Cancer 2

Question 1

Males are ___ times more likely to get cancer than females.

Answer 1

1.4 x

Question 2

5 year survival for cancer is a lot better now (increased by 15%) due to improvements in what 2 things?

Answer 2

1. Earlier diagnosis

2. Improved treatements

Question 3

Males are most likely to get cancer between the ages of __ and ___.
Females are most likely to get cancer between the ages of __ and ___.

Answer 3

45-54

30-64

Question 4

What 6 factors affect a persons change of getting cancer?

Answer 4

1. Demographic distribution
2. Geographical and racial
3. Environmental and cultural
4. Age
5. Heredity
6. Predisposing diseases e.g. cervical dysplasia –> cervical cancer, ulceritive colitis —> colon cancer

Question 5

What 6 things contribute to the aetiology of cancer?

Answer 5

1. Radiation
   - Carcinogenic potential is dose-dependent + additive
   - Can damage DNA + also the cells used in its repair
   - Used as treatment but can also cause cancer
2. Chemicals
   - Chemical carcinogenesis has 2 steps: (1) initiation, (2) promotion
   - They work on the cells in 2 ways (1) directly (2) indirectly (need to metabolise it first)
3. Oncogenic viruses
   - Either DNA (e.g. HPV) or RNA
   - e.g. Epstein-Barr virus (DNA)
   - e.g. Hep B and C infection (DNA)
   - e.g. Human T-Cell Leukaemia Virus Type 1 (RNA)
4. Immune Suppression
   - Can increase risk of getting an infection e.g HPV
5. Other factors
   - e.g. hormones or chronic inflammation