There are millions of cells in the human body. In cancer, diagnosis is dependent upon the size, shape and presence of abnormal cells. The doctor runs blood tests, conducts biopsies and performs scans of the suspected area where tumor growth is likely. Cells can tell the doctor where the cancer originated, the stage of growth it is in and whether or not the cancer has metastasized to other areas. The National Cancer Institute describes the staging of cancer cells as the process of defining the extent and severity of the cancer and disease progression to make estimates regarding prognosis.
Genetic Components
The National Center for Biotechnology Information defines genetic material (DNA) as a hereditary information link located in the nucleus of a cell. This information is passed between organisms such as from parents to children via the blood in fetal development. This cell structure allows information which has survived mutations throughout generations to be passed to new offspring by way of eye color, hair color, personality and even disease. When paired with the right internal and external environmental conditions, cell material can become cancer.
Mutations
In the case of cancer, a mutated cell does not die off but rather feeds, divides and multiplies like a healthy cell. In healthy cells, the cells divide and multiply to get rid of the waste from cells which die off. In this scenario, the mutated cells prevail continuing to make more cancerous cells.
Cell Multiplication
Tumors develop when cells get stuck in one place and form a mass. The American Cancer Society says that cancer cells simply attack any tissue they come into contact with while more of these abnormal cells multiply. These cells break off of tumor groupings and move throughout the organs, blood and tissues in a path of destruction called metastasis.
