Mitosis and cancer

Cancer:

• Is the result of damage to the genes that regulate mitosis and the cell cycle
• Leads to uncontrolled growth and division of cells
• As a consequence, a group of abnormal cells, called a tumour develop and constantly expand in size
• Tumours can develop in any organ, but are most commonly found in the lungs, ovaries, breast and stomach
• A tumour becomes cancerous if it changes from benign to malignant 

Benign - 

• Slow growing, compact, not spreading

Malignant - 

• Faster growing, less compact, spread

Cancer being caused during mitosis:

• Mitosis is controlled by two genes
• A mutation to one of these genes results in uncontrollable mitosis
• The mutant cells formed are usually structurally and fucntionally different from normal cells
• Any that survive are capable of dividing…