Cancer Vocabulary
a non cancerous mass of abnormal cells
What are the names of the main phases of the cell cycle?
G1, S PHASE, G2, M PHASE
What is happening with cancer at a cellular level?
Rapid and abnormal cell division
What age group is most likely to get cancer?
Older people (65-75)
What happens to a cancerous cell's shape?
Enlarges or deforms compared to the healthy cell
What is Metastasized?
Cancer cells that have traveled from their original tumor and created a tumor elsewhere
What is the name of the protein that checks the cell at G1 and G2?
p53
What is happening with cancer at a tissue level?
Abnormal cells form a tumor
What is the most common cancer in women?
breast
What happens to the cancerous cell's nucleus?
Enlarges compared to the healthy cell
What is the p53 protein?
Tumor suppressor to prevent cancer cells from forming
What is the first phase of the cell cycle?
Interphase
What is happening with cancer at a organ level?
tumor invades the organ, steals the organs nutrients and disrupts it's function
How many copies of p53 do humans have?
1
What happens to the cancerous cell that affects it's job?
the cancerous cell looses it's special feature
What is a Malignant Tumor?
Cancer cells that have traveled from their original tumor and created a tumor elsewhere
What is the name of the process that is specifically the cell membrane dividing?
Cytokinesis
What is happening with cancer at organ system level?
disrupts organ system functions
What is the most common cancer in men?
Prostate
What is the main difference between the cancer cell cycle and the healthy cell cycle?
Rapid division/ does not have p53 checking the cell prior to division
Stage 1-4
What are the four steps of mitosis?
Prophase, Metaphase, Anaphase, Telophase
What is happening with cancer at a organism level?
The organism with have a tumor that is stealing nutrients and disrupting physiological functions
Are larger mammals more or less likely to get cancer? Why?
Less likely due to having 20 copies of p53 protein
What ability do cancer cells lack, that prevent it from self destructing when mutations are sensed?
Apoptosis