Cancer

Question 1

What is Cancer?

Answer 1

A disease caused by an uncontrolled
division of abnormal cells

Question 2

What are the four cancer cell characteristics?

Answer 2

1) They Divide Indefinitely
2) They Remain Undifferentiated
3) They undergo metastasis
4) They lack inhibition
5) They undergo angiogenic

Question 3

How do cancer cells divide indefinitely?

Answer 3

Normal cells can be divided a limited number of times but cancer cells never lose their ability to divide.

Question 4

How do cancer cells lack inhibition (respect of boundaries)?

Answer 4

Normal cells divided until they bump up against other cells or tissues but cancer cells ignore signals and continue to divide, piling up like a mountain.

Question 5

How do cancer cells remain undifferentiated?

Answer 5

Cancer cells have a nonbiological function and look physically different from healthy cells. A difference between cells in the colon can distinct this.

Question 6

How do cancer cells undergo metastasis?

Answer 6

Because they spread almost anywhere, cancer cells break away from where they first formed to travel through the blood and lymph system to form tumors in new areas of your body as all they need is blood to do it.

Question 7

How do cancer cells undergo angiogenesis?

Answer 7

Cancer cells release molecules that send signals to surrounding normal host tissue, activating certain genes in a person’s tissue to make proteins that encourage more growth of blood vessels for cancer to continue forming.

Question 8

What is stage one of cancer?

Answer 8

See a tumor that is small but has not grown outside organ it initiated in.

Question 9

What is stage two of cancer?

Answer 9

The tumor is larger in size but has not spread to nearby tissues.

Question 10

What is stage three of cancer?

Answer 10

The tumor is larger and has spread to both tissues and lymph nodes (stores red blood cells), meaning you can see cancer.

Question 11

What is stage four of cancer?

Answer 11

The tumor has spread through the blood/lymphatic system and now undergoes metastasis meaning the cancer is spreading.

Question 12

What are benign tumors and it’s characteristics?

Answer 12

non-cancerous, non-invasive,
does not spread to other tissues, slow-growing, easier to remove, less chance of recurrence type of tumor. It’s usually treated with surgery.

Question 13

What are malignant tumors and their characteristics?

Answer 13

cancerous, invasive, spreads
to other tissues through blood and lymph, fast-growing, harder to remove, high chance of
recurrence type of tumor. It’s usually treated w/ chemotherapy,
radiation, or immunotherapy

Question 14

What is the function of tumor suppressor genes (TSGs)?

Answer 14

They stop and prevent cancer from forming.

Question 15

Where do TSGs come from and it’s effect?

Answer 15

We get one for each of your parents. If born normal, suppressor genes function normally. When both genes are mutated, they stop preventing cancer causing the cells to have no fight against tumors. If you have one copy working from one parent and other that can’t, you have some ability to prevent cancer but not that much.

Question 16

What happens when one of the tumor suppressor genes mutates and is no longer functional?

Answer 16

You are still able to fight against tumors but not as strong as individuals with two strong tumor suppressor genes.

Question 17

What happens when both mutate and are no longer functional?

Answer 17

You ultimately have no resistance against cancer and are more prone to get tumors.

Question 18

What is the difference between sporadic cancer and inherited cancer?

Answer 18

Sporadic cancers develop over time and 95% of patients fall into this category. Because carcinogen is a chemical that increases cancer, the longer you live, the more you are exposed to things that cause mutations. Generally people in this category have two normal TSGs accumulation can cause mutations. Because it takes longer to develop this cancer, you get diagnosed later in life. Inherited cancer is diagnosed early in life and people have mutations in one or both TSGs. 5% of the population has this cancer.

Question 19

What steps can you take if you believe a certain type of cancer runs in the family?

Answer 19

Get genetic testing and initiate outside activities

Question 20

Which risk factors are the largest contributors to cancer-related deaths?

Answer 20

Tobacco (30%), Adult diet/obesity (30%), and Inherited cancer (5%).

Question 21

What are the top three cancers men are diagnosed with each year?

Answer 21

1) Prostate
2) Lung/Bronchus
3) Colon & Rectum

Question 22

What are the top three cancers women are diagnosed with each year?

Answer 22

1) Breast
2) Lung/Bronchus
3) Colon/Rectum

Question 23

Which cancer is most likely to cause death in men and women?

Answer 23

Lung/Bronchus

Question 24

What is the risk factors of breast cancer, screening age and type of test?

Answer 24

Risk factors include obesity, consumption of alcohol, and taking hormone therapy for menopause. Screening age is 40 and a mammogram, an x-ray, is used for test.

Question 25

What is the risk factors of prostate cancer, screening age and type of test?

Answer 25

Obesity and Race (African American Men) are risk factors. Screening starts at age 50 and both a Prostate Specific antigen (PSA) blood test (PSA is a protein produced by the prostate gland. Elevated PSA may be a sign for prostate cancer) and digital rectal exam (physical exam where the doctor feels the back wall of the prostate gland for enlargement) are the types of the test involved.

Question 26

What is the risk factors of lung cancer, screening age and type of test?

Answer 26

Tobacco use from cigarette, cigars, and pipe smoking, exposure to secondhand smoke, and exposure to asbestos (material added to homes to prevent fires from spreading quickly. If inhaled, can cause carcinogens which lead to cancer) are all risk factors. Screening starts at age 55 for people who have smoked 1 pack of cigarettes per day for 30 years, people who are still smoking, or people who have quit smoking in the past 15 years. The test is a low dose CT scan which is a lower setting of radiation that still allows for a higher resolution picture.

Question 27

What is the risk factors of colon cancer, screening age and type of test?

Answer 27

A diet that is high in red meat, processed meats, and fats, a diet that is low in fiber, obesity, drinking alcohol, and tobacco use are all risk factors. Screening starts at age 45 and the tests involved are a stool-based test that looks for cancer cells in stool and a colonoscopy.

Question 28

How is surgery used to treat cancer and what are the risks involved?

Answer 28

Surgery physically removes cancer cells and the risks involve infection and reaction of general anesthesia.

Question 29

How is chemotherapy used to treat cancer and what are the risks involved?

Answer 29

Chemotherapy uses drugs to kill fast-growing cells in the body which includes cancer cells AND any healthy cells that divide quickly. Common side effects include: easy bruising, hair loss, nausea, fatigue and increase risk of infection.

Question 30

How is radiation therapy used to treat cancer and what are the risks involved?

Answer 30

Radiation damages the DNA of cancer cells and prevents them from dividing. Side effects include skin dryness, itchiness, blistering, or peeling; secondary cancer formation due to lack of proper position from radiation.