Cancer
Cancer affects our lives perhaps more than any other disease. 9.6% of Americans will be diagnosed with some form of cancer during their lifetimes. (CDC) But what is cancer? Cancer is the out of control reproduction of mutated cells. As cancer cells divide, they become more and more resistant to the regulating signals that control their growth and reproduction. They divide with increasing frequency, which eventually creates tumors that can impair bodily functions and eventually lead to death. (Scitable) About 605,000 Americans die from cancer each year. (CDC) What causes Cancer? How do cells go out of control and become cancerous? While not all of the details are known, we know that human DNA has genes called protooncogenes that help and control cell regulation. A mutation in one of these genes can cause them to become activated, turning them into oncogenes, which divide continuously. This can be caused by a few different things. One possible cause is gene mutatio...