4. Interpreting Data On Cancer

Question 1

Genetic risk factors

Answer 1

Inherited alleles

If you inherit that allele you’re more likely to get that type of cancer

Question 2

Environmental risk factors

Answer 2

Radiation

Smoking

High fat diets

Question 3

What does polygamic mean ?

Answer 3

Some characteristics affected by many different genes and environmental issues

Question 4

Women and breast cancer

Answer 4

Incidence of breast cancer in women is always higher in women with closer family history of the disease

Genetic link

Question 5

Preventing cancer

Answer 5

Screen the mutation in persons dna

Preventative steps taken if we know the risk

Specific mutations always means more sensitive tests can be developed leading to earlier / accurate diagnoses

Question 6

What is a colonoscopy ?

Answer 6

Attaching camera onto long tube and passing it through colon

Question 7

Screening BRCA1

Answer 7

It’s possible to scene for the mutated allele of BRCA1 - tumour suppressor gene increasing risk of developing breast cancer in lifetime

Question 8

What may a women do if she had the BRCA1 mutation

Answer 8

Mastectomy to reduce risk of developing cancer

Wpmne with mutation also screened for signs of breast cancer more often then rest of population

Question 9

Bowl cancers

Answer 9

RAS proto- oncogene in around half of all bowel cancer

Bowel cancers detected by looking for RAS mutation in dna in bowel

Question 10

Skin cancer

Answer 10

Mutation by B-RAF proto oncogene treated with species drug that inhibits the mutated B-RAF enzyme - this stops cells that express the mutation from growing

Skin scanners caused by other mutations can’t be treated this way