Science

Which genes are mutated in cancer? Is it possible to sequence all the gene mutations giving rise to cancer? Cancer cells are extremely diverse, and finding the exact gene mutations in a cancer patient to inform treatment would be difficult and time-consuming. A much more feasible approach would be to identify and repair the disrupted biological pathways. Researchers believe that the typical cancer cell has anywhere from 11 to 15 disrupted pathways, with an average of 13. Keep reading to learn about cancer cell genomes and pathways.

Does surgical tumor removal cure cancer? Can cancer spread again if tumor is removed? Cancer is difficult (often impossible) to cure with surgery, because if even a single cancerous cell is left behind, it can continue to grow and spread throughout the body. However, surgery can help shrink the tumor if removing it altogether is not possible, making it easier for other treatments to kill the remaining cancer cells. Keep reading to learn about treating cancer with surgery.

What exactly is cancer? How do cancerous tumors develop? Cancer is essentially a corruption of our biological processes. The same functions that normally keep us alive and healthy instead work to build and repair deadly tumors inside our bodies. Keep reading to learn about cancer, explained in simple terms.

What are the chances of cancer coming back? Why can cancer recur after remission? Cancer is such an insidious disease because, in addition to being hard to cure, it often comes back, sometimes in a different part of the body. Cancer relapse happens because the treatment failed to kill all the cancer cells. Even if a single cancerous cell is left behind, it can continue to grow and spread through the body. Keep reading to learn about cancer relapse and why it occurs.