Cheers 2017 Flashcards
Which of the following situations is an example of self-sufficiency of growth signals in the development of cancer?
a. re-expression of the enzyme telomerase
b. elaboration of vascular endothelial growth factors
c. mutations in the epidermal growth factor receptor gene
d. over-expression of the BCL family of proteins
Ans C.
EGFR Inhibitors play a role in sustaining proliferative signalling (Hanahan and Weinberg, 2011)
Which of the following is associated ONLY with tumor suppressor genes?
a. Loss of heterozygosity
b. Microsatellite instability
c. Chromosomal translocations
d. Viral infections
Ans A.
Knudson’s 2-hit hypothesis applies to tumor suppressor genes. Heterozygosity here refers to having one normal and one abnormal gene which may result in malignancy
With regards to familial cancer syndromes, which of the following statements is CORRECT?
a. The average age of affected individuals is usually in the age group >50 years.
b. The tumor occurs in multiple generations of the affected family.
c. Loss of heterozygosity is associated with a gain of oncogene function.
d. Conditions that are inherited as autosomal dominant involve DNA repair genes.
Ans B.
Which of the following areas will have the HIGHEST risk for developing a somatic mutation that could give rise to malignancy?
a. bones of the ribs
b. striated muscle of the heart
c. mucosa of the oral cavity
d. sebaceous glands of the armpit
Ans C.
Tissues with high rates of cell division are at the greatest risk for developing malignancies
In a patient diagnosed to have breast cancer, which of the following would suggest the presence of an aggressive tumor?
a. The patient claims to have lost >20% of his body weight in more than 2 years.
b. The breast mass was noted to increase in size from 2 to 4 cm in 3 months.
c. Physical examination reveals a 2 cm hard, movable, non-tender axillary node.
d. Mammosonography reveals a 3 cm solid mass in the outer quadrant of the left breast.
Ans B.
The shorter the doubling time, the more aggressive the tumor. (doubling time of 3 mos)
Which of the following statements is TRUE with regards to the lag phase of the Gompertzian growth curve?
a. May be used as a clinical indicator of tumor aggressiveness.
b. During this phase, cells are highly sensitive to anticancer chemotherapy
c. Majority of tumor cells are in the G0 phase of the cell cycle growth.
d. Tumor growth is slow due to absence of an organized blood supply.
Ans D.
Angiogenesis occurs during the transition between lag and log phase and results in the rapid growth observed during log phase.
Which of the following events may contribute to the increase in the metastatic potential of a tumor?
a. well-differentiated histology
b. low S-phase fraction of dividing cells
c. formation of a rich tumor vascular supply
d. doubling time estimated in months
Ans C.
Angiogenesis
A biopsy was taken from a gastric mass by endoscopy. Which of the following would be consistent with the findings of a malignancy?
a. Cells have abundant cytoplasm.
b. Each cell has no more than 1 nucleolus in its nucleus.
c. The cells appear hyperchromatic on microscopic examination.
d. No encroachment of adjacent basement membranes is noted.
Ans C.
Which of the following is consistent with the initiation phase of carcinogenesis?
a. Effects are genotoxic
b. Damage is reversible
c. Process takes a long period of time
d. The end result is a malignant tumor
Ans A.
The initiation phase of carcinogenesis is rapid, genotoxic, and irreversible
Which of the following malignancies have a viral etiology?
a. Pancreatic cancer
b. Lung cancer
c. Breast cancer
d. Nasopharyngeal carcinoma
Ans D.
Nasopharyngeal carcinoma is caused by EBV
Which of the following tumors may be linked to a lifestyle-related carcinogen?
a. Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
b. Osteosarcoma
c. Angiosarcoma of the liver
d. Colorectal cancer
Ans D.
Incidence of Colorectal CA may be linked to a high BMI and a sedentary lifestyle.
Which of the following would be the LEAST important factor in evaluating the effects of a carcinogen?
a. Potency
b. Age during exposure
c. Dose
d. Duration of exposure
Ans A.
Dose and duration of exposure are properties of promoters of carcinogenesis. Age during exposure is always a consideration.
After exposure to a very high dose of radiation, which of the following would have the HIGHEST risk of developing into a malignancy?
a. Skin
b. Thyroid
c. Liver
d. Stomach
Ans B.
resistant tissues: bone, skin, and GIT
most susceptible: leukemias > thyroid CA > lung and breast CA
What is the significance of Nowell’s hypothesis?
a. Estimates the risk of developing a germline mutation based on epigenetic silencing of genes.
b. Predicts that the development of cancer requires the accumulation of activating mutations over time.
c. States that the deactivation of tumor suppressor gene function will require damage to both sets of genes.
d. Concludes that the graph of a tumor’s growth potential is not linear, with areas of slow growth in both the start and end of proliferation.
Ans B.
Nowell’s hypothesis states that cancer is the consequence of acquired genetic variation in the cells populating a neoplasm.
Which of the following features is associated with somatic mutations?
a. Multigenerational involvement
b. Results in tumor clustering in a patient or his family
c. Affected individuals are usually above the age of 50 years
d. May contribute to development of familial cancer syndromes
Ans C.
Which area of the cell cycle is most often affected in the development of cancer?
a. G0 phase
b. S phase, after duplication of DNA
c. Mitosis, during development of microtubules
d. G1 phase, just before entry into S phase
Ans D.
G1/S checkpoint is the area most often disrupted in cancer
By which of the following mechanisms can a cell overcome the problem of replicative senescence?
a. Maintenance of telomere length
b. Elaboration of VEGF family of proteins
c. Oncogene amplification
d. Recruitment of surrounding stromal cells
Ans A.
“Cheating your telomeres is a way to overcome replicative senescence” - Lec 01: Basic Neoplasia
In which situation would you expect a cell to undergo apoptosis?
a. Activation of p53
b. Overexpression of Bcl-2
c. Upregulation of BAX
d. Inhibition of mitochondrial cytochrome C
Ans C.
BAX is pro-apoptotic
Which of the following is believed to be the strongest stimulus for the development of tumor angiogenesis?
a. Hypoxia in the tumor bed
b. Logarithmic cellular growth
c. Elaboration of growth factors by the tumor
d. Mutations in the Rb gene
Ans A.
In order for tumors to grow larger than 1-2 mm^3, they must develop a new blood supply. (rate-limiting step)
Which of the following is believed to be a mechanism utilized in the epigenetic silencing of genes that may give rise to cancer?
a. Phosphorylation
b. Translocation
c. Methylation
d. All of the above
Ans B.
one of the possible mechanisms of activation of oncogenes
Which statement best reflects the cancer situation in the Philippines?
a. Cancer is the leading cause of illness in the country.
b. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the country.
c. Liver cancer is the leading cause of cancer in Filipino males.
d. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer in Filipino females.
Ans B.
estimated leading causes of cancer deaths:
lungs> liver > breast> cervix> colon
When the objective of prevention is to detect the disease at the earliest possible stage, while the patient is still asymptomatic, this is consistent with which of the following?
a. Primary prevention
b. Secondary prevention
c. Tertiary prevention
d. Palliative care
Ans A.
Which of the following malignancies is associated with a lifestyle-associated risk factor?
a. Hodgkin’s lymphoma
b. Prostate cancer
c. Colon cancer
d. Carcinoid tumors
C.
Which of the following cancers has a known, preventable risk factor?
a. Lung cancer
b. Ovarian cancer
c. Breast cancer
d. Prostate cancer
Ans
Practical, cost-effective cancer screening is available for which of the following malignancies?
a. Liver cancer
b. Lung cancer
c. Cervical cancer
d. Stomach cancer
Ans C. Pap smear to di ba?
Which of the following is a necessary characteristic of a screening test?
a. The malignancy is ranked 18th among leading causes of cancer in the country.
b. The test involved requires the use of sophisticated, computerized equipment.
c. The screening test is available only in large, tertiary medical hospitals.
d. The screening procedure is simple and does not cause discomfort to patients.
D. Pag screening test, gusto mo siyang magawa sa lahat ng tao agad-agad para mas maraming macover.
When the objective of prevention is to reduce tumor progression, prevent complications and reduce the chance of relapse, it is consistent with which of the following?
a. Identifiable risk factors
b. Incidence rate
c. Mortality rate
d. Age and sex-related characteristics.
Ans C.
Which of the following determines whether primary prevention can be achieved in a particular malignancy?
a. Identifiable risk factors
b. Incidence rate
c. Mortality rate
d. Age and sex-related characteristics
Ans A. When risk factors are identified, they can be addressed. Primary prevention aims to reduce risk factors.
In which condition should one suspect that an early warning sign of cancer is present?
a. 60-year-old female who consults for postmenopausal vaginal bleeding
b. 55-year-old male with complaints of urinary frequency and polyuria
c. 23-year-old female who reports a one-month loss of menstruation
d. 47-year-old female with crampy abdominal pain and diarrhea
Ans A.
In the area of primary prevention, which role of a physician would best contribute to its success?
a. Clinician / Clinical Oncologist
b. Psychosocial Scientist
c. Public Health Manager
d. Academician / Molecular Geneticist
Ans C. Kasi mostly risk factors ang target ng Public health managers di ba?
What is the goal of palliation in the tertiary care of cancer patients?
a. Survival time same as that of a non-cancer patient
b. Survival time is same as patient with same age and stage of disease
c. Survival time is the same as that of untreated patient
d. Survival is not the goal but the quality of life
Ans D. obvious na to grabe naman
The presence of which of the following should always make you consider the possibility of cancer in a patient:
a. Unexplained anemia
b. Chronic back pain
c. Pre-menopausal vaginal bleeding
d. Abdominal pain
Ans A. U sa CAUTIONUS ay unexplained anemia
Vaccination is an accepted preventive strategy in which of the following tumors?
a. Breast cancer
b. Lung cancer
c. Liver cancer
d. Prostate cancer
Ans C. vaccination against HBV helps prevent hepatocellular CA
What would be the BEST reason for advocating monthly self-breast examination inf women for the detection of breast cancer?
a. Evidence shows that mammography can detect early lesions but has no effect on survival.
b. Many Filipino women avoid annual mammographies because of the discomfort associated with the procedure
c. Self-breast examination is relatively easy to do, easy to teach and is a relatively inexpensive procedure when coupled with annual exam by physicians.
d. Few Filipino women will actually consent to have their breasts examined even by trained health professionals.
Ans C. Yun lang yung related sa breast self examination
The Department of Health recognizes the need to promote cancer awareness and mutual support to the grassroots level. Which of their strategies can BEST achieve this?
a. Preventive care seminars for physicians in government hospitals.
b. Continuing medical education on cancer causation and prevention
c. Increase budget and hiring of personnel dedicated to cancer control programs
d. Establishment of community-based cancer care and control networks in rural areas
Ans D. Community-based dabes!
When is the BEST time to start palliative and supportive care in any cancer patient?
a. At the time of diagnosis
b. When metastatic disease is discovered
c. When relapse occurs after primary therapy
d. Upon reaching the terminal phase of the disease
Ans D. Malamang pag terminal na, palliative na lang.
Which of the following should be done in establishing communication between the physician and the cancer patient?
a. Consult with relatives on what and what not to tell the patient
b. Avoid disclosing diagnosis, even when asked, to prevent depression
c. Circumvent any discussion that doesn’t involve medical problems.
d. End every visit with the patient with an invitation to ask questions.
Ans D. Mas ok ang open questions kasi maeelicit mo talaga yung feelings ng patient.
In a patient with intermittent pain, occurring one or 2x a day, with a visual analogue scale of 3-4, which agent would be your first choice?
a. Morphine sulfate 10 mg q4
b. Tramadol HCl 50 mg q6
c. Ibuprofen 500 mg every 6 hours
d. Any of the above
Ans C. 3-4 is mild to moderate pain and should be treated first with an NSAID (or paracetamol). You could step up to opioids if NSAIDs fail
Which of the following should NOT be observed when communicating the diagnosis of cancer to a patient for the first time?
a. Make sure that you are familiar with all the facts of the case.
b. Endeavor to explain the reasons behind the patient’s symptoms
c. Avoid making promises of non-disclosure to the patient’s family
d. Insist that the patient keep questions to as few as possible.
Ans D. Obvious na to
Which of the following statements would be consistent with the evolving concept of palliative care?
a. Palliative care begins the moment active anti-cancer therapy has failed
b. Important problems must be recognized early and evaluated comprehensively
c. The cancer patient is the sole recipient of the benefits from palliative care
d. There is no need of informing the patient of prognosis in order to avoid emotional trauma
Ans B.
A 65-year-old patient with colon cancer and multiple metastases to the liver, bone, and lungs is referred to you for management. He is malnourished and totally bed-ridden. The family asks you what your plan of management would be. You tell them that you have decided to defer systemic chemotherapy and concentrate on symptomatic care alone as you feel he may not be able to withstand the side effects. However, the patient insists on receiving systemic therapy despite your warnings on the contrary. Despite your misgivings, you agree to the procedure. Which bio-ethical principle are you following in this case?
a. Beneficence
b. Non-maleficence
c. Respect for Autonomy
d. Justice
Ans C. Sunod ka lang sa gusto ng patient kaya Respect for Autonomy.
Which of the following represents the most important goal of palliative therapy in the terminally-ill cancer patient?
a. Prolongation of survival
b. Decrease in the size of the tumor
c. Decrease in the number of metastatic sites
d. Improvement in quality of life
Ans D. Duh