Summary
The video explains how cancer cells differ from normal cells due to genetic or environmental changes, leading to unregulated growth and the formation of tumors. Tumors can spread cancer cells to other parts of the body through lymph channels or the bloodstream. Cancer treatment focuses on removing the tumor and preventing the spread of cancer cells.
Full text
Cells in our body grow and divide in a regulated, programmed way. Cancer cells have broken out of that program because of either changes that are inherited genetically or changes that have occurred through the environment. Those changes allow cancer cells to grow, divide, and die in an unregulated manner. This unregulated growth can create a tumor.
Once a tumor reaches the size of about a centimeter, it probably contains about a billion cells. Another problem with cancer is that these cells can break off from the tumor, enter the lymph channels or the bloodstream, and spread to other parts of the body.
When we talk about treating cancer, we're discussing the removal of the tumor cleanly and also estimating the chances of the cancer spreading. Additionally, treatment aims to reduce the likelihood of spreading.