Antioxidants and Cancer -

Mutations and Cancer

Malignant tumors are collections of cells which have suffered a mutation ( change) in their genetic material ( DNA).Mot major mutations are lethal; the affected cell dies and no further harm is done. Some mutations, however, cause cells to reproduce in a wholly disorganized and uncontrolled manner, causing a cancer. All important cell functions, especially reproduction, are under the control of DNA. Damaged DNA does not, of course, necessarily cause a cell to become cancerous; but certain kinds of DNA change will disrupt normal gene regulation, activate certain tumor – producing genes known as 'oncogenes' and, in this way, induce cancer. Any agency that can damage DNA is thus potentially capable of causing cancer, ad we known a number of things radiation, certain chemicals and viruses that can cause these changes. Radiation and dangerous chemicals do their harm by producing free radicals, so these are clearly implicated in the stage of chemical damage to DNA.