Health Science - Features of Selected Cancers

Question 1

Breast Cancer- Lifetime risk, 5 year survival rate, risk factors, metastasis

Answer 1

1 in 11 women and 1 in 1000 men
5 year survival: 90%
Risks: Age at first pregnancy ( older than 30-higher risk), late menopause, family history, diet
Metastasis: lymph nodes, bone

Question 2

Breast Cancer - inherited genes

Answer 2

Mutations of BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes (breast cancer tumour suppressor genes)

Question 3

Colon Cancer- Lifetime risk, 5 yr survival rate, risk factors, metastasis

Answer 3

1 in 20 men, slightly lower in women
5yr survival rate: 64%
Risk factors: family history, inflammatory bowel disease, diet
Metastasis: locally and to liver and lymph nodes

Question 4

Colon cancer - gene

Answer 4

P53 repressor gene is mutated

Question 5

What is a repressor gene

Answer 5

A gene whose protein product inhibits a cell function

Question 6

Lung Cancer: Lifetime risk, 5yr survival rate, risk factors, metastasis

Answer 6

1 in 12 men and 1 in 23 women (difference between sexes becoming smaller as more women smoking than before)
5 yr: 13% - poor response to chemotherapy
Risk factors - smoking, asbestos, radon gas
Metastasis: other lung, surrounding tissues, bone

Question 7

Ovarian Cancer: Lifetime risk, 5yr survival, risk factors, metastasis

Answer 7

1 in 56 women
5yr survival: 49%
Risk factors: family history, pregnancy has decreased risk, fertility treatment has increased risk
Metastasis: to surrounding viscera and other ovary

Question 8

Ovarian Cancer - gene

Answer 8

Inherited gene changes in BRCA1 and BRCA 2

Question 9

Pancreatic Cancer- Lifetime risk, 5yr survival, risk factors, metastasis

Answer 9

1 in 60 men and women
5yr: 3%
Risk factors: smoking and pancreatitis
Metastasis: to viscera, lung and bone
Most treatments appear to be relatively ineffective

Question 10

Prostate Cancer- lifetime risk, 5yr survival, risk factors, metastasis

Answer 10

1 in 14 men
5yr: 98%
Risk factors. uncertain but include diet and family history of prostate cancer
Metastasis: lymph nodes and bone

Question 11

Cervical Cancer: lifetime risk, 5yr, risk factors, metastasis

Answer 11

1 in 100
5yr survival: 71%
Risk factors: Early age of intercourse, multiple partners, smoking, exposure to HPV
Metastasis: lymph nodes, distant metastasis are rare

Question 12

Cervical cancer- gene chnages

Answer 12

The human papilloma virus contributes the E6 and E7 oncogeness which modify the cell cycle and cell division
Introduction of HPV vaccine

Question 13

Skin cancer - 3 types

Answer 13

Basal cell (basal epithelium) carcinoma accounts for 75% of skin cancers.
Squamous cell carcinoma (keratinocytes) accounts for 20%
Malignant melanoma (melanocytes) accounts for 5%

Question 14

Curability and Metastasis of the 3 types of Skin Cancer

Answer 14

Basal cell carcinomas are curable and rarely metastasise
Squamous cell carcinomas are curable if detected early
Melanoma metastasis to lymph nodes, other parts of skin and lung - 5yr survival is 85%

Question 15

Risk factors for Skin Cancer

Answer 15

UV light, fair skin