A1 Understand health issues page 30

Question 1

What factors are linked to the development of cancer?

Answer 1

Cancer is linked to genetics, environmental factors, and lifestyle choices, and can affect any organ system in the body.

Question 2

How does cancer affect the normal process of cell division and growth?

Answer 2

In cancer, cells divide too quickly and do not develop properly, leading to abnormal growth without regulation or control.

Question 3

What is apoptosis, and why is it important in normal cell function?

Answer 3

Apoptosis is the programmed cell death where old or damaged cells are deliberately destroyed, preventing abnormal growth.

Question 4

What happens when the mechanisms that regulate cell growth and death fail in cancerous processes?

Answer 4

When the mechanisms regulating cell growth and death fail, abnormal cells continue to divide uncontrollably, forming cancerous growths.

Question 5

What are tumours, and how do they form?

Answer 5

Tumours form when a cluster of abnormal cells grows uncontrollably, leading to a mass of tissue.

Question 6

What is the difference between localized and invasive cancerous growths?

Answer 6

Localized cancerous growths remain in one area and do not spread, while invasive cancers spread through the bloodstream or lymphatic system to other parts of the body.

Question 7

What is metastasis in cancer, and how does it occur?

Answer 7

Metastasis is the process by which cancer cells spread from the original site to other areas of the body, forming secondary tumours.