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LVL H - NUTCORE > Nutrition & Cancer > Flashcards

Nutrition & Cancer Flashcards

1
Q

What is ther prevalence of cancer worldwide?

A

In 2018, 17 million cases were dioagnosed with an estimated 9.6 million deaths (WHO, 2018)

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2
Q

What are some aetiological factors for cancer development?

A

-diet (obesity)
-environmental (chemicals, pollutants)
- toxins (tobacco and alcohol)
-genetic predisposition/hereditary
-endocrine dysfunction
-infection (hpv, hep b)
-sedentary behaviour
-other comorbidities (I.e obesity, hypertension)

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3
Q

What is the definition of cancer?

A

Cancer is a non-communicable disease in which the normal control of cell dividion is lost and the individual cell multiplies inappropriately to form tumours. Tumours grow and spread through the body ultimately causing death.

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4
Q

Is cancer genetic?

A

Although caused by a series of genetic changes in tumour supressor genes/oncogenes, it is believed many cancers occur due to lifestyle and other endogenous factors such as nutrition, infections, PA, social behaviour and environmental factors.

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5
Q

WHat are the most common cancers worldwide? Since when? What percentage of all cancer deaths?

A

Lung, liver, stomach and bowel cancer
1975
accounts for >40% of all cases.

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6
Q

What are the most common cancers amongst men? (5)

A

Lung, prostate, colorectal, stomach and liver

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7
Q

What are the most common cancers amongst women? (5)

A

Breast, colorectal, lung, cervical and thyroid

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8
Q

What is ther prevalence of cancer in the UK? (3 facts)

A
  • 360,000 new cancer cases each year with 167,000 deaths.
  • 1 in 2 people will get cancer in their lifetime.
  • 20% of all deaths are from lung cancer.
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9
Q

What cancer has shown the fastest increase in mortality in the UK over the past decade?

A

Liver.

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10
Q

What cancer has shown the fastest decrease in mortality in the UK over the past decade? (male and female?)

A

Stomach and cervical in females.
Stomach and lung in males

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11
Q

How does cancer develop?

A

Damage to genes caused by various factors leads to abnormal cell division and tumour development.

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12
Q

Why does a tumour form? What cells occur as a result?

A
  • Failure of DNA repair mechanims.
  • Abonormal cell division characteristics
  • Results in malignant cells that can metastasize
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13
Q

What are some charcteristics of tumours?

A
  1. Increased cell proliferation
  2. Loss of differentiation
  3. Decreased cell death by apoptosis
  4. Metastasis to other sites
  5. Infiltrative growth
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14
Q

What is the difference between a begnign tumour and a malignant tumour?

A

Begnign - Relitively innocent, localised, non-metastatic, can be surgically removed
Malignant - Abnormal, divide without control or order, destroys adjacent structures, spreads to distant sites, can cause death

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15
Q

What does it mean when a tumour mastasises?

A

Cancer cells from a malignant tumour break away and spread throughout the body through the bloodstream and lympahtic system.

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16
Q

What are some aetiological factors for the development of cancer? (5 answers)

A
  1. Environmental factors (radiation, chemicals, smoking, dietary factors)
  2. Hormones (reproductive cancers)
  3. Viruses (HPV, Hep B)
  4. Stress (immune system)
  5. Ageing
17
Q

WHat are the pathophysiological steps for cancer development? (9)

A
  1. Enviromental or Hormonal factors or genetic factors alter DNA.
  2. DNA repair mechanisms fail
  3. Oncogenes mutate and inactivation of tumour suppressor genes.
  4. Promotion of cell growth
  5. Unregulated cell proliferation
  6. Unregualted cell apoptosis
  7. Colonial expansion
  8. Tumour progression
  9. Malignant neoplasm
18
Q

What are oncogenes? WHat is the name of the non-active counter-part?

A

A gene whose expression is activated in cancer
Proto-oncogene

19
Q

What so proto-oncogenes regulate?

A

Cell signalling, proliferation, differentiation, motility and survival,

20
Q

What factors cause tumour suppresor genes to lose function? What are some examples of activated tumour suppressor genes and where does cancer form for these genes?

A

Genetic or epigenetic inactivation.
RB1 - Eye, P53 - Multiple sites, APC - Colon

21
Q

What are some dietary causes for colorectal cancer? The intake of what food decreases colorectal cancer?

A

Red and processed meat
White fish
(Norat et al, 2005)

22
Q

WHat are some dietary factors that predispose an individual to cancer? (7)

A
  1. Acetaldehyde (alcohol)
  2. Aflatoxin (fungus in grains, nuts)
  3. N-nitrosol comopounds (smoked and cured meats)
  4. Protein (increased AA availability for tumour growth)
  5. Fat (sat fats and trans fats - colorectal cancer)
  6. Salt (high in N-nitrosol compounds - stomach cancer)
  7. Refined carbohydrates (increased BG - several cancers)
23
Q

Long-term inflammation caused by obesity and heavy alcohol consumption can promote the devcelopment of cancer by:

A
  1. Increasing cell proliferation
  2. Inibiting cell apoptosis
  3. Inducing the generation of new blood vessels
  4. Affecting metabolism in the liver
24
Q

What are some clinical prevention methods for cancer? (7)

A
  • Surgery
  • Chemotherapy
  • radiation therapy
  • gene therapy
  • immunotherapy
  • antisense approach
  • Inhibiting the activity of cancer promoting genes
25
Q

How does immunotherapy work? Which immunotherapy statergy is used for cancer?

A

Involves the treatment of cancer by activating or supressing the immune system (activation and supressing immunotherapy). In cancer, the activation immunotherapy is used.

26
Q

How does gene therapy work?

A

Uses genes to prevent disease. Genes are used in place of drugs.

27
Q

How does the antisense approach work?

A

The sequence specific binding of an antisense oligonucleotide to target mRNA resulting in the prevention of gene translation.

28
Q

What are some dietary preventative measures for cancer?

A
  • energy restricition
  • carbohydrate restriction
  • intake of minerals, vitamins, fibre and phytochemicals
29
Q

What specific dietary alteration decreases the risk of colorectal cancer? What study evidenced this association? WHat was demonstrated?

A

Increase in fibre.
EPIC study (European prospetive investigation into cancer and nutrition).
A significantly lower risk for colorectal cancer (40%) associated with high fibre intake (32g/day) compared to low intake of 12.6g/day

30
Q

Some vitamin and mineral increase associations with decreased cancer risk? (3)

A
  • A relatively high incidence of oesophagus and stomach cancers in some developing countries is partly due to micronutrient deficiencies
  • A diet rich in vitamin C gives a lower risk of developing cancer of the stomach and oesophagus and can inhibit the formation of carcinogenic N-nitrosol-compounds
  • Supplementation with selenium or vitamin E is associated with a reduction of prostate cancer risk (Meyer et al, 2005).
31
Q

What are some examples of phytochemicals that prevent or inhibit cancer/tumours?

A
  1. terpenes (antiocidant - inhibits tumour growth)
  2. lycopenes (reduced prostate cancer)
  3. phenols (scavange free radicals)
32
Q

WHat are some reccomendations for cancer prevention? (6)

A
  • Quit smoking
  • reduce weight
  • Reduce alcohol consumption
  • minimise processed foods (cured meats etc)
  • stress management
  • increase fruit, veg, vitamin, mineral, phytochemical and fibre intake.
  • increase PA

LVL H - NUTCORE (6 decks)

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