Inside the heart of a cancer cell. This cell originates from a squamous cell carcinoma, a type of skin cancer. The cell has been frozen and split open to reveal its nucleus (central red area). The nucleus of the cell holds the DNA, where mutations build up, resulting in the uncontrolled growth of the cancer.
Colour-enhanced scanning electron micrograph by Anne Weston.
B0006269

See also

The genetics of cancer (Human Genome website articles)