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Home Q & A Board Biology-Related Homework Help Cell Biology
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CarbonRobot CarbonRobot
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A year ago
Do cells become more immune to cancer when they specialize or is the risk the same when they are still stem cells but the same age?
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wrote...
#1
Educator
A year ago
This is a tough question to answer. Essentially you're asking, which cells are more susceptible to getting cancer, right? One study shows that it is based on "the total number of divisions of the normal self-renewing cells maintaining that tissue's homeostasis". That is, the more active the stem cells are for a specific tissue/organ, the higher the risk of getting cancer there.



I think this article will make for an interesting read.

Source  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4446723/
CarbonRobot Author
wrote...
#2
A year ago Edited: A year ago, CarbonRobot
Ok. Thanks.
Post Merge: A year ago

Is that article saying tissue types that require more stem cells for replacement are more prone to cancer? Basically copying error being the dominant cause of cancer more than heredity or environmental?
wrote...
#3
Educator
A year ago
Tissues or organs with "more active" stem cells are more prone to cancer. Presumably due to your second point, yes.
CarbonRobot Author
wrote...
#4
A year ago
Quote from: bio_man (A year ago)
Tissues or organs with "more active" stem cells are more prone to cancer. Presumably due to your second point, yes.

Anyway to get the same amount of work done but with less "activeness?" Maybe slow the process to a safer speed?
wrote...
#5
Educator
A year ago
Activeness is a direct result of turn-over rate. Look at the basal cells, it's at the higher end of the spectrum as skins cells are constantly being recycled and replaced. This is why basal stem cells are more active than other cells, they are constantly undergoing mitosis so that the outer dead cells containing keratin are rapidly replaced as they fall off, which occurs after so many days. Perhaps some animals have this optimized, but nature has decided that this best suits our survival needs.
CarbonRobot Author
wrote...
#6
A year ago
Hopefully we can enhance our immune system to fight cancer which maybe inevitable.
wrote...
#7
Educator
A year ago
Quote from: CarbonRobot (A year ago)
Hopefully we can enhance our immune system to fight cancer which maybe inevitable.

The problem is cancer cells are cloaked in the same veil as regular cells, so they go unchecked by the immune system.

The best form of protection of cancer is prevention. To prevent most cancers (in most cases), you need to remain healthy (balanced diet and exercise), stay clear of toxins (environmental toxins, unhealthy foods, and drugs), etc.
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