MoD 11 Neoplasia 3 Flashcards
What is cancinogenesis?
causes of cancer
Give examples of some intrinsic and extrinsic factors leading to cancer
Intrinsic- Age, sex (hormonal), heredity
Extrinsic- environment, lifestyle
What are the 5 leading behavioural risks leading to cancer?
High BMI Low fruit and veg intake Lack of physical activity Tobacco use Alcohol use
What 3 main categories do extrinsic carcingoens fall into?
Chemicals
Radiation
Infections
What three things did malignant neoplasms caused by the dye 2-napthylamine show?
Long delay (sometimes decades) between exposure and malignant neoplasm onset Risk of cancer depends on total carcinogen dosage Sometimes organ specificity for particular carcinogens e.g 2-napthylamine causes bladder carcinoma
What did the Ames test show?
That initiators are mutagens while promoters cause prolonged proliferation in target tissues
What kinds of chemicals are initiators (mutagens)?
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, aromatic amines, N-nitroso compunds, natural products
What is asbestos?
Mutagen originating from a rock which was used industrially due to its fire retardant properties
Inhalation of its needle shaped dust causes cancer as the fibres get into the lung pleura
How are N-nitroso ocmpounds formed?
Stomach converts nitrates in cured and pickled food to these
What are pro-carcinogens?
Chemicals that become carcinogenic when converted to carcinogens by cytochrome P450 enzymes in the liver
What are complete carcinogens?
Carcinogens that act as both initiators and promoters
What types of radiation are mutagenic?
alpha and beta particles
gamma rays
x rays
UV rays
What is ionising radiation?
Radiation that strips electrons from atoms
Includes x rays and nuclear radiation
What comprises nuclear radiation?
Alpha particles, beta particels, gamma rays
In what ways can radiation damage DNA?
Directly by altering bases and causing single/ double strand DNA breaks
indirectly by generating free radicals