Read the given statement and select the option that correctly fills the blanks (A) and (B). Cells of malignant tumors actively damage surrounding normal tissues by ____(A)____ and exhibit the most feared property called ____(B)____.

Step-by-step solution

According to NCERT, cells of malignant tumors grow very rapidly, invading and damaging the surrounding normal tissues. As these cells actively divide and grow, they starve the normal cells by competing for vital nutrients (Blank A). Cells sloughed from such tumors reach distant sites through blood and start a new tumor there. This property is called metastasis (Blank B), which is the most feared property of malignant tumors. Contact inhibition is a property of normal cells, not malignant ones. Answer: (A) competing