• Question: Why do cancer cells multiply so much faster than other cells?

    Asked by EM26 to Carolyn, Peter, Richard, Sara on 19 Nov 2015.
    • Photo: Sara Falcone

      Sara Falcone answered on 19 Nov 2015:

      All cells have “detectors” that tell them when stop growing especially when they are close to other cells. When the cells become too crowed some of them decide to die. In cancer cells (especially the ones that make solid masses) the detector is broken so the cell growth is not regulated. They keep growing and growing.

    • Photo: Richard Unwin

      Richard Unwin answered on 20 Nov 2015:

      Hi Em,

      I did cancer research as a PhD. the way always thought of it was that cells have special systems that act like an accelerator and a brake, which control the speed at which they divide. In cancer, the brake is broken, the accelerator is pressed on and so they grow faster. In reality, there’s a third ’emergency’ brake which if it starts going to fast causes the cell to die because it’s out of control. You need all three to be missing in the same cell before you get a cancer develop.

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