Cancer+Treatment

Cancer Treatment:
Fundamentally cancer is when a cell malfunctions and does not undergo apoptosis. If this malfunctioning cell then begins to create new, malfunctioning cells in most cases were they are not needed. If this mass of cells grows large enough it is known as a tumour, tumours can be benign which is none cancerous, mostly harmless and can be removed. Malignant tumours on the other hand are dangerous and can be localised to one area of the body or may spread to many areas.[2][3]


 * = ======Figure 1. How cancer is created====== ||

Telomerase has the job of fixing the telomere and keeping it in good working order. However active telomerase is not found much in the human body. However telomerase is found abundantly in cancer cells. This leads to the possibility that inhibiting telomerase in cancer cells could provide another method of subduing cancer.[2] The most promising drugs for telomerase inhibition are 2-5A-anti-hTER and GRN163L. Telomerase inhibition has the potential to help prevent cancer on its own as well as alongside other cancer treatment options.[1]

By Peter Knipler //Last edited 7/11/2011//

References:
[1] Ohyashiki, J.H., Sashida, G., Tauchi, T. & Ohyashiki, K. 2002, "Telomeres and telomerase in hematologic neoplasia", vol. 21, pp. 680.

[2] "What Is Cancer?" //Cancer.gov //. National Cancer Institute. Web. 5 Nov. 2011. []

[3] Greider, Carol W., and Elizabeth H. Blackburn. "Telomeres, Telomerase and Cancer."//Scientific American // (1996): 62. //Genethik //. Web. 5 Nov. 2011. []