How do cancer cells grow and survive?

As an expert in the field of cellular biology, I can explain the mechanisms by which cancer cells grow and survive. Cancer cells have evolved various strategies to ensure their growth and survival. One of the key adaptations is the reprogramming of their metabolism. This allows them to continue to grow even when the body is under stress or when nutrients are limited. Here's a brief overview of how this happens: 1. Glucose Utilization: Cancer cells are particularly efficient at utilizing glucose, a simple sugar that serves as the primary source of energy for most cells. They can take up glucose at a much higher rate than normal cells, providing them with the fuel they need to grow rapidly. 2. Warburg Effect: Even in the presence of oxygen, cancer cells often prefer to undergo a less efficient process of glucose metabolism known as the Warburg effect, which produces energy through glycolysis in the cytoplasm rather than through oxidative phosphorylation in the mitochondria. This allows them to generate ATP quickly, albeit less efficiently, and also produces byproducts that can be used to build new cells. 3. Nutrient Acquisition: Cancer cells can stimulate the growth of new blood vessels through a process called angiogenesis, ensuring a steady supply of nutrients and oxygen. This is crucial for their growth and survival. 4. Avoiding Cell Death: They can evade programmed cell death, or apoptosis, by overexpressing proteins that inhibit this process. 5. Resisting Cell Senescence: Cancer cells can bypass the normal process of cellular aging, known as senescence, which would normally stop a cell from dividing when it reaches a certain age or accumulates too much damage. 6. Immune Evasion: They can also develop strategies to avoid being detected and destroyed by the immune system. 7. Genetic Instability: Cancer cells often have a high rate of genetic mutation, which can lead to the development of traits that further enhance their survival and growth. 8. Self-Sufficiency in Growth Signals: They can produce their own growth signals, making them less dependent on external signals to continue growing. 9. Sustained Angiogenesis: As mentioned, the ability to induce new blood vessel formation is a key factor in their survival and growth. 10. Tissue Invasion and Metastasis: Cancer cells can invade surrounding tissues and metastasize to distant sites in the body, which allows them to spread and establish new colonies.

How cancer cells rewire their metabolism to survive. ... Cancer cells need food to survive and grow. They're very good at getting it, too, even when nutrients are scarce. Many scientists have tried killing cancer cells by taking away their favorite food, a sugar called glucose.