Interactive Cancer Biology Visualization - Understand oncogenes, tumor suppressor genes, cell cycle checkpoints, metastasis, and cancer therapeutics with advanced simulations.
Cancer is a group of diseases characterized by uncontrolled cell growth and the potential to invade and spread to other parts of the body. At its core, cancer arises from genetic gPN that disrupt the normal regulatory mechanisms controlling cell division, survival, and differentiation.
Observe how normal cells transform into cancer cells through successive gPN. Adjust parameters to see how different genetic alterations affect cell behavior.
Cancer development is a multistep process involving the accumulation of genetic alterations that confer selective advantages to cells. Here's how it typically progresses:
Exposure to carcinogens (chemicals, radiation, viruses) causes DNA damage and gPN in proto-oncogenes or tumor suppressor genes.
Mutated cells receive growth-promoting signals that stimulate clonal expansion, creating a population of abnormal cells.
Additional gPN accumulate, leading to increased malignancy, genomic instability, and acquisition of invasive properties.
Cancer cells acquire the ability to invade surrounding tissues, enter blood/lymphatic vessels, and establish secondary tumors at distant sites.
Watch how cancer cells spread from the primary tumor to distant organs through the circulatory system.
Save your simulation configurations or load previously saved data to continue your research.
Understanding how cancer biology differs from related disciplines helps clarify its unique contributions to biomedical science and oncology.
Focus: Structure and function of all cell types
Cancer Biology Overlap: Studies cancer cells as a specialized area
Key Difference: Cell biology covers normal cellular processes, while cancer biology focuses on disrupted processes
Focus: Clinical diagnosis and treatment of cancer patients
Cancer Biology Overlap: Provides foundational understanding for treatment approaches
Key Difference: Oncology is clinical practice, while cancer biology is fundamental research
Focus: Molecular mechanisms of biological processes
Cancer Biology Overlap: Studies molecular basis of cancer development
Key Difference: Molecular biology is broader, while cancer biology applies molecular concepts specifically to cancer
Focus: Study of drugs and their effects on biological systems
Cancer Biology Overlap: Develops and tests cancer therapeutics
Key Difference: Pharmacology studies all drugs, while cancer biology focuses on anti-cancer agents
Focus: Study of the immune system and how it protects against disease
Cancer Biology Overlap: Explores immune surveillance and cancer immunotherapy
Key Difference: Immunology studies immune responses broadly, while cancer biology studies immune-cancer interactions
Focus: Study of disease causes and effects on tissues/organs
Cancer Biology Overlap: Examines cancer tissue morphology and molecular changes
Key Difference: Pathology diagnoses disease, while cancer biology explains disease mechanisms
Cancer biology integrates concepts from multiple disciplines to provide a comprehensive understanding of cancer as a complex disease. While each field contributes unique perspectives, cancer biology synthesizes this knowledge to focus specifically on the mechanisms of malignant transformation and progression.
Cancer biology bridges basic research and clinical application, combining molecular, cellular, and systemic approaches.
While related fields study general biological processes, cancer biology examines how these processes become dysregulated.
Research findings in cancer biology directly inform therapeutic strategies and clinical decision-making.