Cancer is characterized by which of the following?

• A. Decreased cell division
• B. Normal growth
• C. Uncontrolled cell growth
• D. Random mutation

Answer: (C)

Uncontrolled cell growth is the defining feature here. Cancer arises when mutations disrupt the normal regulators of the cell cycle—signals that tell cells when to divide and safeguards that stop division when it’s not needed. With these controls impaired, cells keep proliferating beyond normal limits, can form tumors, and may invade other tissues. This contrasts with decreased cell division or normal, well-regulated growth. Random mutations can occur in many cells, but cancer specifically reflects sustained, unregulated proliferation driven by those regulatory failures.