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Cancer cells replicate through mitosis, just like normal cells. However, the regulatory genes that normally keep mitosis in check when it is not needed are switched off, and at least one of the regulatory genes that makes the cell initiate mitosis is turned on. The rate of mitosis of cancer cells depends on the type of cancer and how differentiated it is. Some well-differentiated cancers have a slower replication rate than the cells lining the gastrointestinal tract. Really anaplastic (not differentiated at all, looks like chaos under the microscope) tumors tend to have very high growth rates. Both radiation therapy and chemotherapy target cells that have a short cell cycle (high mitosis rate), which explains why they work and their most common side effects. Keep up your interest in cancer - we need smart people working in this area if we are to ever find the cure for every type of cancer with minimal side effects.

just like any other cell, the problem is they don't stop replicating below is an explaination

amoung other things cancer cells do, cancer cells produce a protein that blocks apoptosis. Apoptosis is the process of programmed cell death. cell death is essencial to life. think of a tree in winter. old leaf must go before new ones came come. if there is no cell death new ones cannot replace them--so with cancer cells if they don't dye, new ones cannot replace them and the cancer cells take over.

Apart from infectious diseases, most illnesses are 'multifactorial'. Cancer is no exception. Multifactorial means that there are many factors involved. In other words, there is no single cause for any one type of cancer.

A 'carcinogen' is something that can help to cause cancer. Tobacco smoke is a powerful carcinogen. But not everyone who smokes gets lung cancer. So there must be other factors at work as well as carcinogens.

Most types of cancer become more common as we get older

There need to be a number of genetic mutations within a cell before it becomes cancerous. Sometimes a person is born with one of these mutations already. Doctors call this 'genetic predisposition'

People who have problems with their immune systems are more likely to get some types of cancer.

Cancer experts estimate that maintaining a healthy bodyweight, making changes to our diet and taking regular physical activity could prevent about one in three deaths from cancer

environmental causes

Tobacco smoke

The sun

Natural and man made radiation

Work place hazards

Asbestosnvironmental causes

Viruses can help to cause some cancers. But this does not mean that these cancers can be caught like an infection. What happens is that the virus can cause genetic changes in cells that make them more likely to become cancerous.

this is the same answer i gave to someone who asked "what causes cancer"

Those nasty buggers are vile disgusting things that don't just replicate, but eat up healthy cells, organs, tissues, anything in it's path. It starts off as a normal cell, then something triggers it to become mutated, ugly and then all it has to do is attach itself to another healthy cell, and in turn they keep doing this. Mutate, attach, divide, grow, damage, kill. They're sneaky and hard to kill. Cancer sucks, no other way to put it.

As far as I know they replicate like other cells (and therefore at varying speeds). What they lack is the mechanism that governs their turning off, I.e. They keep growing when they should stop.

i think that maximum cancers cells reproduction purely as rapid as time-honored cells, yet they don't know while to end. It finally ends up in crowdedness, inflicting cells to die. that is like demise from too lots existence.