• Question: How do you get cancer?

    Asked by shamail155 to Amar, Ana, Andrea, Leah, Matt on 10 Mar 2014. This question was also asked by cherry16, lolypop, cherry1, tylerk, cupcake94, blackcat, mkr97, kinleyjade, pow3rdrivetom, carinathesquid, , annafrancis893, , , , , icecream19, manofsteel, boss06, cristiano7, , , , maryclevergirl.
    • Photo: Matthew Lam

      Matthew Lam answered on 10 Mar 2014:

      Cancer is caused by mutations to certain genes in your DNA. Usually, these genes control how the cell divides.

      Mutations to these genes causes them to stop working properly and as a result the cell is able to divide and grow uncontrollably.

      These mutations can be caused by anything that is able to damage the molecules that make up DNA. For example, Ultra Violet rays from the Sun or chemicals from tobacco smoke can attack DNA and cause damage which leads to these cancer causing mutations.

      Don’t worry though…the cells in your body have developed ways to protect themselves against this damage so you don’t get cancer every time your DNA is damaged.

    • Photo: Anastasia Wass

      Anastasia Wass answered on 10 Mar 2014:

      Mats right, cancer is caused by mutations which allow your cells to divide continuously.
      Normally your cells stop this from happening using Tumour suppressor genes. in cancer these genes are mutated so they stop working.
      Mutated genes which promote cell division or growth are called oncogenes.

      You need several oncogenes to be switched on and several tumour suppressor genes to be switched off before a cell becomes cancerous.

      The ‘cancer genes’ people inherit are usually mutated tumour suppressor genes. Because more than one tumour suppressor gene needs to be switched off, inheriting one faulty gene doesn’t give you cancer it just increases your risk.

    • Photo: Andrea Hanvey

      Andrea Hanvey answered on 10 Mar 2014:

      Normally cells divide in a controlled and organised way. When DNA is damaged
      at certain genes then the cell can lose control. DNA can be damamged by radiation, free radicals, chemicals or you could inherit faulty copies of genes. if the cells carry on dividing in an uncotrolled way they can develop into a lump called a tumour. Tumours are either benign (non-cancerous) or malignant (cancerous).

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