Cancer

Cancer is a class of diseases characterized by uncontrolled cell division and the ability of these cells to invade other tissues, either by direct growth into adjacent tissue (invasion) or by migration of cells to distant sites (metastasis). This unregulated growth is caused by damage to DNA, resulting in mutations to vital genes that control cell division, among other functions. One or more of these mutations, which can be inherited or acquired, can lead to uncontrolled cell division and tumor formation. Tumor ("swelling" in Latin) refers to any abnormal mass of tissue, but may be either malignant (cancerous) or benign (noncancerous). Only malignant tumors are capable of invading other tissues or metastasizing.

Cancer research

Cancer research is the intense scientific effort to understand disease processes and discover possible therapies. While understanding of cancer has increased exponentially since the last decades of the 20th century, radically new therapies are only discovered and introduced gradually.

Related Topics:
Cancer research - Increased exponentially

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Inhibitors of tyrosine kinases (imatinib and gefitinib) in the late 1990s were considered a major breakthrough; these interfere specifically with tumor-specific proteins. Monoclonal antibodies have proven to be another major step in oncological treatment.

Related Topics:
Imatinib - Gefitinib - Monoclonal antibodies

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