How Cancer Affects The Body, And Their Offspring - 1218 Words

Rebekah Addison Mrs. Roberts English - 1 9 May 2014 How Cancer Affects the Cells, the Body, and their Offspring Have you ever wondered how cancer forms? Well, cancer starts when a cell s DNA becomes altered. When the DNA is altered, the cells reproduce without restriction and do not die like a normal cell. These extra cells form a mass of tissue that is a tumor. Cancer forms in the genes of our cells, and is able to be carried in the offspring of the person with cancer. The cells are the basic units of life. Cells contain DNA that make up genes. Genes are instructions for the cells to make certain proteins. These proteins are then used as a blueprint for the function and structure of the organism. When the DNA is mutated, it†¦show more content†¦The gene has to be activated and turned on. When the gene is turned on, it is called an oncogene. There are proto-oncogenes, and oncogenes. The proto-oncogenes control what kind of cell it becomes, and when it divides. When this proto-oncogene is mutated, it becomes an oncogene, which makes the cell grow out of control. This mechanism may vary from person to person (www.cancer.org). More than 4,000 diseases come from altered genes inherited from one s mother or father (www.cancer.gov). If a mother and father both carry one altered gene, and one normal gene, there is a possibility that the altered gene will be stronger, and will be more prominent in the offspring. The parents may both be disease-free themselves, but they might still carry an affected gene. If there are four children, each one of them have a 25% chance of developing the disorder, or not carrying the disease at all. Although, there is a 50% chance that the children will develop an affected gene, and a normal gene, and being a disease carrier like their parents. Scientists looking to find the start of disease-related genes start by looking at many past relatives, or disease families, that have developed the illness over several generations. Although all cancer is genetic, only about five or ten percent is actually inherited (www.cancer.gov). Most cancers actually start from random mutations