Biology of Cancer Flashcards
Define Cancer
a group of diseases characterised by unregulated cell growth followed by the invasion and spread of cells from the site of origin to other sites in the body.
What % of Cancers arise in Epithelial Cells? Why
85%
it is a site of constant proliferation
What is a Cancer of Epithelial Origin Called?
Carcinoma
What is a Cancer of Mesodermal Tissues Called?
Sarcomas
What is a Cancer of Glandular Tissues Called?
Adenocarcinomas
Define Senescent
cell no longer replicates
At what point do Cells become Senescent
- at the end of each chromosome = telomere
a telomere is a repeated sequence of DNA - telomere shortens with every round of replication
- cell stops dividing when telomere reaches a certain length
What are the 6 Hallmarks of Cancer? Add 2 Extra Hallmarks
- Sustaining Proliferative Signalling
- Evading Growth Suppressors
- Activate Invasion and Metasis
- Enabling Replicative Immortality
- Induing Angiogenesis
- Resisting Cell Death
- Deregulating Cellular Energetics
- Avoiding Immune Destruction
Give 2 Enabling Characterstics of Cancer which Enhances the Hallmarks
- Genome Instability and Mutation
- by causing dna to be faulty, it causes genome instability, passes down onto daughter cells - Tumour Promoting Inflammation
- all malignant cells contain inflammatory cells
- can release reactive species, growth factors and enzymes
Give 6 Environmental Factors Causing Cancer
smoking
obesity
radiation
diet
alcohol use
chemicals
How is the Epidemiology of Nutrition and Cancer Found?
the links between cancer, nutrition and migration
- someone moves from low risk to high risk areas
- new local diets are adopted
What 7 Cancers can Unhealthy Diets Lead to?
Oral and Upper Throat
Larynx
Oesophagus
Lung
Stomach
Bowel
What are the 3 Dietary Cancer Causative Factors?
- Genotoxic agents in food - dietary carcinogenics
- Lack of specific nutrients
- Public health Issues - alcohol and obesity
Give 3 Genotoxic Contaminants and Where they are found in Food
Aflatoxin and Fumonsin B
- mold growing on poorly stored food
Heterocyclic Amines
- high heat cooked meats like BBQ
Polychlorinated Biphenols
- occur in farmed salmons
- in a process called biomagnification, goes through the food chain
Which Deficient Nutrient Increases the Risk for Colorectal Cancer
Vitamin B9 (Folate)
How does Folate Deficiency Increase risk for Cancer? (6)
- hypomethylation of DNA
- inhibits production of dTMP
(deoxyythymidine monophosphate)
= imbalance of nucleotide availability
- Uracil incorporated into DNA due to no Thymine
- DNA repair to remove u and place with T but makes DNA breaks
= increased frequency of mutations
What 4 Cancers are Alcohol a Risk Factor?
oral, breast, colon and liver
How does Alcohol Increase the Risk for Cancer?
Ethanol is metabolised into Acetylaldehyde by endogenous alcohol dehydrogenase
- binds to DNA
= DNA adducts - have a cancer chemical bound to it - causes mutations
After Drinking Alcohol, How much more Acetylaldehyde is Present in the Saliva?
100x
What are the 6 Common Cancer Tissues from Which Obesity Has a High Risk association
- breast
- colorectal
- endometrium
- oesophagus
- kidney
- liver
- multiple myeloma