Biology Stack Exchange
Biology Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [cancer]

A malignant group of uncontrollably dividing cells that form a tumour. Questions regarding (proto)oncogenes and tumour-suppressor genes should also use this tag.

Questions should be about the biology of cancer (such as the role of genetics or mutagens) or the biology of its treatment. Questions regarding medical advice are strictly off topic.

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Can a cancerous cell from outside cause cancer in a healthy person?

If a cancerous cell enters the body of a healthy person from someone else's blood or something, will that healthy person get cancer? In human beings.
Poin
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Extremely rare occurence of Heart cancer?

The occurrence of Heart cancer (similar, but not the same as Rhabdomyosarcoma) is extremely rare, about 1 per year according to MayoClinic. The reason for this rarity is explained to be the post-mitotic nature of cardiac muscles. Since they stop…
stochastic13
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Can vitamin B17 cure cancer?

I have heard that a 'vitamin B17' can cure cancer, but that the medical industry never talks about it, since making it legal would cause them loss of billions. But I have never found a reliable report on whether B17 really works or not. There is a…
superbug
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Is it possible to make a vaccine against cancer?

If we can make RNA vaccines against COVID-19 and we know which errors in our DNA leads to different kinds of cancer, can we make a vaccine that will teach our immune system to detect and destroy cancer cells?
Robotex
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Why should a tumor look like a crab?

Origin of the word "cancer" The disease was first called cancer by Greek physician Hippocrates (460-370 BC). He is considered the “Father of Medicine”. Hippocrates used the terms carcinos and carcinoma to describe non-ulcer forming and…
M.A.R.
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Can plants get cancer?

I can't think of any reason why plants wouldn't be able to get cancer, but I've never heard of a plant growing a tumor. I've also never seen a plant with a noticeable abnormal growth. Can plants get cancer?
Orcris
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Why does UV radiation from the Sun cause skin cancer?

What is the specific mechanism makes non-ionizing UVA and UVB radiation carcinogenic? Can lower energy light, like visible light, be carcinogenic because of this mechanism, or is there some kind of threshold within spectrum at which electromagnetic…
ayane_m
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Why are organs not harvested from deceased cancer patients?

From my understanding, cancer is not contagious, and if a cancerous cell from a patient is introduced to a healthy person, then the immune system of the latter can destroy this cell. In such a case, why are internal organs from cancer patients not…
Harvey
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Why do most breast cancers occur in women?

According to Korde et al. (2010): Male breast cancer accounts for less than 1% of all cancers in men and less than 1% of breast cancers. This raises the question: Why do most breast cancers occur in women? Two plausible explanations I can think…
Douglas S. Stones
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Contact Inhibition of Cell Division: Signaling Pathway

The following article refers to contact inhibition of cell division in epithelial cells, specifically MDCK cells: Collective and single cell behavior in epithelial contact inhibition. In their review of the literature, there are a number of possible…
CKM
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Looking for a cancer drug target database to guide sequencing of patient tumor DNA

I have a question I would like to pose to the community. I have recently received access to a bench-top ion torrent DNA sequencer. Our idea is to use this machine to sequence the DNA from patient’s tumors in order to guide treatment options. My job…
Alexander
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Can cancer grow forever if supplied with unlimited resources?

If somehow a human could give a tumor unlimited resources, would the cancer grow forever? It seems like it would until it gets so large that it physically affects vital organs. Is what would likely happen?
Kirby
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Are all carcinogens mutagens?

I assume that all carcinogens must be mutagens, but I've read that this is not the case. However, I can't find any good examples or an explanation of why it is not the case. How can a non-mutagenic agent be carcinogenic? How can something lead to…
user45969
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Could cancer be in itself a evolutionary process?

Could cancer be in itself a evolutionary process? Maybe in some way could it be a process of variation? Or would this idea be completely without support, if so, why? I don't mean that each case would lead to evolution, but that within an entire…
John
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Is cancer caused by vitamin B17 deficiency?

I have read in an article on the internet that cancer is caused due to deficiency of vitamin B17 which has been removed from our diets long ago in the western food. But some people say that vitamin B17 does not work. So, is it deficiency of vitamin…
user237650
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