8 cancer biochemistry

CANCER BIOCHEMISTRY
Nguyen Huu Ngoc Tuan, MD, PhD


Objectives
Ability to:
1. Describe the basic biochemical alterations in
a transformed malignant cell
2. Analyze the interaction between
fundamental changes (genomic level) &
subsequent manifestations


Refs
1. Harper’s illustrated biochemistry – 28th ed
2. Molecular biology of the cell – 5th ed
3. Holland-Frei Cancer Medicine – 8th ed


Huge global health issue!

Globocan 2008
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Important VN health issue!

Globocan 2008
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Tumour vs Cancer?

bert-firebert.blogspot.com
medicaljournalonline.blogspot.com
occupiedmedia.us


Growth vs Neoplasm

www.healthywomenlife.com
medicalxpress.com


Etiology
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Chemical agents
Physical agents
Infectious diseases
Germline genetic factors
Somatic cell genetics


Critical cell problem
Genetic modifications favor
cell proliferation & survival.

emt.bu.edu 

Cancer = Cellular Pathology
Cancer = Genomic Pathology


Risks
1. External environment
2. Internal environment
3. Genetics


Outcome of Cancer

Death

esteedv.wordpress.com


Treatment = Cancer Cell Elimination

Surgery
www.cancer8.com
www.stephenmcculley.co.uk


Treatment = Cancer Cell Elimination

Radiotherapy

healthymemos.com


Treatment = Cancer Cell Elimination

Chemotherapy

www.glogster.com
www.de-amazones.nl


How does life begin?


The central dogma of biology


Relationship of molecules
CH
HEMOGLOBIN
CH GLUCID

DNA

PROTEIN

CH LIPID
CH PROTEIN
CH NĂNG
LƯỢNG

CH AXIT
NUCLEIC


Cancer = Cellular Pathology
Cancer = Genomic Pathology


Transformed malignant cells
In vitro

1.
2.
3.
4.

Cytological changes
Alteration in growth characteristics
Changes in cell membrane
Loss of cell-cell / cell – extra cellular matrix
interaction
5. Loss of differentiation-inducing agents
6. Altered signal transduction mechanism
7. Ability to produce tumor in experimental animals