Biochemistry of cancer, apoptosis basics
Biochemistry · MBBS
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Interactive 3DPeek inside an animal cell — pick an organelle to highlight it and learn its job.
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Study notes
A smoker's lung biopsy shows cells ignoring stop signals, piling up. Tobacco carcinogens mutated p53 and activated KRAS — the brakes cut, the accelerator stuck: cells proliferate without growth signals, evade apoptosis, and recruit blood vessels (angiogenesis). Chemotherapy exploits one hallmark — killing dividing cells — which is why it also hits marrow, gut, and hair. Targeted drugs (EGFR inhibitors) aim at the specific mutation — oncology moving from carpet-bombing to snipers, mutation by mutation.
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