Cancer 2 Flashcards
oestrogen risk factors
early menarche, late menopause, no/limited breastfeeding, contraceptive pill, HRT, obesity
oestrogen- potential initiation process
cancer research study 2009 linked oestrogen to increase activation induced deaminase in B-cells of immune cells, AID causes hypermutation in b cells as part of antibody production, AID also causes cancer causing mutations in B cells, oestrogen also found to activate AID in breast tissue, causes cancer mutations in breast tissue
red and processed meat- risk factors
1/4 males and 1/6 female bowel cancer linked to eating red and/or processed meat, each 120g/day red meat increases risk by 28%, each 30g processed meat increased risk by 9%
red and processed meat- initiating factors
haem stimulates gut bacteria to produce N-nitroso compounds, nitrates and nitrites involved in preserving processed meats also converted to N-nitroso compounds- irritate and damage bowel epithelial cells causing increased division and risk of mutation, cooking red meat at high temperature produces cancer including chemicals
smoking
5000 chemicals- many poisonous, 70+ can cause damage, 15 cigarettes produce DNA damage in lung cells, risk factors increase with length of time smoked rather than amount
smoking- initiation process
direct action on lung tissue- chromium and aromatic hydrocarbons damage cellular DNA, arsenic and nickel prevent DNA repair systemic effects- reduce immune system response to damaged cells
alcohol
linked to breast, bowel, and lung cancers- not most likely to damage liver as it is good at repairing itself, alcohol is a group 1 (highest risk) carcinogenic agent, causes- 4% cancer, 1.5 units/day increase risk by 5%, each increase of 1.25 units increases risk by 7.12%
alcohol initiating factors
breast cancer- increases oestrogen levels, lung cancer- increases the absorption of carcinogenic agents from smoking, alcohol and smoking together gives an increased risk than each alone
bowel cancer- 4800 causes linked to alchol-11%, 4+ drinks/day (6 units)- increase risk by 50%, alcohol converted to acetaldehyde which damages DNA and stops repair process, alcohol causes reactive oxygen spiceries in cells which can damage DNA
obesity
linked to breast and bowel cancer, 1/5 children overweight before primary school, 1/3 overweight after primary school, obese children often become obese adults, obesity in childhood may increase cancer risk regardless of the adult weight
obesity initiating factors
immune cells- attracts immune cells= chronic inflammation, hormones- oestrogen and insulin= more weight gain, obesity= fat cells
UV ray risk factor
fair skin, blond/red hair, freckles and moles, holidays
UV rays- initiating factors
UVA rays- agening of skin, UVB rays- causes sunburn, sunburn=DNA damage to skin cells
promotion factors
continued presence of initiating factors- oestrogen and smoking
chronic inflammation- biggest promoting factor= starts when cells get out of control
symptoms- breast cancer
changes in size/shape, redness or a rash on the skin/ around nipple, discharge that comes from the nipple without squeezing, a swelling in your armpit, a lump or thickening that feels different from rest of tissue, a change in skin texture, nipple becoming inverted or changing position, constant pain in breast/ armpit
symptoms- prostate
passing urine more frequently, getting up in the night, difficulties passing urine, urgency, leaking, blood in urine, raised PSA- protein made by prostate- increases with age- increases significantly with cancer
