Cancer

WHY IS THE SYMBOL OF CANCER ?
• “Cancer” is the Latin

word for crab.
• The word was coined by
Hippocrates – who used
“Carcinos” and
“Carcinoma” the Greek
word for crab.
Types of Cancer
u Carcinomas – cancers of skin and epithelial tissue lining organs

such as stomach, intestine
u Sarcomas - cancer of soft and connective-tissue such as adipose,
cartilege, bone
u Lymphomas – cancer arising in the lymph nodes involving the B and
/or T cells of the immune system
u Leukaemias – cancer of the blood arising due to uncontrolled
proliferation of blood cells in the bone marrow.
Hallmarks of Cancer
• Uncontrolled cell proliferation – cancer cells do not obey the
normal checkpoints that control the number of cell divisions.
• Evasion of programmed cell death (Apoptosis) – cancer cells

do not undergo programmed cell death (also called
apoptosis). Apoptosis ensures that cells that damaged cells,
cells that have completed their required lifespan or required
number of cell divisions are cleared from the body.
• Evade growth suppression – Normal cells require several cues

to survive. These include presence of growth factors, contact
with growth surface. Cancer cells grow in the absence of
growth factors (growth factor independence) and can pile on
top of each other (loss of contact inhibition).
• Metastasis– cancer cells invade distant tissues and organs
and thus grow in these secondary sites.
• Induce production of blood vessels that feed it

(Angiogenesis) – cancer cells secrete factors that promote
blood vessel formation in the tumour mass.
• Altered metabolism– Cancer cells alter their metabolism to

favour rapid energy production, growth in low oxygen
conditions, increased anabolism – all these favour growth of
cancer cells.
• Avoid immune recognition- Tumor cells can modulate effects

of immune cells and evade recognition and destruction.
Cancer cells differ from normal cells in three ways:
(1)they divide when they should not; (2)they invade surrounding tissues; and (3)they move to
other locations in the body.
➢ The purpose of cell division is to heal wounds, replace damaged cells, and help tissues
and organs grow.
➢ Normal cells are programmed to divide a certain number of times— usually 60– 70—
and then they die.
➢ Cancer cells do not obey these life-span limits, instead they are immortal .
➢ This is because cancer cells can activate a gene that is usually turned off after early
development.
➢ This gene produces an enzyme called telomerase . This enzyme, only active early in
development and in cancer cells, allows cells to divide without limit. Cells with active
telomerase enzyme are immortal.
Apoptosis is needed to destroy cells
Examples: Cells infected with viruses Cells of the immune system Cells with DNA damage
Cancer cells
• Apoptosis is called programmed cell death, which

means coordinated collapse of cell, protein
degradation , DNA fragmentation followed by rapid
engulfment of corpses by neighbouring cells.
• Apoptosis is needed for proper development
Examples:
• The resorption of the tadpole tail
• The formation of the fingers and toes of the fetus
• The formation of the proper connections between
neurons in the brain.
Peyton Rous and discovery of virus as agent causing cancer
Mary and Irene Curie: radioactivity experiments and death due
to bone marrow failure/cancer
Carcinogens
Any agent that provoke the development of cancer is called carcinogenic
Carcinogenesis is linked to the Mutagenesis(i.e. cause mutations) Carcinogens
are classified into 2 classes
Chemical carcinogen: Typically cause simple local changes in nucleotide
sequence. Example: 2-Naphthylamine found in cigarette smoke and Azo-dyes
Radiations such as x- Rays: Typically cause chromosomal breakage and

Translocation & UV Rays: Cause specific DNA base alteration i.e. Point
mutation
Viruses such as Hepatitis B, EBV, Human Papilloma virus: Cause activation of

protooncogenes, carry viral oncogenes.
Gross chromosomal abnormality in cancer
Normal chromosomes Leukemia: bcr-abl translocation

Cancer – two types of gene players
Tumor
Oncogenes
suppressor genes
▪ promote cell ▪ serve as “gate keepers”

proliferation controlling cell
proliferation and also
▪ increased expression
as “care takers” helping
in cancer
with DNA repair.
▪ decreased expression
in cancer
Oncogenes
Proto-oncogenes are a group of genes that cause normal cells to become
cancerous when they are mutated (alteration in the genetic code). Mutations in
any one of the two copies is enough to produce the disease. (remember that we
have two of each chromosome – one from father and one from mother – so two
copies of the same gene).
The mutated version of a proto-oncogene is called an oncogene.
Proto-oncogenes encode proteins that function to stimulate cell division, inhibit

cell differentiation, and halt cell death.
Oncogenes, however, typically exhibit increased production of these proteins or

increased activity of the proteins, thus leading to increased cell division,
decreased cell differentiation, and inhibition of cell death.
Examples of oncogene: Her-2 (breast cancer) is a epidermal growth factor

receptor, bcr-abl (leukemia) is a constitutively active tyrosine kinase
Oncogenes are currently a major molecular target for anti-cancer drug design.
Example: Gleevec targets bcr-abl
20 Copies of p53 keeps cancer away!!

Cancer

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WHY IS THE SYMBOL OF CANCER ?

• “Cancer” is the Latin

u Carcinomas – cancers of skin and epithelial tissue lining organs

• Evasion of programmed cell death (Apoptosis) – cancer cells

• Evade growth suppression – Normal cells require several cues

• Induce production of blood vessels that feed it

• Altered metabolism– Cancer cells alter their metabolism to

• Avoid immune recognition- Tumor cells can modulate effects

• Apoptosis is called programmed cell death, which

Radiations such as x- Rays: Typically cause chromosomal breakage and

Viruses such as Hepatitis B, EBV, Human Papilloma virus: Cause activation of

Normal chromosomes Leukemia: bcr-abl translocation

▪ promote cell ▪ serve as “gate keepers”

The mutated version of a proto-oncogene is called an oncogene.

Proto-oncogenes encode proteins that function to stimulate cell division, inhibit

Oncogenes, however, typically exhibit increased production of these proteins or

Examples of oncogene: Her-2 (breast cancer) is a epidermal growth factor

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