![Failure of DNA repair mechanisms[Credits : Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.]](http://media-2.web.britannica.com/eb-media/47/69647-004-FD48EF40.jpg)
DNA repair mechanisms maintain the integrity of DNA, which often acquires mutations during replication. If these mechanisms fail, or if the cell does not undergo apoptosis (a genetically encoded cell “suicide”), more mutations may occur, and the cells will proliferate. If the proliferation is slow and localized to the area in which it begins, the result is a benign tumour. With fast, uncontrolled growth and the invasion of other tissues, a malignant tumour arises.
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