Genetic mutations cause permanent changes in a DNA sequence that makes up a gene, according to Medline Plus. Mutations can range in size, varying from a single DNA block to a large segment of a chromosome. Individuals inherit genetic mutations...
Cancer of any form is the result of genetic mutations that occur in previously normal cells. It takes many different genetic mutations to turn a normal cell into a cancerous cell. These genetic changes may occur as a result of mutations that can...
All humans have both "male" (testosterone) and "female" (estrogen) hormones naturally circulating in their body. Males normally have much higher levels of testosterone and lower levels of estrogen, compared to females. However, these low amounts...
Breast cancer develops when the cells that make up healthy breast tissue progressively develop numerous genetic mutations. These mutations eventually allow the cell to proliferate rapidly and continually while evading cellular death. As the cancer...
Radiation refers to the transfer of energy from one medium to another. Cells exposed to radiation, such as ultraviolet rays or by-products of nuclear reactions, absorb energy that can modify chemicals within the cells. Radiation has an effect on...
Each cell within the body contains DNA, proteins, sugars and fats that support cellular function, and prove essential for supporting life. Processes within the cell are tightly regulated, and disrupting cell regulation can lead to damage and...
All forms of cancer begin with a cell that has developed certain genetic mutations. These mutations cause it to grow abnormally quickly and to be more resistant to chemical signals that would tell it to stop. Sarcomas are cancers that arise from...
The behavior of cells within your body is tightly controlled and regulated by a number of genes and proteins. Dysregulation of cell behavior can lead to uncontrolled cell division, and cancer. Often, the initiating stages of cancer occur in a...
The breasts are hormonally-regulated tissues that undergo a series of growth and development cycles throughout life. Breast cancer, the uncontrolled proliferation of cells within the breast, is a progressive and devastating disease that can be...
All men have breast tissue, as it one of the tissue types present at birth. When breast cells become cancerous, the change is often related to multiple genetic mutations that accumulate in a cell until normal control of cell growth is lost....
The growth and death of cells in the colon usually is carefully regulated by the body. Colon tumors, the Mayo Clinic explains, is the result of changes in cells in the colon that causes them to grow in an unregulated way. Sporadic genetic...
DNA, the genetic material that acts as a blueprint for life, is made up of billions of chemicals called nucleotides. The sequence of specific nucleotide bases codes for thousands of genes that in turn allow for the synthesis of thousands of...
Each cell within the human body contains DNA, made up of a sequence of billions of chemicals called base pairs. The sequence of specific base pairs codes for thousands of genes found on two sets of 23 chromosomes--large pieces of DNA, each...
Testicular cancer occurs when cells in the testicles begin to grow abnormally as a result of genetic mutations. Testicular cancer can occur in one or both testicles and generally occurs in young men. It is a treatable form of cancer that can...
An adenocarcinoma is a cancer originating in glandular tissue. The cancer develops from epithelial cells that surround and line tissues of the body, as well as secretory gland cells. Patients can develop adenocarcinomas in a number of tissues...
Breast cancer development includes a series of steps that transform normal breast cells into aggressive and metastatic cancer cells. Most breast tumors start as a lump or thickening of the breast tissue that, if left to develop, eventually gain...
Oncology is a specialty within medicine that deals with the diagnosis and treatment of cancer, a disease that can affect many different tissues. The way in which cancer is treated depends on both the location of the cancer, as well as how fast it...
The skin is made up of a number of specialized cells, including melanocytes---the pigment-producing cells that provide the skin's natural color. Malignant melanoma is an advanced cancer that originates in melanocytes and then spreads to the lymph...
Alzheimer's disease is a progressive, incurable and ultimately fatal type of dementia that typically affects people later in life. It is marked by the death of neurons, which is thought to be caused by clumps of a protein called A-beta. The...
The lungs have a highly complex branching structure made up of a number of specialized cell types, which work together to allow oxygen to enter and carbon dioxide to exit the blood. According to Cedars Sinai, lung cancer accounts for a third of...
Although breast cancer is the second-most common cancer among women, there may be steps women can take to prevent this disease from affecting their lives. The first step to prevention is knowing the risk factors. According to BreastCancer.org, 90...
Cancer is a condition in which cells in the body develop genetic mutations. These genetic changes cause the cells to grow more quickly and invade other tissues. There are a variety of treatments for cancer, including surgery, chemotherapy and...
Breast cancer occurs when cells within the breast develop genetic mutations that cause the cells to grow abnormally fast. Eventually, these cells develop the ability to invade other tissues. Although breast cancer is most common in women...
Lung cancer occurs when cells of the lung accumulate genetic mutations, causing them to divide uncontrollably to form a tumor. According to the National Cancer Institute, approximately 220,000 new cases of lung cancer were diagnosed and 160,000...
A genetic disorder is a medical condition caused by a mutation in an individual’s genomic makeup. Most genetic disorders are caused by a mutation in the DNA sequence of a single gene, gross breaks in individual chromosomes or the addition of...
Cancer development begins when previously healthy cells throughout the body acquire genetic mutations that interfere with normal cell behavior. These mutations allow the cells to proliferate rapidly without regulation, give rise to unlimited...
Cancer is a complex disease that results when cells develop genetic mutations, which cause them to grow unusually fast and develop the ability to invade other tissues. The foods you eat can affect the internal chemistry of your body, which can in...
Breast cancer results because of cells in the breast (either the milk-producing lobular cells or the cells in the ducts) developing genetic mutations that cause them to grow uncontrollably. Breast cancer can be divided into different types as well...
Pomegranates -- a red, shrub-grown fruit -- have begun to gain prevalence in the American marketplace. Used for years in folk medicine to treat a range of ailments, pomegranates are now marketed as a "superfruit" for their nutritional properties....
Brittle bone disease, or osteogenesis imperfecta, is a genetic bone disorder wherein sufferers lack proper proteins to make healthy bones. Learn about brittle bone disease, including treatments, in this video.
