Overview of Cancer

Cancer is caused by the uncontrolled proliferation of the cells. The cells which undergo uncontrolled growth are not the normal cells but they are abnormal and so their proliferation affects the normal cells. There are more than 100 types of cancers and they are categorized based on the organ or the cell infected with cancer. Cancerous cells spread vastly and they have the capacity to invade into other cells or organs. Cancers are also known as tumors and they are usually of two types benign or malignant. Benign tumors do not cause much harm to the body and they are stable in one place with some amount of controlled growth. They are not much dangerous. Malignant tumors are the most dangerous as they spread quickly to other parts and invade the other healthy inner organs. The process of production of the cancer cells is known as carcinogenesis and the life cycle of the cancer cells is named as metastasis.
Cancers do not undergo a programmatic death as the other normal cells. This is the major reason for their widespread nature. Agents causing cancer is known as carcinogens.