Cancer Flashcards
What is cancer?
An uncontrolled rapid division of cells, forming a tumour.
Why do most mutations usually not lead to cancer?
Mutations usually result in early cell death caused by the immune system.
What is a carcinogen?
Any agents that can cause cancer.
Give 3 examples of carcinogens.
UV light
Tar in tobacco smoke
X-rays
What is a benign tumour?
A tumour that doesn’t spread from it’s original site.
What is a malignant tumour?
A cancerous tumour. They can break off the original tumour and travel through the blood/lymphatic system to attach to other parts of the body and form secondary growths
What is the spreading of cancer called?
Metastasis.
What can malignant tumours do to organs?
They can interfere with their functioning so may not perform as expected.
State a cause of cancer, aside from carcinogens.
Mutated genes.
Give 2 explanations of how cancer drugs work.
Inhibit synthesis of DNA nucleotides in the cell.
Prevent formation of the mitotic spindle.
