Which of the following statements about cancer is false?

The understanding of cancer and its development is nuanced. While mutations in cancer-critical genes, including oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes, play a pivotal role in tumorigenesis, it is important to note that the transformation of a normal cell into a cancer cell typically requires multiple genetic alterations rather than a single mutation. This process involves a gradual accumulation of mutations that provide growth advantages and enable evasion of the normal regulatory mechanisms of cell growth and death.

In most cases, a single mutation in a cancer-critical gene alone may not be enough to fully convert a normal cell into a cancerous one. Instead, the multistep model of cancer emphasizes that the progression to cancer often depends on a series of mutations that collectively lead to the hallmarks of cancer, such as sustained proliferative signaling, evasion of growth suppressors, and resistance to cell death. This reflects the complexity of cancer development and highlights why statement C is misleading within the context of cancer biology.

Other statements regarding the role of viruses in cancer, the nature of cancer as a disease characterized by enhanced growth and reduced apoptosis, and the effects of carcinogens clearly align with established scientific knowledge, supporting their validity.