cancer Flashcards
what is the ABCDE of skin cancer?
asymmetry, border irregularity, color not uniform, diameter greater than 6mm, evolving size, shape or color
what is density dependent inhibition?
cells form a single layer
what is anchorage dependence?
cells require a surface for a division
what happens in normal cells compared to cancer cells?
normal cells have anchorage dependence, density dependent inhibition, and encapsulation whereas cancer cells don’t exhibit any of this regulation it is metastatic
what are the characteristics of cancer cells?
uncontrolled mitosis due to increase in production, exceeds Hayflick limit, undergoes metastasis
what are the genes that cause cancer?
protooncogenes and oncogenes
what are proto oncogenes?
normal genes with the potential to become oncogenes, code for growth factors
what are oncogenes?
accelerators that cause cancer, can acquire this from a virus or from mutation if one of its own proto-oncogenes
what are tumor suppressor genes?
prevent uncontrolled cell growth, when mutated they contribute to cancer
what are mutations?
induced/inherited in proto-oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes, formation of oncogenes, destruction of tumor suppressor genes, multistep process
what happens with colon cancer?
cellular changes increase cell division, DNA changes activating oncogene, growth of benign tumors, tumor suppressor gene inactivated, growth of malignant tumor, second tumor suppressor gene is inactivated
what are the four genetic changes?
the first gene mutation is on chromosome 5 and produces a small benign tumor of epithelial cells, the second is on chromosome 12, the third is on chromosome 18 causing polyp to enlarge, the fourth is on chromosome 17 which causes enlargement
what happens when cells have all four mutations?
the cells will become malignant and metastasis begins
what is a somatic mutation?
mutations that arise in the organ where the cancer starts
what is inherited cancer?
a cancer-causing mutation that occurs in a cell that gives rise to gametes and the mutation is passed on from generation to generation
how does breast cancer happen?
the tumor grows from a single cancer cell, then the cell invades neighboring tissues, and metastasis happens
why is cancer sometimes undetected?
they produce normal proteins and oncofetal proteins, and they are blocked from the view of immune cells
