A short account of cancer--specifically in relation to squamous cell carcinoma.
Cancer is the outcome of a complex multifactorial process of cytogenetic and epigenetic changes that affect cell cycle progression, apoptosis, DNA repair mechanisms and cell differentiation. Cancer cells have the capacity to evade the immune system, to invade tissues and to metastasize. Cancer is treated by surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy, each as single treatment modalities or more often in combination. Failure of treatment to cure a patient of cancer may be owing to the fact that radiotherapy and chemotherapy can eradicate transit-amplifying cells which are characterized by uncontrolled proliferation and prolonged survival; but cannot eradicate all cancer stem cells that divide slowly, have a relatively unlimited self-renewal capacity and express anti-apoptotic genes; and also owing to the fact that surgery cannot always eliminate occult fields of pre-cancerization.
Department of Periodontology & Oral Medicine, University of Limpopo, Medunsa Campus, PO Box D26, School of Oral Health Sciences, Medunsa Campus, 0204, South Africa. lfeller@ul.ac.za
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Feller
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Bouckaert
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Chikte
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Wood
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Khammissa
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Meyerov
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Lenner
D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D014411:Neoplastic Stem Cells