How do cancer cells differ from normal cells?

Cancer cells develop out of normal body cells and tissues. Over years, damage to the DNA of healthy cells can lead to the formation of malignant tumors. read more

Appearance—Under a microscope, normal cells and cancer cells may look quite different. In contrast to normal cells, cancer cells often exhibit much more variability in cell size—some are larger than normal and some are smaller than normal. read more

Cancer cells have characteristics that differ from normal cells. Cell Reproduction: Cancer cells acquire the ability to reproduce uncontrollably. These cells may have gene mutations or chromosome mutations that affect the reproductive properties of the cells. read more

Cancer cells differ from normal cells in size, structure, function, and growth rate. These malignant cells lack the normal controls of growth seen in healthy cells, and grow uncontrollably. This uncontrolled growth allows the cancer cells to invade adjacent structures and then destroy surrounding tissues and organs. read more

Cancer cells have characteristics that differ from normal cells. Cell Reproduction: Cancer cells acquire the ability to reproduce uncontrollably. These cells may have gene mutations or chromosome mutations that affect the reproductive properties of the cells. read more