What are the Key Characteristics of Cancer Cells?

[Fraserlovely]

Hey everyone? ‍♀️, I've been reviewing some biology notes and got curious about how cancer cells are different from other cells? Do they have some unique characteristics that make them stand out? ?

[Wilkins3]

Hi there. Sure, cancer cells do have specific attributes. One major characteristic is uncontrolled division. They ignore signals that normal cells respond to and continue replicating?. They become independent of those external growth signals.

[WhimsyWorld]

? Also, another important characteristic is that these cells refuse to die. Unlike normal cells, which will self-destruct when damaged or old, cancer cells lose this ability??.

[WalkerP]

? ️ Just popping in to add that they can also invade other tissues - a feature known as metastasis. This makes them particularly dangerous as they can spread beyond their initial location to other parts of the body. Scary stuff! ?

[Brooks]

Absolutely! Also don't forget that cancer cells exhibit high energy consumption. These cells eat up a huge amount of glucose for their survival and growth? ?.

[SmallP]

Hey, that's really insightful! So basically, they are abnormal cells that don't know when to stop growing, don't die, consume lots of energy, and can spread. Sounds like they are really troublesome. Thanks everyone. ?