Cancer and Inflammation

Question 1

What can inflammation support in cancer?

Answer 1

Initiation
Growth
Metastasis
Response to therapy

Question 2

Chronic inflammation

Answer 2

Tumour promoter- initiates tumour formation
Causes genetic instability: genetic mutations

Question 3

What is an oncogene?

Answer 3

a mutatated gene that has the potential to cause cancer

Question 4

Explain the “two-hit” hypothesis

Answer 4

Single oncogene/ tumour suppressor mutation= no mutation

multiple genetic mutations= tumour

inflammation= no tumour

inflammation + single mutation= tumour

Question 5

List the inflammatory risk factors for cancer

Answer 5

obestiy
smoking
alcohol consumtpion
chronic inflammatory disease
genetics

Question 6

How does obesity lead to cancer?

Answer 6

1. After menopause, oestrogen made by fat cells can make cells multiply faster in the breasts and womb, increasing the risk of cancer.
2. Insulin and growth factors- excess fat can cause levels of insulin and other growth factors to rise, which can also tell cells to divide more quickly.
3. Inflammation- cells in fat called macrophages release chemicals called cytokines, encouraging cells to divide (including cancer cells)

Question 7

What does metastasis mean?

Answer 7

process by which cancer cells spread to other parts of the body

Question 8

How can inflammation help cancer cells grow?

Answer 8

inflammatory process produces molecules called cytokines which stimulate the growth of blood vessels that bring oxygen and nutrients to the tumour.

Question 9

What can chronic inflammation cause?

Answer 9

tumour promoter- initiates tumour formation
causes genetic instability- genetic mutations

Question 10

What does chemotherapy do?

Answer 10

prevents/ slows down the growth of tumour cells

Question 11

What are the two ways we can target inflammation in cancer?

Answer 11

inhibit pro-tumour inflammation
promote anti-tumour inflammation