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Tumor Cell

A tumor cell is part of a tissue that is abnormally growing. It may be either malignant or benign in nature. "Tumor" originally meant "swelling" because, with unchecked cellular reproduction, the tissue affected swells to sometimes grotesque proportions.

Tumor cells that are malignant are generally referred to as cancer cells, and have the ability to metastasize, or spread to neighboring tissues and grow tumors there. Benign tumor cells do not invade neighboring tissues, but may grow to great size and cause other problems: breathing, mobility, circulatory. While a malignant tumor might not be eradicated by surgically removing it, a benign tumor generally is.

Tumor cells are usually triggered into growing by mutations in DNA, which accumulate as a person grows older. These mutations activate oncogenes or repress tumor supressor genes, allowing unchecked growth. With age, the chance of having any tumor increases, and the chance of that tumor being malignant increases as well.

Anaplasic tumor cells are poorly differentiated cells with a primitive look rather than an appearance like normal healthy cells; these are almost always found in malignant tumors.

Web Resources On Tumor Cell

Circulating Tumor Cells: Emerging Biology and Practical Application
Characteristics of Cancer Cells

Book Resources On Tumor Cell

Tumor Biology: Regulation of Cell Growth, Differentiation, and Genetics in Cancer by Asterios S. Tsiftsoglou (Ed)
Tumor Cell Differentiation: Biology and Pharmacology by Jarle Aarbakke et. al.

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