The Nature of Cancer . Health Family Resources Home Repair . . The Nature of Cancer . It is estimated that cancer affects three out of four families in the United States. The disease and,often, it's treatments cause substantial mortality and morbidity, prompting intense interest in the exact changes that cells undergo as they become malignant.
Scientists are also interested in factors causing clinical disease.
Once the course of carcinogenesis and patterns of disease progression are identified, actions can be taken to eliminate or lessen the risk of cancer. Characteristics of Malignant Cells Normal cells reproduce in an orderly, controlled fashion. Some cells, such as neurons, do not have the ability to reproduce and cannot regenerate even after tissue damage. Normally, new cells are divide at a controlled rate, keeping the overall number of cells nearly constant. Feedback mechanisms that stimulate or inhibit cell division regulate the growth of normal cells.