Skin cancer: not only and old person's disease

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College of Natural and Applied Sciences

Department of Biology, Chemistry and Allied Health Sciences

Not an Old person’s Disease

In Partial Fulfilment of The Course

BIOL395 Genetics

Section A

Facilitator: Ms. Jayann Brown

By: Paul Scavella

I.D. #: 24063087

Date: April 2, 2009

                                              Name: Paul A. Scavella II

Cancer is the number one killer in America today. We can say the known causes of cancer are radiation, sunlight, pollution, cigarette smoking and improper diets. I will explain the major causes of cancer. Cancer is a term used for diseases in which abnormal cells divide without control and are able to invade other tissues. Cancer cells can spread to other parts of the body through the blood and lymph systems. Cancer is not just on disease but many diseases. There are more than 100 different types of cancer. Most cancers are named for the organ of the type of cell in which they start, for example, the cancer that begins in the colon is called colon cancer; cancer that begins in basal cells of the skin is called basal cell carcinoma. Cancer types can be grouped into broader categories the main categories of cancer include carcinoma which is cancer that begins in the skin or in tissues that line or cover internal organs. Sarcoma is cancer that begins in bone, cartilage, fat, muscle, blood vessels, or other connective or supportive tissue. Leukaemia, this is a cancer that starts in blood-forming tissue such as bone marrow and causes large numbers of abnormal blood cells to be produced and enter the blood. Lymphoma and myeloma cancers are cancers that begin in the cells of the immune system. Finally, the central nervous system cancers are cancers which begin in the tissues of the brain and spinal cord.

        All cancers begin in cells, the body's basic unit of life. To understand cancer, it's helpful to know what happens when normal cells become cancer cells. The body is made up of many types of cells. These cells grow and divide in a controlled way to produce more cells as they are needed to keep the body healthy. When cells become old or damaged, they die and are replaced with new cells. However, sometimes this orderly process goes wrong. The genetic material (DNA) of a cell can become damaged or changed, producing mutations that affect normal cell growth and division. When this happens, cells do not die when they should and new cells form when the body does not need them. The extra cells may form a mass of tissue called a tumor. Not all tumors are cancerous; tumors can be benign or malignant.

Benign tumors aren't cancerous. They can often be removed, and, in most cases, they do not come back. Cells in benign tumors do not spread to other parts of the body. Malignant tumors are cancerous. Cells in these tumors can overrun nearby tissues and spread to other parts of the body. The spread of cancer from one part of the body to another is called metastasis. Some cancers do not form tumors. For example, leukemia is a cancer of the bone marrow and blood.

Part 1

        In the case study two friends were lying in the sun Judy and Mariah trying to get a sun tan. Judy was pale white (pasty-white) in contrast to Mariah and were both trying to get a tan. That was not working out so well for Judy and Mariah noticed Judy looking at her leg and asked what she was Day-dreaming about and Judy said that she was just looking at a mole that had looked a little different recently. Mariah looked at it and told Judy she should go to the clinic and get it checked out because it might be cancerous. Mariah and Judy had some key differences which might make Judy more susceptible for skin cancer than Mariah these were her skin colour which was a pasty white colour, she had a mole and her hair which was red; even though Mariah was in the sun more often than Judy.

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        The causes of skin cancers are not that well known but scientists and doctors have linked skin cancers to certain factors. Among the not so well known skin cancer causes is that people who are of fair skin and therefore have less amount of melanin are more susceptible to developing skin cancer. However, there is no real known skin cancer causes though it is believed that squamous cell carcinoma as too basal cell carcinoma are thought to be related to sunlight’s accumulation during a person’s lifetime, and that people with fair complexion are more susceptible to developing such tumors than ...

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