What is Cancer?
The body is made up of billions of living cells. Normal cells grow, divide, and die in an orderly fashion. Cancer happens when abnormal cells grow and spread very fast. Cancer cells do not die when they’re supposed to.
How cancer starts?
Cancer starts when cells begin to grow out of control. These cells may also invade other tissues. Growing out of control and invading other tissues are what makes a cell a cancer cell. Cells become cancer cells because of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) damage. In a normal cell, when DNA gets damaged the cell either repairs the damage or the cell dies. In cancer cells, the damaged DNA is not repaired nor does it die like it should. Instead, the cell goes on making new cells that the body does not need. Cancer cells often travel to other parts of the body where they begin to grow. The process of cancer spreading is called metastasis.
What causes childhood cancer?
Cancer is not an infectious disease and mostly not inherited. The causes of childhood cancers are largely unknown; however, environmental causes have long been suspected. A number of studies are examining suspected or possible risk factors for childhood cancers, including early-life exposures to infectious agents, parental, fetal, or childhood exposures to environmental toxins such as pesticides, solvents, or other household chemicals. Children with certain genetic conditions such as Down Syndrome can increase the risk of getting leukemia.