Cancerous tumors are made up of rapidly growing, abnormally shaped, cells that can infiltrate and destroy healthy tissues, travel to other parts of the body, and form additional tumors. In part because of its rapid and invasive nature, cancer remains the second leading cause of death in the United States and a major cause of death worldwide.
Tumor formation is often driven by genes called oncogenes, which are usually involved in the normal processes of cell growth, proliferation, and death. But they can also mutate and be expressed at high levels, which can drive the multiplication of cancerous cells.
