• Question: I have always thought that cancer was a virus/disease that inected and killed you, but i heard that you can have it removed like it is a blob inside you, what actually is it?

    Asked by lavamonster to Hywel, Joseph, Poonam on 24 Jun 2010 in Categories: .
    • Photo: Dr Hywel Jones

      Dr Hywel Jones answered on 24 Jun 2010:

      Cancer is a problem with our own cells which get out of control and divide in an uncontrolled manner. However, there are many reasons that they do this, some of which are linked to viruses and disease but most of which are simply to do with small faults in our own bodies. Another big cause is our environment which includes the air we breath and the food we eat. Smoking for example is well known for causing lung cancer.
      For a really great answer head over to the Cancer Zone and ask the Scis there

    • Photo: Joseph Cook

      Joseph Cook answered on 24 Jun 2010:

      There are lots of different types of cancer, but in general cancer is a disease where cells in the body keep on multiplying and dividing and replicating, even though there is no space for them. Most cells are programmed to die in certain circumstances, allowing space for new cells, but cancerous cells do not. It is because of a problem in the DNA that cells can become cancerous.

      A tumour is a collection of these cancerous cells, and tumours grow bigger and bigger unless they are treated with medication or removed by surgery. Some cancers can spread to other parts of the body if left untreated, causing further problems. As tumours grow, they take over more of the body’s resources to continue living, so you have less energy for your healthy cells.

      The main problem with treating cancer is that cancer cells are very similar to normal cells, and so anything you do to try to kill cancer cells tends to harm normal cells as well. Removing tumours can be successful, but if some cancer cells are left behind in the body then they can grow into a new tumour.

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