An organ like breast or ovary is made up of various tissues, which essentially comprises various cell types, then why is that majority of cancers reported are of epithelial origin? Are epithelial cells more vulnerable or prone to become malignant? Any explanation?
I think their potential for rapid expansion, their exposure to environmental toxins and response to hormonal stimulation makes them targets for genetic alterations. Also they are more numerous then other cell types.
Epithelial cells line the exterior surface of most organs and serve as the barrier between the organism and its environment. They are the cells that carcinogens encounter first. Epithelial cells are also designed to proliferate constantly, & thus have more chances to make genetic errors in replication (cancers). For the opposite reasons, (primary) heart cancer is so rare because cardiomyocytes (heart cells) are terminally differentiated and do not normally undergo the cell cycle; they are also situated in the interior of the organ, and for this reason rarely encounter carcinogens. HTH.
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