Kreftprogresjon

Kreftprogresjon, also known as tumor progression, refers to the process by which cancer cells acquire new characteristics that allow the tumor to become more aggressive and difficult to treat over time. This concept is central to understanding why cancers can change their behavior.

The progression typically involves a series of irreversible genetic and epigenetic changes within the cancer cells. These changes accumulate, leading to increased growth speed, the ability to invade surrounding healthy tissues, and eventually, the capacity to metastasize, or spread to distant organs through the bloodstream or lymphatic system. This evolution often means the tumor becomes less differentiated, losing the features of its original tissue.

A key driver of kreftprogresjon is tumor heterogeneity. A single tumor is not a uniform mass of identical cells but a collection of diverse subpopulations. As the tumor grows, natural selection favors the survival and multiplication of the most aggressive and resilient cell variants. These dominant subclones are often resistant to therapies that may have been effective against the original cancer cells.

This ongoing evolution is why a cancer that was initially responsive to treatment can later relapse with a more resistant form. Monitoring kreftprogresjon is therefore critical for oncologists to adapt treatment strategies, potentially requiring a shift to different drugs or approaches as the disease advances.