Q: What is cancer? A: Cancer can be summarized as a cell or
group of abnormal cells (tumor) that are growing out of control.
They no longer function as part of the body to perform a
required function. Their function now is to replicate,
replicate, replicate and because cancer cells typically grow and
divide faster than normal healthy cells, the cancer cells often
outlast normal ones and have the ability to invade more and more
of the body. As the cancer progresses, and tumors form, it may
develop its own blood vessels (angiogenesis). Cancer cells can
get into the blood stream, accessing the whole body, creating
the potential to begin creating new tumors in other locations.
This process is called metastasis. Cancer cells develop because
of problems in, or damage done to, the genes and/or DNA of our
cells. Since DNA is replicated with each cell division, the
imperfections are replicated with the rest of the normal DNA.
This is also the genetic link to cancer. Our DNA is passed on
during procreation, so the prob