carcinogenesis
Last reviewed 01/2018
Carcinogenesis is the term for the mechanism by which cancer develops. Broadly, for some cancers there is one particular factor that is associated with the the instigation or maintenance of the state of abnormal growth. However, for most cancers, carcinogenesis is thought to be a multi-stage process of disruption to the genes which control cellular proliferation and differentiation.
There are a range of factors which can cause disruption and these are detailed in the subsequent menu.
The theory of carcinogenesis is contributed to by groups as diverse as epidemiologists, who chart the progression of cancer in populations, to molecular biologists, who map the genetic targets for carcinogens.