As a subject matter expert in cellular biology, I can tell you that cancer cells, like normal cells, require oxygen to survive. However, the way they utilize oxygen can differ significantly. Oxygen is essential for cellular respiration, which is the process by which cells produce energy in the form of adenosine triphosphate (ATP).

Cancer cells often have altered metabolism compared to normal cells. They may rely more on a process called glycolysis, which is less efficient but allows for a quicker production of ATP even in the presence of oxygen. This phenomenon is known as the Warburg effect, where cancer cells ferment glucose to produce energy instead of using oxygen to do so. Despite this preference for glycolysis, cancer cells still need oxygen, especially for the synthesis of certain cellular components and to prevent the accumulation of toxic byproducts from glycolysis.

Moreover, oxygen can also play a role in the immune response against cancer. Certain immune cells, like macrophages and neutrophils, use oxygen to produce reactive oxygen species (ROS) that can kill cancer cells. However, cancer cells have developed mechanisms to resist these ROS and survive.

In summary, while cancer cells can survive in oxygen, they may do so through different metabolic pathways and have adapted to handle the presence of oxygen in various ways.

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We need oxygen to survive. Even the cells in the deepest, darkest parts of our body can't live without it. But some cancer cells adapt to survive in very low oxygen levels, and these end up being some of the most difficult to treat.read more >>