The prostate is made up of many individual cells, which work together in harmony.
January 12, 2005 (Press Release) --
What is Prostate Cancer?
The prostate is made up of many individual cells, which work together in harmony.
Normally these cells divide quickly to make new cells, and grow the prostate, in womb life, early childhood, and through male puberty.
In adulthood, the cells only divide to replace those lost to injury, disease or old age.
The division of cells to produce new ones is under tight control by the "genes" within each cell.
These genes are made up of "DNA", and if it becomes damaged, the cell may start dividing out of control.
Prostate cancer starts in a single cell which has become abnormal.
This cells produces millions, and eventually billions, of copies of itself. The copies are called"clones."
These clones fail to function as normal prostate tissue, but instead divert resources from healthy cells to fuel their own growth.
When there are about 1 billion cells, they form a clump, or "tumor" 1/2 inch across. A "tumor" merely means a swelling, it can be caused by infection, inflammation, cancer or whatever.
If a tumor only grows in it's local area (even very large) but does not have the capacity to spread to distant body areas, it is called"benign" and isnot cancer.
If, however, the tumor has the ability to spread to distant body areas, it is called "malignant" andthis is cancer.
The actual process of spread is called"metastasis", and can occur to any area of the body.
This is what makes cancer so dangerous.
The prostate is made up of many individual cells, which work together in harmony.
Normally these cells divide quickly to make new cells, and grow the prostate, in womb life, early childhood, and through male puberty.
In adulthood, the cells only divide to replace those lost to injury, disease or old age.
The division of cells to produce new ones is under tight control by the "genes" within each cell.
These genes are made up of "DNA", and if it becomes damaged, the cell may start dividing out of control.
Prostate cancer starts in a single cell which has become abnormal.
This cells produces millions, and eventually billions, of copies of itself. The copies are called"clones."
These clones fail to function as normal prostate tissue, but instead divert resources from healthy cells to fuel their own growth.
When there are about 1 billion cells, they form a clump, or "tumor" 1/2 inch across. A "tumor" merely means a swelling, it can be caused by infection, inflammation, cancer or whatever.
If a tumor only grows in it's local area (even very large) but does not have the capacity to spread to distant body areas, it is called"benign" and isnot cancer.
If, however, the tumor has the ability to spread to distant body areas, it is called "malignant" andthis is cancer.
The actual process of spread is called"metastasis", and can occur to any area of the body.
This is what makes cancer so dangerous.
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