GOD-TALK.com Topic #7: What is Cancer? How does it fit into God’s creation? Dr. Andy and Doug A ROCKET SCIENTIST & ER DOCTOR/MINISTER DISCUSS SCIENCE & RELIGION

Introduction 2 nd leading cause of death in USA Mortality, pain & suffering Not one disease, but rather a group of disorders that share the problem of “growth Dysregulation” Variation in behavior: o Basal cell skin cancer vs. pancreatic cancer

History/ origins Cancer has existed since recorded history – Fossils – Mummies in ancient Egypt – 3,000 BC Edwin Smith Papyrus – Egyptian textbook of trauma – Describes breast cancer, removed with a fire drill – ‘No cure” Hippocrates- described ‘carcinos’ in 460BC – Tumors – Crab- finger-like spreading projections (Celcus) changed the name in 50 AD

Cancer Genetic disorder- problem is one cell line develops “immortality”- uncontrolled & unregulated cell division Hayflick Limit – 50 – Number of times a normal cell population can divide before it stops – Telomeres shorten with each division until they reach a critical length- no more division – Cancer cells bypass the Hayflick limit

Cancer biology DNA mutations – Acquired spontaneously – Induced by environmental insults – Daughter cells contain the same defects – Single, clonal cell line gains the capacity for rapid, & unregulated cell division- creating a tumor – Tumor cells steal nutrients & oxygen from healthy tissue cells – Tumor cells- invade into normal tissue & have the capacity to metastasize to distant sites

Hallmarks of cancer cells Self sufficient growth- become autonomous & unregulated, growing outside of physiology Don’t respond to normal inhibitory signals Evasion of apoptosis Immortal- telomeres lengthen,, limitless repication Angiogenesis Ability to invade & spread Evade the immune system Re=program metabolic pathways

Neoplasm: malignant vs. benign Benign – Microscopic & gross appearance is innocent – No capacity to spread, invade or injure surrounding tissue – Excision is curative Malignant – Crab- seize & adhere in an obstinate manner – Invades & destroys adjacent tissues & organs – Spreads to distant organs – Causes death

Cancer: microscopic Grade o Degree of cell differentiation o Degree to which it looks like normal tissue o Aggressive tumors (anaplastic or poorly differentiated)- ‘backward formation’ Stage o Depth of local invasion / metastasis Growth rate

Cancer properties Due to genetic evolution & selection:\ o More aggressive with time o Less responsive to therapy with time

Genetic basis: Oncogenes – Mutant versions of proto-oncogenes – Promote uncontrolled cell proliferation Mutated Tumor suppressor genes – Refractory to growth inhibition – Natural “braking” system Mutations in genes that regulate apoptosis – Apoptosis causes cell death – Cancer cells have mutated apoptosis genes – Cells gain immortality by re-activating ‘telemerase that lengthens telomeres, and escapes “old-age”

Carcinogenesis Multiple mutations in key genes (DNA) o Affecting the three key genes that allow uncontrolled and unregulated cell division o Allow cellular growth into surrounding tissue Multi-step process o Hereditary o Environmental o carcinogens

Most common cancers Men – Prostate – Lung – Colon – Bladder – Melanoma Female – Breast, uterine and thyroid Lung cancer causes the most death in both sexes

Cancer & God If God is good and created the universe, how can cancer exist? o Did He create it? o Did He know it would exist? o Can He cure it (beyond time & space) o Why does God allow cancer?