Israel Ramirez

Professor Rackliffe
BIOl 1610 SP 16

How Does Cancer Affect The Human Body

Not all cancer cells are the same and some cells have the ability to metastasize
through our different regions of the body. Cells from the same tumor has the possible of
having a variety of metastasize dates that could be dated 10 years prior. Bert Vogelstein
of John Hopkins University School of Medicine identified a couple genetic changes that
occur during development of colon cancers. Vogelstein and his colleagues found that the
ras gene, about 50 onco-genes have been involved in the cancer development process.
This leads to activation, before malignancy full occurs, any other changes are negative.
The environment that surrounds a tumor cells live will influence the growth and
metastasize abilities.
According to Peter Duesberg professor from UC Berkeley. Aneuploidization is
initiated when a carcinogen, e.g. an x-ray, strikes at a random point along a chromosome
than one specific gene. He continues to state that humans carry about 35,000 genes that
contain large complement of noncoding DNA. Leading him and his research group to
propose that carcinogenesis is initiated by random aneuploidy. Due to aneuploidy
unbalances, many protein groups that segregate, synthesize, and repair chromosomes, this
caused unrest in numbers and structures of chromosomes. Nevertheless, cancer is
neither a fast nor a necessary consequence of Aneuploidization. Normal cells have the
ability to be transfigured into a cancer cell when particular genes activate. The nucleus of

the host cell is where the DNA of the tumor virus enters. Followed by the virus DNA
inserting its DNA into the host DNA transforming the normal cell into a tumor cell.
According to Steven Oppenheimer from California State University, it has long
been thought that many cancers occur as a result of a two-step process, (1) initiation and
(2) promotion. This process has been suggested for more than 60 years, the two-step
process could be the reason why cancer takes years or decades to develop. Cancer cells
differ from normal cells by dividing in an unregulated fashion and they finally detach
from the tumor and spread around the body. Cancer cells often secrete large quantities of
proteolytic enzymes and other enzymes that help invade other tissues. Causing alteration
in cell surface molecules responsible for maintaining cell-cell adhesion. Secondly,
cancer cells contain altered cell surfaced molecules and the mobility is altered of the
molecules involved.
Sir Richard Doll and colleague Richard Peto from Oxford University published a
series of studies for cancer risks. Tobacco is considered one of the most preventable
causes of cancer. Smoking accounted for about 30% of all cancer deaths in 1978 in the
United States. There are varies aspects that lead to diet and nutrition as a cancer another
factor. Different aspects such as over nutrition, an estimated thirty five percent can be
attributed to diet if tobacco is involved as well. There were estimations by cancer site,
indicating that perhaps 90% of stomach and colorectal cancers, 50% of endometrium,
gallbladder, pancreas, and breast cancers, 20% of lung, upper aerodigestive, bladder, and
cervix cancers, and 10% of other cancers may be diet related. Depending on occupation,
there is certain risks that could expose higher chances of getting cancer. The studies
conducted by Doll and Peto still hold true to this day for possibilities with the direction

on how cancer is formed. Through the invasion of the cell to how cancer spreads
throughout the body. As stated earlier normal cells have the ability to be transfigured into
a cancer cell when particular genes activate.

Works Cited

Oppenheimer, Steven B. "Advances in Cancer Biology." The American

Biology Teacher 49.1 (1987): 11-15. JSTOR. Web. 30 Mar. 2016.
Duesberg, Peter. "Does Aneuploidy or Mutation Start
Cancer?" Science307.5706 (2005): 41-42. JSTOR. Web. 30 Mar. 2016.
Marx, Jean L. "How Cancer Cells Spread in the Body." Science 244.4901
(1989): 147-48. JSTOR. Web. 30 Mar. 2016.
Blot, W. J., and R. E. Tarone. "Doll and Peto's Quantitative Estimates of
Cancer Risks: Holding Generally True for 35 Years." JNCI Journal of the
National Cancer Institute 107.4 (2015): n. pag. Web. 30 Mar. 2016.