[Kim Jaeho's Life Story<211> The Pain and Hardships of Cancer Cells]

In 2015, among the causes of death in 35 OECD countries, circulatory diseases accounted for the highest at 36%, followed by cancer at 26%. However, in 2019, cancer was the leading cause of death in South Korea at 27.5%, followed by circulatory diseases?including heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, and hypertension?at 20.4%, and pneumonia at 7.9%. Until 2000, South Korea also had more deaths from circulatory diseases, but from 2001 onward, cancer deaths surpassed them, and the gap has since widened. This is why cancer inevitably causes greater fear among Koreans.

Today's cancer treatment targets cancer cells. The top priority is to surgically remove cancer masses from the body, and as a secondary measure, focus on killing cancer cells. Although technologies to detect and kill cancer cells have advanced significantly, unfortunately, cancer still does not heal well, and patients continue to suffer and die. The benefits of advancements in cancer treatment technology have mainly been enjoyed by pharmaceutical companies and hospitals.

Cancer cells are fundamentally different from pathogens like the COVID-19 virus, which enter the body from outside. They were originally normal cells born within the body, helping the body's functions, a grateful presence. But one day, they suddenly harm the host body they served, even causing death, and are labeled as cancer cells?a sad and heartbreaking reality. From the moment their identity as cancer cells is revealed, a battle with harsh drugs ensues.

Under a microscope, cancer cells vary in size and shape, have large and dark nuclei, and form clusters, making them grotesque compared to normal cells. However, a closer look inside the cells shows that the difference between cancer cells and normal cells is not large. Out of about 20,000 genes in a cell, only a few dozen genes have mutated, but these mutated genes cause enormous trouble.

Among the mutated genes that show characteristics different from normal cells are those related to cell growth. Normal cells are designed not to divide under usual circumstances, and only when cell division is necessary do genes that produce proteins promoting growth turn on, allowing division. However, in cancer cells, these genes are mutated to be always on, causing continuous division.

Among the mutated genes showing different traits from normal cells are tumor suppressor genes as well. The p53 tumor suppressor gene stops cell division when the cell is damaged, activates DNA repair enzymes to fix the damage, and if the damage is too severe to repair, induces the cell to self-destruct. In cancer cells, the p53 gene is mutated and does not function, so damaged cells neither get repaired nor die.

To summarize the identity of cancer cells: cancer cells originate as normal cells. They were grateful cells that made our normal life possible. But one day, some genes in these normal cells mutated, turning them into cancer cells. From that moment, cancer cells behave completely differently. They stop performing their original functions and only engage in harmful activities, turning their host into a cancer patient.

According to experts, a life system designed in the form of genes inside cells prevents normal cells from mutating into cancer cells or stops cancer cells from growing well. Examples include normal cells not dividing unless necessary and cells that are too damaged or old self-destructing. Despite this, why do cancer cells arise and grow?

Normal cells are designed not to mutate into cancer cells easily in favorable environments, but if exposed to many carcinogens that mutate normal cells into cancer cells (see Life Story episode 86), or if living in difficult environments for cells or environments where immune cells cannot function well?so-called ‘cancer helpers’ (see episode 88)?the life system struggles to operate, increasing the likelihood that normal cells will turn into cancer cells.

Cancer cells can be likened to children who became robbers or gangsters due to poor parenting. The best approach is to raise children well from the start, and if they become robbers or gangsters, rather than expelling them, parents should reflect on their mistakes and embrace them with love to bring them back home, which can lead to better outcomes.

Similarly, the best prevention is to provide a good environment for the body's cells through a ‘life helper’ lifestyle (see episode 89) so that cells do not mutate into cancer cells. If one becomes a cancer patient, rather than desperately relying on harsh chemotherapy or radiation to kill cancer cells, it is better?even if late?to feel sorry for the cancer cells and faithfully live a life helper lifestyle. This gives cancer cells a chance to revert to normal cells, allowing for much better outcomes, including natural healing.

Jaeho Kim, Independent Researcher