Cancer Physiology (MCQ) Flashcards
What is cancer ?
Cancer is a near abnormal growth, the is comes from uncontrolled proliferation of the body cells, resulting from a mutation of the genes within the cells
What are the degrees of growth disorders ?
Hyperplasia
Dysplasia
Metaplasia
Anaplasia
What is hyperplasia ?
Increase cell production in normal tissue and organs
What is dysplasia ?
Increase in abnormal cell growth or development
What is mataplasia ?
One type of mature tissue is replaced by another mature tissue not indigenous to that tissue or organ
What is anaplasia ?
The loss of mature or specialised features of the cell or tissue
What are the stages of the cell cycle ?
G1 - cell growth
R - restriction point, makes sure that replication is appropriate
S - synthesis of proteins and DNA
G2 - further growth
M - mitosis (cell division)
What is the process of normal cell division ?
This is promoted and regulated by particular cell proteins such as proto-oncogenes and tumour suppressor genes
What are proto-oncogenes ?
These are normal genes but when they are altered they become “Oncogenes” and can contribute to cancer.
They have different functions in the cell, some provide signals that cause cell division and there’s regulate programmed cell death
E.g HER2 gene found in breast tissues
What are tumour suppressor genes ?
Normal genes that slow down cell division, repaid DNA mistakes ore communicate with a cell when to die (apoptosis or programmed cell death)
When there is something wrong with this gene this can lead to uncontrolled cell division
What is an example of an oncogene ?
RAS (rat sarcoma)
What does RAS do ?
Functions as an “on/off” switch in the signal cascade
Mutations cause it to stay on causing uncontrolled cell division
What are the causes of cancer ?
Hereditary factors
Environmental factors
Hormonal factors
Lifestyle factors can increase risk - alcohol, obesity
