1. Uncontrolled Growth and Proliferation:
* Evasion of growth suppressors: Cancer cells ignore signals that normally tell cells to stop growing and dividing. They can bypass checkpoints in the cell cycle and continue to proliferate uncontrollably.
* Self-sufficiency in growth signals: Cancer cells can produce their own growth factors, making them independent of external signals that normally stimulate cell division.
* Insensitivity to anti-growth signals: They become unresponsive to signals that usually inhibit growth, allowing them to proliferate even in the presence of inhibitory signals.
2. Altered Metabolism:
* Increased glucose uptake: Cancer cells utilize glucose at a much higher rate than normal cells, a phenomenon known as the Warburg effect. This fuels their rapid growth and proliferation.
* Increased reliance on glycolysis: They prefer glycolysis over oxidative phosphorylation for energy production, even in the presence of oxygen.
3. Evading Apoptosis (Programmed Cell Death):
* Resistance to apoptotic signals: Cancer cells can evade the normal mechanisms of cell death, allowing them to survive and multiply.
* Expression of anti-apoptotic proteins: They often overexpress proteins that inhibit apoptosis, further contributing to their survival.
4. Invasiveness and Metastasis:
* Loss of cell-cell adhesion: Cancer cells can break free from their normal tissues and invade surrounding areas.
* Increased motility: They develop enhanced mobility, allowing them to spread through the body.
* Ability to form new blood vessels (angiogenesis): They can induce the growth of new blood vessels to supply them with nutrients and oxygen, facilitating their spread.
* Ability to survive in distant sites: They can adapt to new environments and survive in other parts of the body, leading to metastasis.
5. Genomic Instability:
* Mutations in DNA repair genes: Cancer cells often have defects in DNA repair mechanisms, leading to an accumulation of mutations and further abnormalities.
* Chromosomal instability: They may exhibit chromosomal abnormalities, such as deletions, translocations, and aneuploidy.
6. Sustained Angiogenesis:
* Production of growth factors: Cancer cells can stimulate the formation of new blood vessels, providing them with a blood supply necessary for their growth and spread.
These are some of the basic properties of cancer cells. However, it's important to note that not all cancers share all of these characteristics, and there is significant variation between different types of cancer. This diversity makes it challenging to develop universal treatments for cancer.
