Cancer

Question 1

What does oncology refer to?

Answer 1

The study of tumors and their treatments

Question 1

What does cancer refer to?

Answer 1

The uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells within the body

Question 2

What are malignant cells composed of?

Answer 2

Less well-differentiated cells that have lost the ability to control both cell proliferation and differentiation into a mature cell

Question 3

What are the five phases of the cell cycle?

Answer 3

1) G zero
2) G1
3) S
4) G2
5) M

Question 4

What is the leading cause of premature death in Canada?

Answer 4

Cancer

Question 5

What is the most common cause of cancer for women?

Answer 5

Breast cancer

Question 6

What is the most common cause of cancer for men?

Answer 6

Colorectal cancer

Question 7

What is the most common cause of cancer for both women and men?

Answer 7

Lung cancer

Question 8

What are the indirect costs of cancer care?

Answer 8

• Losses in time
• Economic productivity

Question 9

What are the two main phases of the cell cycle?

Answer 9

• Synthesis (S Phase)
• Mitosis (M Phase)

Question 10

In reference to the cell cycle, what does the G phase refer to?

Answer 10

The cell is metabolically growing enzymes or proteins in preparation for DNA synthesis or mitotic division

Question 11

In reference to the cell cycle, what does the G zero phase refer to?

Answer 11

A state of dormancy where they are not actively proliferating

Question 12

What cell phase differs in duration time?

Answer 12

G1 can vary from a few hours to several days

Question 13

What does cell differentiation refer to?

Answer 13

The process by which proliferating cells become specialized

Question 14

What are the three main categories of cells produced through cell differentiation and proliferation?

Answer 14

• Cells that never or rarely divide
• Cells that continue to proliferate and then die
• Cells produced through proliferation

Question 15

What are progenitor cells?

Answer 15

Cells that proliferate and die

Question 16

In reference to the cell cyle, what is the main purpose of check points?

Answer 16

Helps to regulate cell damage and repair

Question 17

How are cancer cells able to complete the cell cycle so quickly?

Answer 17

By decreasing the length of time spent in the G1 phase and avoiding the G phase

Question 18

In reference to cell cycle, what is the purpose of the G1-S checkpoint?

Answer 18

To monitors whether the DNA in the chromosomes is damaged by radiation or chemicals

Question 19

In reference to cell cycle, what is the purpose of the G2 checkpoint?

Answer 19

Prevents entry into mitosis if DNA replication is not complete

Question 20

In reference to cell cycle, why is the transition from G2 to M considered the most important checkpoint?

Answer 20

Prevents entry into mitosis if DNA replication is not complete

Question 21

What does carcinogenesis refer to?

Answer 21

The process by which normal cells are transformed into cancer cells

Question 22

What causes carcinogenesis?

Answer 22

Mutation of the genetic material of normal cells that disrupts the normal balance between proliferation and cell death

Question 23

What is the main difference between cancer cells and normal cells?

Answer 23

Normal cells undergo a finite number of divisions before it completely stops, wheras cancer cells have the capacity to undergo infinite number of cell divisions

Question 24

What does cancer refer to?

Answer 24

A disease in which a single normal body cell undergoes a genetic transformation into a cancer cell

Question 25

What are the three stages of carcinogenesis?

Answer 25

1) Initiation 2) Promotion 3) Progression

Question 26

In reference to the three stages of carcinogenesis, what does initiation refer to?

Answer 26

The exposure of cells to appropriate doses of carcinogenic agent that makes them susceptible to malignant transformation.

Question 27

What does carcinogenic agents refer to?

Answer 27

Chemicals, physical or biological agent that produces irreversible changes in the genome of a previously normal cell

Question 28

In reference to the three stages of carcinogenesis, what does promotion refer to?

Answer 28

Involves the unregulated and accelerated growth of the mutated cells

Question 29

In reference to the second stage of carcinogenesis, what does dysplasia refer to?

Answer 29

The abnormality of cell development during the promotion stage

Question 30

Dysplasia is often indicative of what early process?

Answer 30

Neoplastic process (mutated cells)

Question 31

In reference to the three stages of carcinogenesis, what does progression refer to?

Answer 31

When tumor cells acquire malignant changes and autonomous growth tendencies that promote invasiveness and metastatic capabilities

Question 32

In reference to the progression stage of carcinogenesis, what does in situ refer to?

Answer 32

Remains "in place" as in it does not invade past the basement membrane into tissues below the surface

Question 33

In reference to the progression stage of carcinogenesis, what happens at the final step of the sequence with invasive carcinoma?

Answer 33

It invades beyond the basement membrane and has potential to spread to other parts of the body

Question 34

Why is the sequential order of a DNA strand important?

Answer 34

It determines the message the overall gene contains