Cancer is a title applied to more than 100 diseases that are characterized by ___________.

Cancer is a title applied to more than 100 diseases that are characterized by ___________.

• A. Benign but abnormal growths
• B. Genetic mutations only
• C. Uncontrolled growth of cells
• D. Localized infection

Answer: (C)

At the heart of cancer is uncontrolled growth of cells. Normal cells grow in a regulated way, responding to signals that tell them when to divide and when to stop. In cancer, those controls break down due to genetic and other changes, allowing cells to proliferate far beyond normal limits. This uncontrolled growth can invade nearby tissues and spread to distant sites (metastasis), which is what makes cancer different from benign tumors that may grow but do not invade or spread. While genetic mutations often play a major role, cancer is not caused by mutations alone and is not an infection; it’s about cells growing uncontrollably and, in many cases, invading and disseminating.

At the heart of cancer is uncontrolled growth of cells. Normal cells grow in a regulated way, responding to signals that tell them when to divide and when to stop. In cancer, those controls break down due to genetic and other changes, allowing cells to proliferate far beyond normal limits. This uncontrolled growth can invade nearby tissues and spread to distant sites (metastasis), which is what makes cancer different from benign tumors that may grow but do not invade or spread. While genetic mutations often play a major role, cancer is not caused by mutations alone and is not an infection; it’s about cells growing uncontrollably and, in many cases, invading and disseminating.