Glossary

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Cancer

Definition:

Any one of a group of diseases that occur when cells in the body become abnormal and have the potential to spread and establish growth in nearby tissues and other parts of the body (malignancy).

Source: GreenFacts

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Carcinogenic (cancer) process:

At the beginning, a change in a target cell, tissue or organ is necessary to initiate the carcinogenic process. This change induced by exposure to a carcinogen is called 'initiation'. Initiation is not necessarily sufficient to develop cancer.

A second step, called 'promotion' has to arise. Promotion itself is not sufficient either and is the process whereby an initiated cell, tissue or organ develops focal proliferation.

[UV radiation, for instance, is both an initiator and a promoter of skin cancers, which means it is a complete carcinogen.]

The carcinogenic process can be modulated positively or negatively. The positive modulation speeds up the process, shortens the latency period between initiation and cancer development, increases the intensity or changes the nature of the cancer. The negative modulation slows the process down, prolongs the latency, decreases the intensity and changes the nature of the cancer. This negative modulation can be considered as cancer prevention. To prevent cancers the factors capable of modifying the effect of initiation or promotion or acting as modulators have to be known.

Source: GreenFacts


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