understanding cancer
What is cancer?
a disease where cells divide uncontrollably + invade other tissues
What is the normal way that cells die?
apoptosis
How does cancer normally begin?
a single cell undergoing a mutation that disrupts normal cell growth
What is cancer prevention?
actions taken to lower the risk of getting cancer
Name 2 therapies used to treat cancer.
surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, hormone therapy, immunotherapy
Where in the leading causes of death in the US does cancer rank?
2nd
What is a proto-oncogene?
a gene that stimulates cell growth + division
What can trigger a cancerous mutation?
What are 2 ways to prevent cancer?
tumor-suppressor genes (to prevent uncontrolled growth)
What is a tumor?
a mass of tissue caused by uncontrolled cell growth
A tumor functions similarly to what? (has it's own blood supply, tissues, and growth factors)
an organ
What are DNA segments at the end of chromosomes that eventually trigger the cell to stop dividing?
telomeres
How many of all cancer cases are due to individual behaviors? (tobacco use, poor diet, excessive UV radiation, alcohol use)?
about 1/2
How is gene therapy used in cancer treatment?
targets particular genes where the cancer is occurring
What is a benign tumor?
a tumor that isn't cancerous and doesn't spread to other body parts
What's the difference between a monoclonal and a polyclonal tumor?
monoclonal- from one cell
polyclonal- from many different cells
Does cancer develop all at once?
no, it grows as the cells keep uncontrollably dividing
healthcare workers/providers
What is the goal of cancer research?
to diagnose and treat cancer as early as possible
What is the difference between a malignant and a metastatic tumor?
metastatic tumors have already spread to other parts of the body + are more harmful
Name one way a cancerous cell is different from a normal cell.
larger/multiple nuclei, grows faster + without control, can send signals to other cells, smaller cytoplasm, coarse chromatin
True or False: It never takes more than a couple of years for cancer to become malignant.
How does the US government play a role in cancer prevention/detection?
public policy regulations and investing in research to advance biomedical technologies that can detect and prevent cancer
Why do we need to improve cancer research?
to minimize damage done to healthy cells around the cancer cells