Cell reproduction and the Continuity of Life: Cancer

Question 1

What is a mutation?

Answer 1

A permanent change in DNA, causing a cell to function improperly or not at all. May lead to cancer.

Question 2

What are the main causes of mutations leading to cancer?

Answer 2

1. Chemicals
2. Viruses
3. Radiation (UV and X-rays)
4. Random mistakes during replication of DNA
5. Genetics/family history

Question 3

What are oncogenes?

Answer 3

Genes that when mutated that cause cancer. Mutation may “turn off” genes that stop division, other times genes that start uncontrolled division get mutated and “turn on”.

Question 4

What is somatic mutation?

Answer 4

A mutation that is localized to one part of the body, staying there.

Question 5

What is germ mutation?

Answer 5

A mutation in a sperm cell, which then will be present in every body cell.

Question 6

What is cancer?

Answer 6

The uncontrolled growth and division of cells. The body cannot properly tell when to start and stop mitosis.

Question 7

What are the features of cancer cells?

Answer 7

1.They spend less time in interphase, so they divide more.

2. They have uncontrolled mitosis so they do not stop division after a certain point.
3. They grow faster than normal cells.
4. They can break away from groups of cells and travel to other places in the body.
5. They have a different physical structure, often with parts that allow them to grip and grab onto other cells and tissues.

Question 8

What is a tumour?

Answer 8

A cluster of cells going through uncontrolled mitosis.

Question 9

What is a benign tumour?

Answer 9

Tumours that have cells that do not migrate to or harm other parts of the body.

Question 10

What is a malignant tumour?

Answer 10

Tumours that have cells that migrate to and harm other parts of the body, potentially spreading cancer in the body.

Question 11

What is metastatis

Answer 11

This is when a tumour or cancer cells spread from their original source.

Question 12

What is a biopsy?

Answer 12

Doctors remove a sample of the cells from a tumour to examine them under a microscope and determine the nature of the cells. May be used to find the sentinel lymph node (The first lymph node cancer is likely to spread from). No cancer in the sentinel lymph nodes means surgeons do not need to remove others.

Question 13

What are the side affects of chemotherapy?

Answer 13

Nausea, Diarrhea, Constipation, Hair loss, Sterility , and Fatigue
Taste, smell, fertility, hearing, vision, blood cell counts, and organ damage may also be affected.

Bone marrow, skin, hair, digestive cells, and reproductive cells are particularly impacted because these also divide and grow fast.

Chemo also kills healthy cells, so a balance between cancer cells and healthy cells killed must be found.

Question 14

What are stem cells?

Answer 14

Undifferentiated cells (blank cells) mostly found in the bone marrow, and they develop into different types of blood cells. Sometimes you can receive them from a donor ( allogeneic) or from yourself (autologous). Stem cells can also be collected from donated umbilical cords and the bloodstream as well.

Question 15

What are possible problems associated with cancer surgery?

Answer 15

1. Tumour is too big.
2. Location of the cancer makes it difficult to remove without damaging nearby organs.
3. Cancer is too small to be seen by the surgeon or found by tests.
4. Person’s general health makes the surgery too risky.

Question 16

What is cancer surgery?

Answer 16

Surgeons completely remove the tumour or cancerous tissue. Most effective at removing early stage and unspread cancer. Surgeon also removes a small amount of normal tissue around the cancer to ensure none remains.

Question 17

What is radiation therapy?

Answer 17

Either X-rays or gamma rays are directed towards the cancer or radioactive material is placed inside the body next to the tumour. Both function by damaging the DNA in the cancer cells, killing them.

Question 18

What is chemotherapy?

Answer 18

Drugs attack fast dividing cells. May be used before surgery to shrink a tumour or after surgery to destroy any cancer cells that remain and prevent the cancer from coming back.

Question 19

What is hormonal therapy?

Answer 19

A treatment that adds, blocks or removes hormones to slow or stop the growth of cancer cells that need hormones to grow. This is done by changing hormone levels in the body by removing the gland that produces the hormone, radiating the gland or organ to destroy hormone producing cells, or taking hormone blocking drugs.

Question 20

What is targeted therapy?

Answer 20

Uses drugs to target specific molecules (Eg; proteins) inside cancer cells or on their surface. Slows the growth of cancer, destroy cancer cells , and relieves symptoms caused by cancer.

Question 21

What are stem cell transplants?

Answer 21

Treatment used when stem cells or bone marrow have been damaged or destroyed by disease, cancer, or by high doses of chemicals/radiation used to treat cancer. The new stem cells make healthy blood cells.

Question 21

What is immunotherapy?

Answer 21

Helps to strengthen or restore the immune system’s ability to fight cancer. Some cancer cells can hide from the immune system because they look a lot like normal cells. Immunotherapy boosts the immune system or helps the immune system to find cancer and attack it.