Mitosis and Cancer

One in four deaths in the U.S is due to cancer (What is Cancer).  Sadly, this number continues to increase due to the burgeoning amount of unhealthy lifestyles practiced by those living in America.  Most know little about cancer aside from the name itself.  Cancer cells are created during the process of mitosis.  Cancer has constantly been shortening the life of many people.

           

The process of mitosis is considered responsible for any cancer cells created in the body. Mitosis consists of several steps.  The first of these steps is called the prophase, during the prophase chromosomes within the nucleus of a cell start to condense and the centrioles begin to move to opposite sides of the cell.  Next comes the prometaphase, during this time the nuclear membrane dissolves.  Following prometaphase is the metaphase.   During metaphase the chromosomes align along the metaphase plate (Diameter of cell).  This process is to help ensure that each sister cell gets the exact same set of chromosomes.  The last step is called telophase, during telophase the chromosomes are split equally then retreat to opposite sides of the cell.  Mitosis is just the division of the nucleus during cell division.  The nucleus itself is considered the “brain” of the cell.  It controls how the cell functions and divides.  The nucleus is one of the most important organelles in the cell, and mitosis is the process of dividing it. (The Cell Cycle and Mitosis Tutorial)

           

Cancer cells are called mutations of mitosis.  Uncontrolled division is what truly makes cancer cells harmful.   Normal cells die when they are old or deformed and they only divide when needed.  Cancer cells ignore the proper cell function, dividing uncontrollably and not dying.

When this happens the body has numerous unneeded cells.  Even though unneeded, the  cells continue to divide, each time they divide they become more deformed than the last. Sometimes these cells build up and attach to tissues in the body, which most know of as a tumor.  Overall, cancer cells are mutated cells that refuse to follow the proper cell cycle.

           

Cancer cells are actually created during the process of mitosis.  The nucleus of the cell is considered the brain; it controls everything done by the cell.  Mitosis is the process of dividing, it is a very complicated process and if any one step isn’t performed correctly it will lead to a mutated cell.  The mutated cells created during the process of mitosis are cancer cells.  The cancer cells continue to divide rapidly and uncontrollably.   All cancer cells are created during Mitosis.

           

There are cures for these mutations of mitosis, but they are not always completely effective. The most commonly used cure is chemotherapy.  Chemo simply uses drugs to either kill, slow down, or ease the symptoms of cancer.  The type of drug used in chemo depends on the type of cancer trying to be cured.  The drugs used in chemo attack fast dividing cells, it kills harmful and healthy cells.  The side effects of chemo can be overcome much more easily than the actual cancer cells.  Chemo is not always effective.  If it was, the amount of deaths caused by cancer would drop dramatically.  We continue to work hard on finding cures to cancer, the cures continue to evolve slowly overtime, but seemingly not fast enough.  Cures Cancers are considered an insurmountable task to some, but to others it is something that needs to be found.

We have been struggling to find a cure for quite some time, and we have been harmed by cancer for even longer than that.  Most do not have a great understanding of cancer itself, how its created, or how its cured.  It is all a very complicated process, but can be made simple.  One way or another cancer is still a major threat to the life of many.