Cancer 201 - Barsky Flashcards
T/F: cancer incidence is synonymous with cancer mortality
false; highest incidence is prostate and breast for M and F but lung is the highest killer of both
(Carcinoma/sarcoma) causes 99% of all cancers
carcinoma
What tissue does carcinoma arise from?
epithelial tissue
what tissue does sarcoma arise from?
mesenchymal tissue
The increase in smoking in men in women post WWII with mortality increasing from the 70-90s, decades after the increase shows what property of cancer?
latency
What has caused the decrease in colorectal and prostate cancer?
better screening and regular colonoscopies
What test has reduced the risk of cervical cancer?
Pap smear
What four things does a flat line across an age-adjusted mortality chart tell you about that type of cancer?
- No good Tx for met. disease
- No good screening
- No decrease in incidence
- No good chemo-prevention
What caused the apparent “increase” in prostate and breast cancer in the early 90s?
better screening
Define the multi-hit theory of cancer development?
It takes numerous mutations over a lifetime to develop cancer
If cancer were dependent solely on rate of cell turnover, where would we see the most cancer? Since we don’t see that, what does it tell us?
Neonates and fetuses; that cancer is caused by more than just cell turnover
After a transformation event, what is the classification of a precancer cell?
tumorigenic
What takes a tumorigenic cell to an invasive cell?
selection pressure
Mutations, rearrangements, or amplifications of (blank) genes leads to tumor progression
proto-oncogenes
Reduction of (blank) of tumor suppressor genes caused by deletions or mutations also leads to tumor progression
homozygosity
What two types of epigenetic changes within promoters regulate cancer gene expression?
methylation and histone deacetylase statuses
Cancer is characterized by a (blank and blank) imablance
methylation and histone deacetylation
In terms of prevention, what does the multihit theory promote?
early screening and detection
(blank) explains why cancer is a disease of aging
multi hit theory
T/F: Cancer is a function of cell division
false
What type of cancers are completely curable via surgical resection?
carcinoma in situ–no invasion to lymphatics so you cut it out and its alllll gone
What explains the fact that most cancer happens after the age of procreation?
Since we’ve already had kids there was no selection pressure to cause us to develop a defense against it
What are the four defining properties of cancer?
- uncontrolled growth
- invasion and metastasis
- clonal dominance
- loss of differentiation
If tumors are monoclonal, then why can’t we cure cancer with a targeted agent?
tumors become heterogeneic via mutant subclones
Mutant subclones in tumors are heterogenous with respect to (blank x 4)
invasiveness, metastatic ablility, antigenicity and responsiveness to chemotherapy
What are the four classes of cancer treatment?
- surgery
- chemotherarpy
- radiation
- immunotherapy
T/F: The monoclonality of cancer means all cancer cells are identical
false
The lack of specific antigen, tumor cell heterogeneity, and micrometastais are all (blanks) in treating cancer
limitations
T/F: most 1st time diagnoses of cancer are not early enough to prevent micrometastasis
true :(
What is the lower limit for detectable cancer cells and what does this mean clinically?
fucking 1 million cells! means that even if the test is negative you have more than enough to fucking throw mets everywhere.
What are the etiologies/causes of cancer?
environmental carcinogens UV radiation ionizing radiation viruses lifestyle, diet, immune status hereditary factors/genes unknown
What is the most common etiology of cancer?
unknown
Do direct or indirect chemical carcinogens activate the CYP450 system?
indirect–activation makes them a carcinogen
Chemical carcinogens are (nucleophiles/electrophiles). What does this mean about how they work?
Electrophiles; bind to the positive charge of DNA
When describing chemical carcinogens, (blanks) start the carcinogenic response while (blanks) accelerate it
initiators, promoters
Does an initiator or promoter bind directly to DNA and cause a mutation?
initiator
Promoters have (genetic/epigenetic) mech of action?
epigenetic
What is the result of promoter action?
promotes cell division to pass on mutations caused by initiators
What enzymees regulate initiator and promoter carcinogenicity?
phase I–CYP450
phase II–conjugation
T/F: carcinogenicity of DNA adducts is location dependent
true
Radon is a form of (blank) radiation
ionizing
How does ionizing radiation damage DNA?
forms DNA adducts
How does ionizing radiation differ in the way it damages DNA from chemical carcinogens?
ionizing radiation causes single and double stranded DNA breaks
What damage does ionizing and UV radiation cause?
csome breaks, translocations, and point mutations
What type of radiation leads to skin cancer?
UV
Pts with xeroderma pigmentosum are at an increased risk of skin cancer from what?
UV radiation
9% of children exposed to radiation develop what type of cancer?
thyroid
HPV 1,2,4,7 cause what?
papillomas or warts
What HPV strains cause cancer?
16 and 18
HPV 16 and 18 cause what type of cancer?
invasive squamous cell carcinoma
T/F: HPV 6 and 11 have high malignant potential
false; low
Early gene products (blank and blank) from HPV inhibit the two suppressor genes (blank and blank)
E6 and E7 inhibit TP53 and RB
T/F: full malignant potential of HPV is acheived through viral infection alone
false; requires environmental factors
What are the four tumor types associated with EBV?
- Burkitt’s lymphoma
- B cell lymphoma in AIDS
- Hodgkin’s disease
- Nasopharyngeal cancer in S. China
What cancer is associated with the translocation(8:14) - MYC gene?
Burkitt’s lymphoma
In nonendemic areas, what percent of the pop is infected with eBV?
20%
What type of cancer has the highest association to a viral infection? What is the virus that causes it?
99% of hepatocellular cancer is caused by Hep B
T/F: infection with Hep B is sufficient to reach the full malignant potential
false; multifatorial
injury and regeneration of the liver predispose one to mutations caused by (blank)
environmental agents; your liver is what detoxes what you take in!
What viral protein disrupts growth control by activating proto-oncogenes and inactivating TP53 in the liver?
HBx protein from HBV
Immunodeficient pts have a higher rate of what two classes of cancer?
lymphomas and virally induced
What are some of the lifestyle factors that influence cancer dev?
Women who are sexually promiscuous have a high rate of cervical cancer
Women who are nulliparous have a high rate of breast cancer
Men who are obese have a higher rate of cancer of the esophagus
Women who eat fatty foods have a higher rate of breast cancer
Men who drink alcohol and smoke have a higher rate of head and neck cancer
People who eat red meat may have a higher incidence of colon cancer.