Cancer Biology and Therapy

Question 1

Cancer progression is largely regulated by the [1] and [2] microenvironments.

Answer 1

[1] stromal

[2] immune

Question 2

[1] are the specialized proteases that a primary cancer will produce to invade the epithelium locally.
Then, the cancer will produce [2] in order to stimulate angiogenesis.

Answer 2

[1] MMPs

[2] VEGF

Question 3

[1] is the process of intraversion where a cancer cell goes from stationary to mobile in the bloodstream.

Answer 3

[1] EMT (epithelial mesenchymal transition)

Question 4

Protooncogenes undergo [1] mutations.
Gain-of-function — increase cell proliferation and survival
anti-apoptotic gene, transcription factors

Tumor Suppressors undergo [2] mutations
Loss-of-function — uncontrolled proliferation and survival
apoptosis-promoting proteins, cell cycle inhibitors

Answer 4

[1] dominant

[2] recessive

Question 5

Tumor Suppressor Genes:
function to inhibit growth
requires both alleles be affected (LOH)
examples: [1], [2], [3], [4]

Answer 5

[1] p53
[2] PTEN
[3] BRCA1
[4] Rb

Question 6

Familial Retinoblastoma:
- child starts with [1]
- mutation results in LOH
Sporadic Retioblastoma:
- child starts with [2]

Answer 6

[1] Rb+/Rb (heterozygous)

[2] Rb/Rb (both must mutate for cancer)

Question 7

The [1] gene is the most frequently mutated gene in human cancers.
Malignant progression is dependent upon the loss of its product’s function, either through gene mutation or defects in signaling pathway

Answer 7

[1] TP53 (makes p53)

Question 8

[1] mutations account for 5-10% of all breast cancers

the gene is involved in the repair of double stranded breaks

Answer 8

[1] BRCA1 or BRCA2

Question 9

Protooncogenes:

• transcription factors or RTKs
• dominant mutations
  examples: [1], [2], [3], [4]

Answer 9

[1] EGFR (lung cancer)
[2] K-Ras (colon cancer)
[3] Bcl-Abl (CML)
[4] Her2 (breast cancer); c-myc

Question 10

The [1] is amplified in 20-25% of human childhood neuroblastomas.
These amplifications can be seen using FISH.

Answer 10

[1] N-myc

Question 11

Oncogenes involving RTKs

Answer 11

[1] Her2

[2] EGFR

Question 12

[1] is an oncogene associated with a translocation.
Philadelphia chromosome.
constitutively activate kinase in CML

Answer 12

[1] bcr-abl

Question 13

chromosome rearrangement in the coding sequence of an oncogene coming under the influence of the promoter of another gene

this is the case of gene amplification of [1] in Burkitt’s lymphoma

Answer 13

[1] c-myc

Question 14

The [1] gene is mutated in 40% of all human cancers (90% in pancreatic cancers).

Answer 14

[1] Ras