Cancer Genes

Cancer is not a single disease. The term defines a compendium of similar but distinct diseases. There is lung cancer, breast cancer, brain cancer, liver cancer, etc. There is early stage cancer, benign “good”cancer, malign”bad” cancer, etc.

However, molecular cancer, in other words cancer genetics is simple. There are 3 groups genes; i ) Tumor suppressors, ii) Oncogenes, and iii) Apoptotic (suicidal) genes. Imagine your liver cell is a car and it is driving right against a Great Dane truck. When your car hits the truck it is going to divide in an uncontrolled manner and you become cancer.

Tumor suppressor genes are breaks on your car and they stop your car going there. Your oncogenes are normally inactive and when they are active your gas-pedal is all the way down . And the (apoptotic) suicidal genes are the driving-wheel. When your breaks do not function and your gas pedal is all the way down you can still turn the direction somewhere else not to hit the Great Dane truck. The cell has the last minute option of committing suicide (kill itself for the sake of organism for the sake of you) and do not hit the Great Dane Truck.

To get cancer you need to push the gas, and not use the breaks as well as the driving-wheel.

Well, that was easy.