Cancer

Question 1

What is cancer?

Answer 1

The formation of a tumor due to uncontrolled cell division.

Question 2

What are the differences between malignant and benign tumors?

Answer 2

1. Malignant grow rapidly.
2. Malignant cans spread to other parts of the body.

Question 3

What genes control cell division?

Answer 3

1. tumor suppressor genes
2. photoncogenes

Question 4

How do tumor suppressor genes control cell division?

Answer 4

They are transcribed to form proteins that slow down cell division and trigger cells to self-destruct (apostasis)

Question 5

How do photoncogenes control cell division?

Answer 5

They are transcribed to form proteins called growth factors that bind to receptors on cells and trigger them to divide. This increases cell division.

Question 6

What effect does a mutation in the tumor suppressor genes have?

Answer 6

A mutation in the tumor suppressor genes could mean it doesn’t produce the proteins needed to slow down cell division. This could lead to uncontrolled cell division and the formation of a tumor.

Question 7

What effect does a mutation in the photoncogenes have?

Answer 7

A mutation in the photoncogenes could mean it produces the proteins needed to speed up cell division. This could lead to uncontrolled cell division and the formation of a tumor.

Question 8

How does estrogen lead to cancer?

Answer 8

Oestrogen increases the rate of cell division. The faster the rate of cell division the higher the chance of the cells becoming cancerous. The presence of estrogen means that these cancerous cells will divide rapidly and form tumors.

Question 9

How can epigenetics lead to cancer?

Answer 9

1. The hypermethylation of tumor suppressor genes means that it is not transcribed and does not produce the proteins needed to slow down cell division.
2. The hypomethylation of protooncogenes means they are transcribed more and release proteins that increase the rate of cell division.