Cancer and Toxicology

Cancer is a term used to describe a group of diseases characterised by abnormal cell proliferation that has the potential to infiltrate or spread to other parts of the body. When genetic changes disrupt this normal mechanism, cancer develops. Cells begin to proliferate at an uncontrollable rate. These cells may clump together to form a tumour. Tumours can be malignant or benign (non-cancerous). A malignant tumour is one that has the potential to grow and spread to other regions of the body. The term "benign tumour" refers to a tumour that can develop but not spread.

We must challenge ourselves to approach cancer research differently in order to discover the next wave of therapeutics that will fight cancer in previously unforeseen ways. Toxicology is a branch of science that studies how chemicals interact with the body and cause harmful effects. Toxicology plays an important role in cancer research, starting with drug development and extending through vital clinical trial design considerations. Toxicologists who work early in the discovery process are collaborators in the search for that one molecule among thousands that can offer hope to patients. Another toxicologist's work may focus only on analyzing a particular candidate molecule later in the process, with the goal of determining how the investigational medicine can be safely provided to patients.