Cancer in human bodies is associated with the growth and multiplication of body cells without control. This continual growth usually takes invasion into another neighboring cell hence appearing as body tumors. The tumors are cancerous when they result in distortion of bodily functions. However, cancer can also be caused by other factors such as chemical elements, environmental materials, oncogenic viruses, or even radiations from the sun or chemical reactions.
Reports indicate that a greater percentage of human cancers originate from chemical substances as well as environmental substances. Such substances include cigarette smoke, asbestos, aniline dyes among others. These substances are known as carcinogens. The reaction between carcinogens and the DNA (Deoxyribonucleic Acid) molecules in a cell changes the cell’s growth resulting in cancerous tumors. Radiations from the sun and those from medical equipment are environmental factors, particularly responsible for most cases of skin cancer. Oncogenic viruses infect body cells to result in cancers, such as leukemia and breast cancer.
What happens to DNA after cancer gets into the human body.
Conceptually the main function of DNA is to hold and store information that is required in the process of creating body cells and keeping the cells functioning in the right path. The DNA through the genes instructs the cell on how to construct other components required in the cell. The genes replicate information (instructional) held within the DNA. Cancer mutations lower the stability of DNA while weakening and distorting the DNA’s functioning of instructing the cell in reproducing another relevant cell. This usually leads to overproduction or underproduction of cells in the human body. Cancer sometimes damages the DNA completely stopping the production of cells in the body (Ching, 2006).
Different DNA’s and different cancer treatments
DNA differs from one another depending on various factors such as energy differences and ion size and ionic charges in the DNAs. For instance, the B-DNA varies from the Z-DNA in terms of free energy present in the DNA’s Abascal, et al, 2000. According to Chiu (2003), the Mitochondrial DNA varies greatly from the B-globin DNA with regard to the present folds. The two have a folds difference of 5,500 folds. The different types of DNA and their repair systems are affected differently by different treatments of cancer. Among the treatments, the Biosynthesis of deoxynucleotides is an anticancer therapy in human body cells. A different treatment of cancer in the body cells may be informed of chemotherapy, i.e. through the use of drugs. Nucleotide metabolism inhibitors are used in drugs used in the treatment of cancer.
DNA, RNA, and Nucleotides
DNA and RNA are two kinds of nucleic acids. The nucleic acids are linear and unbranched polymers of nucleotides. Nucleotides consist mainly of three parts namely a carbon sugar i.e. Deoxyribose for DNA, Ribose for RNA, a base, and a phosphate. The main difference between DNA and RNA molecules is that DNA is double-stranded while RNA is single-stranded. The biosynthesis of the deoxynucleotides the nucleotide in the DNA is usually a major target for therapy against cancer in the body cells (Taylor & Bourque, 2003).
References
Abascal José, et al. “Computer simulation results for the free-energy difference between B-DNA and Z-DNA.” Journal of. Physics 11(2000).
Ching Ang et al. “Effects of Common Cancer Mutations on Stability and DNA Binding of Full-length p53 compared with Isolated Core Domains.” Biol. Chem. Journal. 281, 31(2006): 21934-21941.
Chiu, R. “Quantitative Analysis of Circulating Mitochondrial DNA in Plasma.” 2003.
Taylor, Will & Bourque, Don. “Building Blocks of Nucleic Acids.” 2003.