Cancer

Question 1

What is cancer caused by

Answer 1

Uncontrolled cell growth and division is a result of changes that occur to a cell and results in the formation of a tumour (a growth off abnormal cells)

Question 2

What is a benign tumour

Answer 2

• where the tumour grows until there’s no more room
• tumour stays in 1 place (usually within a membrane) rather then invading other tissues in the body
• This type isn’t normally dangerous, and tumour isn’t cancerous

Question 3

What is a malignant tumour

Answer 3

• the tumour grows and spreads to neighbouring healthy tissues
• cells can break off and spread to other parts of the body by travelling in the blood stream
• the malignant cells then invade healthy tissues elsewhere in the body and form secondary tumours
• Malignant tumours are dangerous and can be fatal — they are cancers

Question 4

What are cancer survival rates increased by

Answer 4

• Medical advances such as improved treatment
• being able to diagnose cancer earlier
• increased screening for the disease

Question 5

Which cancers does smoking increase the risk of

Answer 5

• it increases risk of lung cancer, mouth, bowel, stomach and cervical cancer
• most preventable

Question 6

Which cancers does obesity increase the risk of

Answer 6

• bowel
• liver
• kidney
• second most preventable

Question 7

Which cancers does UV exposure increase the risk of

Answer 7

• skin cancer
• people who live in sunny climates or spend a lot of time outside are at a higher risk

Question 8

What types of cancer can viral infection increase the risk of

Answer 8

E.g.
- hepatitis B and C can increase risk of liver cancer
- however these viruses infecting you can be dependent on your lifestyle

Question 9

Explain how risk factors linked with genetics increase susceptibility to various cancers

Answer 9

E.g.
- Mutations in the BRCA genes have been linked to an increased risk of developing breast and ovarian cancer