What are carcinogens?

Answer:
== Answer == Cancer-causing agents.
There are many stages in the normal control of a cell that carcinogens can attack, but the basic story is this:

Some carcinogens cause mutations that make abnormal cells and some carcinogens deactivate the p53 gene which causes abnormal cells to commit suicide, so now there is an abnormal cell that will live longer and hence produce more daughter cells which will do the same. These cells usually do not "stick" very well to other cells around them and so detach and invade blood vessels and spread to other parts of the body where they disrupt the normal function of those organs also.
First answer by ID1358905118. Last edit by ID0000000000. Question popularity: 22 [recommend question].