Ten Key Causative Factors in Cancer Development

More than many other age related diseases cancer results from the cumalitive effect of years of discrete, small scale assualts on the body. Oxidation, inflamation, stress, infection, and other physiological insults take thier toll, inflicting lethal damage over time that sets abnormal cell proliferation in motion.

1. DNA damage: Numerous biomolecular assualts strike at the "bluepoint" that cells need to order to replicate themselves accurately. DNA damage is often referred to as the "intiator" in cancer development - the first step in the onset of most cancers.
2. Excessive or chronic inflamation: Inflamation processees trigger the release of a host of disruptive cytokines (cell- signaling molicules) that affect virtually all cellular functions. Inflamation is commonly referred to as a cancer "promoter" for this reason.
3. Disruption of cell signalling pathways: Normal communication within and between the cells assures proper regulation of thier healthy function. These pathways are easily disrupted by adverse events such as inflamatiuon.
4. Alterations in the cellelar reproductive cycle: Cells undergo a four stage process as they prepare to replicate themselves. The cell cycle itself is controlled by signaling pathways that can be altered or disrupted at each of these stages.
5.Abnormal regultation of apotosis: Apotosis is the process of naturally " pre - programed" cell death that prevents overgrowth of tissue. When apotosis fails, cells may undergo uncontrolled reproduction.
6.Altered survival pathways: The flip side of unregulated apotosis: survival of to many healthy cells, paradoxically, can endanger the host by permitting a career to take hold by increasing the odds of mutation and profiferation.
7. Excessive cellular profileration: Certain hormones and other stimuli can directly trigger cells to reproduce without safe limits, especially when the preceding regulatory mechanisms have failed.
8. Aggressive invasion of healthy tissue: This is accomplished by excessive production of enzymes and adhesion molecules that "dissolve" tissue and allow the tumor to literally take root. The word "cancer" itself is derived from the crab - like appearance of fully - developed malignancies, which extend ten drills in all directions into healthy tissue.
9. Rapid angiogenesis: Tumors require growth of new blood vessels for nourishment. They are endowed with capacity to spontaneously generate new blood vessels just like healthy tissue. Angiogenesis in cancer tissue is a primary means by which tumors grow.
10. Metastasis: This is the migration of cancerous cells to regions of the body beyond the locus of the primary tumor. Metastasis are the distinguishing features of most malignant cancers, and the typically herald the onset of end stage disease because they disrupt otherwise healthy tissues.