Why Cancer is so Hard to Beat

This is what occurs when your body combats cancer—a spectacle more exhilarating than any movie. How does this struggle for survival unfold?

1. The Elimination Phase It all commences with a solitary corrupted cell. It loses its ability to mend its genetic code, no longer capable of self-destruction, and begins to replicate rapidly. At this stage, the situation is not yet dire, but it is far from ideal. This cell is not currently dangerous, but if left unchecked, it will soon become so.

Over a span of several weeks, the corrupted cell continues to reproduce itself. One cell transforms into dozens, then hundreds, and eventually thousands. Due to the initial cell's flaws, its copies further deteriorate and mutate. They diverge into various genetic lineages, forming alliances and engaging in competition. Some mutations render them weaker, while others remain unchanged. A few, however, become stronger and more adept at survival. Together, they constitute a minuscule, incipient tumor—on the verge of becoming cancerous.

The growing tumor demands a significant amount of resources. Without nourishment and oxygen, the cells within it would perish, resolving the problem naturally. Unfortunately, a few corrupted cells acquire a new mutation that ensures their survival: the ability to stimulate the growth of new blood vessels. Consequently, your body supplies the necessary provisions to sustain them. However, as the tumor continues to expand, it instigates harm. Neighboring healthy cells begin to wither and expire, drawing attention. In a way, this diminutive tumor resembles a renegade town.

Imagine a group of rebels in Brooklyn who decide to secede from New York and establish a new settlement called Tumor Town, coincidentally occupying the same area. The nascent city strives to grow, thus demanding copious amounts of steel beams, cement, and drywall. New structures emerge without order, poorly planned, unsightly, and perilously askew. They are constructed right in the middle of streets, atop playgrounds, and upon existing infrastructure. The old neighborhood is either demolished or overwhelmed to make way for these new structures. Many former residents find themselves trapped amidst this chaos, gradually succumbing to starvation. This continues until the putrid odor of death attracts attention. Building inspectors and law enforcement personnel intervene.

In your body, your immune system is activated by the putrid scent of deceased cells. First responders in the form of immune cells invade the tumor: Macrophages and Natural Killer Cells, acting as police forces, promptly commence their work by eliminating and engulfing tumor cells. They release chemical signals to alert the entire immune system of the presence of cancer that must be eradicated. Dendritic Cells, the intelligence officers of your immune system, gather samples of deceased tumor cells and initiate the activation of your heavy weaponry: Helper and Killer T Cells. Although these specialized super weapons have been explained in another video, all you need to know is that they possess a comprehensive library that identifies all the threats your body may face.

While each cancer is unique, there are genetic aberrations that they cannot conceal. Your T Cells know what to search for. They are the most formidable cancer-killing forces at your disposal.

By the time they arrive, the tumor has grown to hundreds of thousands of cells, but this is about to change. T Cells impede the growth of new blood vessels, thereby depriving thousands of tumor cells of sustenance and halting their expansion. Picture the building inspectors cutting off electricity and water supply, as well as erecting roadblocks to Tumor Town, preventing the delivery of further nourishment and materials. With no means to elude the unfolding carnage, the tumor collapses as hundreds of thousands of tumor cells are massacred. Their remains are cleansed and consumed by Macrophages, which subsequently instruct healthy tissues to regenerate. Your body has ruthlessly crushed the illicit Tumor Town.

You will never be aware of this battle or how many times it has taken place within your body. Except... in this instance, something didn't go as planned.

2. The Equilibrium Phase Regrettably, natural selection undermines your victory. In its fervor to annihilate the tumor, your immune system inadvertently favors the fittest tumor cells. Remember, the tumor comprises various lineages that continue to grow and mutate. Most of them are eradicated, but a few prove to be more resilient. One cell survives—a product of the fittest tumor lineage and slightly more adept at enduring the massacre than the rest. It chooses to embark on the same path once again, but this time, with greater refinement.

This particular tumor cell possesses greater strength than the multitude that were previously eliminated. Perhaps it excels at concealment or counterattacks. Maybe it exhibits accelerated growth or superior resource acquisition. It could survive with minimal oxygen. And so, the cycle begins anew.

It's akin to the surviving rebels of Tumor Town having learned from their past experiences. They grasp the laws better and know how to circumvent them. They understand which permits aid them and how to elude the authorities. Consequently, the surviving tumor cell generates thousands of mutating copies, giving rise to new lineages. Once again, a tumor emerges, composed of more resilient cells. However, the immune system remains indifferent, armed with experience this time. Instead of commencing with regular police intervention, SWAT teams storm Tumor Town, obliterating its inhabitants without mercy.

But once again, not everyone is eradicated. One cell survives—a fitter tumor cell originating from an already robust lineage. This time, it dons a cheap suit, studies the building codes, and masquerades as a lawyer, setting the stage for the resurgence of Tumor Town. This struggle repeats several times, with the rebels gradually learning more about evading the law. If, at any point, the immune system eliminates all tumor cells, the story ends. However, in this case, it does not.

Finally, a tumor cell undergoes a transformation that renders it truly dangerous—a cancer cell capable of causing harm and taking lives. How does this occur? Immune cells possess an off switch that deactivates them before they can attack—an ostensibly sensible mechanism. After all, the immune system can be highly perilous and requires restraint, especially around the central nervous system. However, this off switch can be exploited. The mutated tumor cell discovers a means to disable the immune system by targeting inhibitor receptors on anticancer cells. Inhibitor receptors impede immune cells from executing their destructive functions.

This cell becomes the potent progenitor of a new lineage of cancer cells, mass-producing thousands of copies that further mutate and change. Thus, another Tumor Town emerges.

The Escape Phase

The new cancer cells have become immune to the immune system, altering the landscape entirely. Tumor Town has been rebuilt, even more unsightly and bizarre than before, but this time, the cancer city council has procured all sorts of permits. When building inspectors arrive to halt construction, they become perplexed. Confounded, they wander off, unable to issue orders to demolish the sprawling structures.

Police attempt to enter the illicit city to apprehend the builders and subdue the inhabitants. However, Tumor Town has erected its own roadblocks, effectively preventing law enforcement from entering. Confused officers stand idle, devoid of a course of action.

As Tumor Town gradually engulfs the former Brooklyn, and as more innocent lives are lost, T Cell SWAT teams arrive to terminate this abomination. However, the situation worsens—new lineages of Tumor Town officials begin fabricating court documents that instruct the police to open fire on the SWAT teams.

At this stage, cancer cells actively suppress immune defenses by transmitting corrupted signals. The malignant tumor, no longer vulnerable, establishes the Cancer Microenvironment—a sort of impregnable borderland. All avenues of attack are sealed off, resulting in uncontrollable growth. This is a perilous tumor. Strong cells capable of combating and repelling the immune system push back, expanding further. With additional mutations, some cancer cells venture into uncharted territory, infiltrating other tissues to construct new settlements.

This is precisely what renders cancer so harmful—it usurps space and monopolizes nutrients, leaving little room for your true self to function. If this persists for an extended period, organ failure becomes inevitable.

However, this strategy leads to a dead end. The more successful cancer becomes, the more destruction it wreaks upon its own world. When the body succumbs, so does the cancer. It is truly a game without winners.

Except humanity intends to emerge victorious from this game. Currently, hundreds of thousands of scientists are diligently working on novel and improved methods to vanquish cancer, to eradicate and obliterate Tumor Towns once and for all. In recent years, immunotherapy has made remarkable strides—an innovative treatment wherein your own immune cells are modified to surpass the efficacy of any medication in killing cancer cells. It's akin to equipping your building inspectors with machine guns and flamethrowers. But that is a tale for another time—for now, cancer remains a battleground. However, if human ingenuity is to be trusted, then one day, perhaps in the not-too-distant future, we will triumphantly eradicate it once and for all.