There are many different forms of cancer. Their manifestation is a growth
of cells and tissues, which differ in various aspects from the surrounding
tissue. Cancers occur in all living things. All lifeforms share similar DNA
and RNA blueprints and cell physiology. Therefore, the mechanisms for cancer
development and methods for cancer treatment are similar.
What is Cancer?
Cancer cells are very similar to cells of the organism from which they
originated and have similar (but not identical) DNA and RNA. This is the
reason why they are not very often detected by the immune system, in
particular if it is weakened. Cancer cells usually have an increased ability
to divide rapidly and their number of divisions is not limited by telomeres
on DNA (a counter system to limit number of divisions to 40-60). This can lead
to the formation of large masses of tissue and in turn may lead to disruption
of bodily functions due to destruction of organs or vital structures.
How is Cancer formed?
Cancer cells are formed from normal cells due to a modification / mutation of DNA and/or RNA.
These modifications / mutations can occur spontaneously (II Law of Thermodynamics - increase
of entropy) or they may be induced by other factors such as: nuclear radiation,
electromagnetic radiation (microwaves, X-rays, Gamma-rays, Ultraviolet-rays, etc.),
viruses, bacteria and fungi, parasites (due to tissue inflamation/irritation), heat,
chemicals in the air, water and food, mechanical cell-level injury, free radicals,
evolution and ageing of DNA and RNA, etc. All these can produce mutations that may
start cancer. Cancer can be called therefore "Entropic Disease" since it is associated
with the increase of entropy of the organism to the point where the organism cannot
correct this itself. External intervention is required to allow the organism to
return to an stable entropic state.
Cancer cells are formed continuously in the organism (it is estimated that there are
about 10,000 cancer cells at any given time in a healthy person). The question is why some of
these result in macroscopic-level cancers and some don't. First, not all damaged cells
can multiply and many of them die quickly. Those which have the potential to divide and
form cancer are effectively destroyed by the various mechanisms available to the immune
system. This process takes place continuously. Therefore cancer develops if the immune
system is not working properly and/or the amount of cells produced is too great for
the immune system to eliminate. The rate of DNA and RNA mutations can be too high under
some conditions such as: unhealthy environment (due to radiation, chemicals, etc.), poor diet
(unhealthy cell environment), people with genetic predispositions to mutations and people
of advanced age (above 80).
