cancer Flashcards
what is cancer ?
a group of disorders caused by a growth disorder ,usually where cells divide uncontrollably .
what is a tumour ?
a mass of abnormal cells that divide uncontrollably
What is neoplasm ?
A neoplasm is a type of abnormal and excessive growth of tissue
What is a mutation ?
An alteration in the nucleic acid sequence of an organism
What is a benign tumor ?
A mass of cells that does not invade neighbouring tissue or metastasise
Cancer is a result of …
A mutation in the genes that regulate mitosis
What happens if the genes that regulate mitosis mutate
Non functioning proteins are made ,mitosis is not regulated .uncontrollable division of cells and the creation of a tumor .
Give the main features of a benign tumor ?
Grow potentially very large but at a slow rate
They are non cancerous because they produce adhesion molecules sticking them together and to a particular tissue
They are often surrounded by a capsule so they remain compact and can be removed in surgery and rarely return
The impact is localised and usually non life threatening depending on the tumor location
Give the features of malignant tumors ?
These are cancerous and grow large large rapidly
The nucleus becomes large and the cell can become unspecialised