Cancer treatments

Question 1

Almost half of all people with cancer possess a mutated gene called

Answer 1

p53 gene

Question 2

p53 gene helps to

Answer 2

to control cell growth

Question 3

However, there are also many other reasons why the control of cell division deteriorates
This means that there is no single effective treatment for individuals suffering from cancer

Question 4

Most current cancer treatments/drugs work by controlling the rate of mitosis

Methotrexate -

Vincristine and taxol -

what are drugs that treat cancer called

Answer 4

inhibits the synthesis of DNA nucleotides in cells

prevent the formation of the mitotic spindle

chemotherapy

Question 5

ionising radiation can cause cancer due to

Answer 5

it can affect our cells and damage our DNA.

Question 6

How can radiotherapy treat cancer

Answer 6

At high doses, radiation therapy kills cancer cells or slows their growth by damaging their DNA.

Question 7

what is a proto oncogene

Answer 7

Proto-oncogenes are genes that normally help cells grow and divide to make new cells, or to help cells stay alive. When a proto-oncogene mutates (changes) or there are too many copies of it, it can become turned on (activated) when it is not supposed to be, at which point it’s now called an oncogene.

Question 8

What is a tumour suppressor gene

Answer 8

A tumour suppressor gene, or anti-oncogene, is a gene that regulates a cell during cell division and replication by using apoptosis.
When a tumour suppressor gene is mutated, it results in a loss or reduction in its function which can lead to cancer

Question 9

proliferation

Answer 9

Cell proliferation is how quickly a cancer cell copies its DNA and divides into 2 cells. If the cancer cells are dividing more rapidly, it means the cancer is faster growing or more aggressive

Question 10

Make sure you know examples of carcinogens. Also, you should know that some viruses (known as

Answer 10

oncoviruses) cause cancer and can therefore also be described as carcinogens.