Lesson 5: Cancer Flashcards
What is cancer?
- Cancer is the result of changes in cells (abnormal cells) that leads to uncontrolled growth and cell division.
How do cells divide to form a tumour?
- Cells will divide by mitosis.
What are tumours?
A result of an abnormal cell dividing and growing, forming many abnormal cells.
What is a benign tumour? (3)
1.) Tumour stays in one place (within a membrane)
2.) Doesn’t invade other tissues/ parts of the body.
3.) Isn’t cancerous
What is a malignant tumour? (3)
1.) Grow and spread to neighbouring healthy tissues.
2.) Break off and travel in bloodstream
3.) Invading healthy tissues –> secondary tumours
4.) Cancerous
What are the 4 MAIN risk factors of cancer?
1.) Smoking
2.) Obesity
3.) UV exposure
4.) Viral infection
What types of cancers does obesity make more likely?
1.) Bowel cancer
2.) Liver cancer
3.) Kidney cancer
What type of cancer does UV exposure make more likely?
1.) Skin cancer
What 2 habits would increase UV exposure?
1.) Sunbeds
2.) In sun a lot.
What type of cancer does Hepatitis viral infection increase the likelihood of?
1.) Liver cancer
What 2 habits would increase likelihood of viral infection?
1.) Unprotected sex
2.) Sharing needles.
What are the cases where genetics increases the likelihood of cancer?
1.) Inherit faulty genes –> cancer more likely
2.) For example, mutations in BRCA genes –> cancer more likely
What is mitosis?
Mitosis is the separation of the nucleus, membrane and cytoplasm after duplication of DNA.
Q.)
Give one way a malignant tumour differs from a benign tumour. (1 mark)
- Malignant spreads to healthy tissues through the blood.
What 3 types of cancer does smoking make more likely?
1.) Lung Cancer
2.) Mouth cancer
3.) Stomach cancer
