21 WHEN THINGS GO VERY WRONG: CANCER Flashcards
What is the most feared malady according to the text?
Cancer
This fear is a relatively recent phenomenon.
In 1896, which diseases were more commonly feared than cancer?
- Diphtheria
- Smallpox
- Tuberculosis
- Lockjaw
- Drowning
- Rabid animal bites
- Earthquakes
What significant change occurred in cancer’s status as a cause of death between 1900 and 1940?
Cancer rose from eighth place to second place as a cause of death.
What percentage of people will discover they have cancer at some point in their lives?
40 percent
What is the common misconception about cancer?
That it is something we catch, like a bacterial infection.
What are the six attributes that all cancer cells have according to a landmark paper in 2000?
- Divide without limit
- Grow without direction
- Engage in angiogenesis
- Disregard signals to stop growing
- Fail to succumb to apoptosis
- Metastasize
True or False: Cancer is contagious.
False
What does cancer do to the body’s normal functions?
It turns on itself, proliferating in its own interests.
What is a characteristic of cancer cells compared to normal cells?
They proliferate wildly and avoid detection.
What is meant by the term ‘sleeper’ cells in cancer?
Cells that can lie dormant for years before becoming active again.
What is the relationship between age and cancer risk?
Cancer risk increases with age, especially after sixty.
Fill in the blank: More than half of cancer cases are caused by _______.
lifestyle factors
Who first noted a connection between environmental factors and cancer?
Percivall Pott
What was the specific type of cancer linked to chimney sweeps?
Scrotal cancer
What percentage of cancers in the developed world are attributed to viruses?
6 percent
What is a significant source of cancers that is often overlooked?
Environmental exposures
What is the relationship between smoking and cancer?
Smoking is a significant cause of various cancers.
What does the American Cancer Society say about being overweight?
There is a significant association between being overweight and various cancers.
What kind of cancer did Fanny Burney develop?
Breast cancer
Describe the surgical treatment for breast cancer in the early 1800s.
Mastectomy, which was painful and often lethal.
What was the public perception of cancer treatment in the early 19th century?
It was horrifying and often resulted in severe suffering.
What is the estimated chance of men developing cancer by age sixty?
1 in 3
What does it mean when cancer cells ‘go into hibernation’?
They can lie dormant until conditions are favorable for growth.
True or False: Environmental pollutants have been extensively studied for their cancer-causing effects.
False
What was the duration of Fanny Burney’s surgical procedure?
Seventeen and a half minutes
Who was the surgeon that performed Fanny Burney’s operation?
Dubois
What significant surgical technique did William Stewart Halsted develop?
Radical mastectomy
What did Halsted believe about the spread of breast cancer?
That it spread by radiating outward, like wine spilled on a tablecloth
What is Halsted commonly referred to as in the context of American surgery?
The father of American surgery
Fill in the blank: Halsted became the first professor of surgery at _______.
Johns Hopkins Medical School
What addiction did William Stewart Halsted struggle with during his career?
Cocaine addiction
What was the notable result of Halsted’s radical mastectomy technique?
About a third of his patients survived for at least three years
Who challenged Halsted’s theory on breast cancer spread?
Stephen Paget
What was the outcome of Gunda Lawrence’s treatment at the Mayo Clinic?
Her cancer went into remission and she lived another twenty-two years
What substance did Emil H. Grubbe use on cancer patients in 1896?
X-rays
What was the main cause of childhood cancers, accounting for about 80 percent of cases?
Acute lymphoblastic leukemia
What was the five-year survival rate for childhood cancer fifty years ago?
Less than 0.1 percent
What approach did Donald Pinkel take in 1968 to treat leukemia?
He used high dosages of drugs in combinations
What is one of the collateral damages of cancer treatment mentioned?
Damage to hair cells causing hair loss
What was the name of the popular over-the-counter painkiller made with diluted radium?
Radithor
True or False: Radium was initially believed to be wholly beneficial.
True
What did the SS John Harvey carry that was involved in a bombing raid in 1943?
Mustard gas bombs
Fill in the blank: The average radium dial painter swallowed about a teaspoon of _______ a week.
Radioactive material
What was the significant breakthrough in childhood cancer treatment achieved by Donald Pinkel?
Improved survival rates through aggressive drug treatment
What did Halsted invent that is still used in surgery today?
Surgical glove
What did Halsted’s radical mastectomy involve removing?
The whole breast, surrounding chest muscles, lymph nodes, and sometimes ribs
Who were the founders of the field of radiation therapy?
Marie and Pierre Curie
What innovative device did Ernest Lawrence invent?
Cyclotron
What is a significant fraction of childhood cancer deaths attributed to?
Treatments for cancer
Treatments can cause collateral damage to healthy cells, leading to complications.
What is one visible manifestation of chemotherapy side effects?
Hair loss
Damage to hair cells is a common side effect of chemotherapy.
What long-term risks do girls face after chemotherapy?
Earlier menopause and ovarian failures
Chemotherapy can affect reproductive health in girls.
By what percentage have death rates from various cancers fallen in the developed world over the last twenty-five years?
Between 25 and 90 percent
This decline is observed in cancers such as lung, colon, prostate, and breast cancer.
How many fewer people have died of cancer in the United States in the last thirty years?
2.4 million
This figure reflects improved treatment and detection methods.
What is the dream of many cancer researchers regarding early detection?
To detect tiny changes in blood, urine, or saliva that indicate early onset of cancer
Early detection could lead to more effective treatment.
What challenge exists even when cancer is detected early?
Determining whether it is aggressive or benign
This uncertainty complicates treatment decisions.
What percentage of cancer research funding is estimated to be spent on prevention?
2 to 3 percent
This highlights a focus on curing rather than preventing cancer.
What emotional sentiment did Josef express about advancements in cancer treatment?
Satisfaction knowing most children will be cured
Josef reflects on the positive changes over a generation.
What is the ultimate dream expressed by Josef regarding childhood cancer?
Preventing children from needing treatment at all
This reflects a desire for a future without childhood cancer.
True or False: The word ‘cancer’ originally described any non-healing sore.
True
The term has evolved over time to refer specifically to tumors.
