Harvey
  • 215
  • 2
  • 5
14
votes
1 answer

Can cancer grow forever if supplied with unlimited resources?

If somehow a human could give a tumor unlimited resources, would the cancer grow forever? It seems like it would until it gets so large that it physically affects vital organs. Is what would likely happen?
Kirby
  • 1,319
  • 3
  • 11
  • 16
7
votes
1 answer

Treatment of cancer

In treatment of cancer, radiation is given, but radiation can also be the cause of cancer. In the drugs of chemotherapy it is written that it is highly carcinogenic. Then why are such methods performed? Is there any recently discovered new method to…
Mesentery
  • 3,275
  • 5
  • 28
  • 55
6
votes
1 answer

Breeding laboratory mice with cancer; how does this work?

It has recently been brought to my attention that live laboratory mice with specific cancer strains can be readily purchased for medical research. For example, the Jackson Laboratory sells mice with a wide range of strains of cancer (with price…
Douglas S. Stones
  • 2,101
  • 1
  • 14
  • 26
6
votes
4 answers

Can a tumor produce something not currently found in our own bodies?

While speaking with my co-workers, the topic of tumors growing things came up. The examples were (and backed by images) of tumors growing a tooth, hair, and sometimes even more complex objects such as an eye. My question is, could a tumor reproduce…
David Peterman
  • 161
  • 1
6
votes
4 answers

Why do we think chronic inflammation can cause cancer?

Why do we think chronic inflammation can cause cancer? I know the pathway is not fully understood, but what makes scientists believe that inflammation causes cancer?
Kirby
  • 1,319
  • 3
  • 11
  • 16
6
votes
1 answer

Telomerase as cancer target

There are a lot of publications, starting from 2000, about using telomerase for targeting cancer cells (it is upregulated in more than 80-90% of tumor cells). Specifically using its promoter (hTERT). In all publications, researches talking about the…
Robertos
  • 1,442
  • 1
  • 11
  • 26
6
votes
1 answer

What does it mean when a patient suffering from malignant tumor (cancer) has been declared cured?

Comment by Anongoodnurse, has made me curious as to what a doctor means when (s)he says "The cancer is cured" to a patient. My idea up till this point (based on what I read and what I learned in my classes from my professors) was that the prognosis…
One Face
  • 3,082
  • 1
  • 22
  • 38
6
votes
1 answer

Do cancer cells give off specific chemical signatures?

Do cancer cells give off specific chemical signatures? Are these signatures different from normal cells?
user6116
5
votes
3 answers

Robotic surgery for treating cancer?

We can localise cancer cells in the body. We can manufacture materials thin and hard enough to penetrate the body without harming it. So what stops us from creating an automated surgery where the patient lies down for some time whilst a machine…
Dokkat
  • 75
  • 1
3
votes
3 answers

Why are childhood cancers less frequent than infant or adult?

According to data provided by Cancer Research UK, the lowest rate of cancer incidence by age occurs between 5 and 15 years. Infants have a higher rate, and the odds of an adult developing cancer increase over time, especially during old age; until…
user24803
3
votes
2 answers

Do both TSG and Proto-oncogenes have to suffer mutations to cause cancer?

I'm having a conceptual nightmare trying to understand when a group of cells may become cancerous and the more resources I consult the more confused I seem to get. In order for a cell to become cancerous, does it have to mutate to knock out tumour…
Rory M
  • 13,479
  • 9
  • 56
  • 96
3
votes
2 answers

At what cancer stage do tumors release circulating tumor cells into the blood?

And would a very accurate sensitive system for detecting circulating tumor cells (which detects 1 cell per 50 billion) be useful as a screening tool ?
hulkingtickets
  • 133
  • 3
2
votes
0 answers

Weight of fresh vs frozen tumours

I have some mouse tumours that have been snap frozen in liquid nitrogen following an in vivo study, and I thought it might be interesting to also determine the weight of the tumours. I was wondering if weighing frozen tumours would still be…
tolo9397
  • 63
  • 1
  • 4
2
votes
1 answer

EGFR, sialylation, and cancer progression

EGFR (epidermal growth factor receptor) has been intensively studied in cancer and treatments have been developed to inhibit EGFR signaling. Sialylation of EGFR is known to block dimerization and down regulate signaling. I just read this paper: …
GPI
  • 299
  • 1
  • 5
1
2 3 4