CancerCancer

What is cancer?What is cancer?

Cancer is a general Cancer is a general term for a wide range term for a wide range of diseases.of diseases.

It is characterized by It is characterized by cells that are cells that are aggressive, Invasive, aggressive, Invasive, and sometimes and sometimes metastatic.metastatic.

These are malignant These are malignant propertiesproperties

Who can get it?Who can get it?

Cancer may affect people of all ages.Cancer may affect people of all ages. Risk tends to increase with age.Risk tends to increase with age. Cancer is responsible for 13% of all Cancer is responsible for 13% of all

deaths. deaths.

How does it occur?How does it occur?

Nearly all cancers are Nearly all cancers are caused by abnormalities caused by abnormalities in the genetic material of in the genetic material of the transformed cells .the transformed cells .

These mutations could These mutations could have been caused by have been caused by exposure to carcinogens. exposure to carcinogens.

Other causes of Other causes of mutations could be from mutations could be from mistakes in mitosis. mistakes in mitosis.

What happens in the DNA?What happens in the DNA?

Genetic abnormalities Genetic abnormalities found in cancer typically found in cancer typically affect two general classes affect two general classes of genes. of genes.

Cancer-promoting genes Cancer-promoting genes are often activated in are often activated in cancer cells, giving those cancer cells, giving those cells new properties. cells new properties.

Tumor suppressor genes Tumor suppressor genes are often inactivated in are often inactivated in cancer cells. cancer cells.

TreatmentTreatment

Once diagnosed, cancer Once diagnosed, cancer is usually treated with a is usually treated with a combination of surgery, combination of surgery, chemotherapy and chemotherapy and radiotherapy. radiotherapy.

Chemotherapy is the use Chemotherapy is the use of cytotoxic drugs to treat of cytotoxic drugs to treat cancer. cancer.

Radiotherapy is the use Radiotherapy is the use of radiation to kill cancer of radiation to kill cancer cells. cells.

New types of treatmentNew types of treatment

Targeted therapy- PRIT (pretargeted Targeted therapy- PRIT (pretargeted radioimmmunotherapy)radioimmmunotherapy)

Targets only the cancer cells, does not Targets only the cancer cells, does not attack other body cells.attack other body cells.

Receptors on the cell membrane of the Receptors on the cell membrane of the cancer cells will identify it as a cancer cell.cancer cells will identify it as a cancer cell.

Another protein can match up with those Another protein can match up with those receptors.receptors.

Targeted therapyTargeted therapy

The protein is tagged with The protein is tagged with a radionuclide a radionuclide (radioactive atom).(radioactive atom).

The protein acts as a The protein acts as a vehicle to deliver the vehicle to deliver the radiation only to the radiation only to the cancer cells.cancer cells.

Using this method we can Using this method we can deliver much higher forms deliver much higher forms of radiation without of radiation without worrying about damage worrying about damage to other tissues. to other tissues.

tumor destruction

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