However, the mitosis in cancer cells is uncontrolled and abnormal. This means:
* Increased rate of cell division: Cancer cells divide much more frequently than normal cells.
* Lack of checkpoints: The normal checkpoints that regulate cell division are bypassed or faulty in cancer cells, allowing them to divide even when they shouldn't.
* Genetic instability: Cancer cells accumulate mutations and genetic errors during their uncontrolled division, leading to further abnormalities.
This uncontrolled mitosis is a key characteristic of cancer, allowing tumors to grow and spread.
While cancer cells primarily undergo mitosis, they can sometimes also undergo meiosis, the type of cell division that produces gametes (sperm and egg cells). However, this is not as common as mitosis and is not directly related to the uncontrolled growth of tumors.
