The Hallmarks of Cancer (theory)

The Hallmarks of Cancer describe the key features that enable cancer cells to grow uncontrollably and spread. These include evading normal cell death, sustaining continuous growth signals, resisting the body's immune response, developing their own blood supply (angiogenesis), and invading nearby tissues. Additional traits involve genome instability, allowing rapid mutations, and enabling cancer cells to invade distant sites (metastasis). Understanding these hallmarks helps researchers develop targeted therapies to interrupt the cancer’s growth mechanisms and improve treatment outcomes.