Cancer is basically when cells grow and divide uncontrollably, so you end up with lumps of tissue that shouldn’t be there.
We don’t really know why this happens all of the time but it usually involves changes in the DNA and genes of the cell. Cancer seems to be more common in older people because the longer you live for, the longer the cells in your body come into contact, or are exposed to, things that can change DNA. This could be viruses, UV light or certain chemicals for example.
Also, in older people, all cells (including brain cells) have divided way more often than in younger people. Every time a cell divides, the DNA has to be copied, with lots of divides there is more chance of a mistake in the copy; which can result in cancer. It doesn’t help that with each copy, a bit of the end of the DNA is chopped off. Most of that ‘tail’ contains no information, but if you divide often enough; useful bits are going o be chopped off too!
Cancer is basically when cells grow and divide uncontrollably, so you end up with lumps of tissue that shouldn’t be there.
We don’t really know why this happens all of the time but it usually involves changes in the DNA and genes of the cell. Cancer seems to be more common in older people because the longer you live for, the longer the cells in your body come into contact, or are exposed to, things that can change DNA. This could be viruses, UV light or certain chemicals for example.
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I agree!
Also, in older people, all cells (including brain cells) have divided way more often than in younger people. Every time a cell divides, the DNA has to be copied, with lots of divides there is more chance of a mistake in the copy; which can result in cancer. It doesn’t help that with each copy, a bit of the end of the DNA is chopped off. Most of that ‘tail’ contains no information, but if you divide often enough; useful bits are going o be chopped off too!
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