Cancer cells grow very fast, divide, and do not die like healthy human cells. They usually exist as masses or lumps called tumors. When cancer cells multiply, they can damage the normal cells around the tumor. They can also spread to different parts of the body in a process called metastasis. This means that some cancer cells separate from the original tumor and move to other parts of the body and make new tumors. This growth and spread can make people very ill. All cells contain DNA. The DNA of cancer cells is different from that of normal ones because they are damaged and cannot be repaired. The field of medicine has still not discovered what causes the disease and how it can be completely prevented and cured. Some studies show that cancer can actually be inherited through inheriting a damaged DNA. A cell’s DNA can also be damaged by external factors like overexposure to sunlight, tobacco smoke, and more. Doctors are not sure about what causes cancer cells to grow and spread in some people and not in others. In order to check if a person has cancer, a biopsy can be performed. During a biopsy, a medical professional removes tissue from a body location and checks for abnormal cells under a microscope. It is important to detect cancer cells as soon as possible, before they grow out of control and spread to other parts of the body. Therefore, it is important to be familiar with cancer information and watch out for cancer symptoms and signs.
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