Final answer:
The first step in cancer growth is called 'initiation'. It involves a mutation in the cell's DNA, leading to possible carcinogenesis. This transformation is part of a multistep process that can ultimately result in a malignant tumor if additional genetic alterations occur. The correct option is c.
Step-by-step explanation:
The first step in cancer growth is called initiation. During initiation, an alteration occurs in the genetic structure of the cell (DNA), potentially leading to carcinogenesis. This change is generally due to a mutation, a permanent change in the DNA sequence of a cell.
These mutations may be influenced by environmental factors, infectious agents, or errors in the DNA replication process. Notably, not all mutations result in cancer, but those that affect crucial cell-regulation proteins can lead the cell to begin dividing abnormally.
As mutations accumulate, cells may lose their ability to form regular tissues, and if additional genetic changes occur, this can result in a mass of cells with abnormal architecture, or a tumor.
Tumors are benign when they do not cause disease or spread, but they are considered malignant, or cancerous, when they invade beyond their original tissue, promote new blood vessel formation, and metastasize to other parts of the body. The correct option is c.