outline of disease process

Question 1

cancer stage 1

Answer 1

cancer is relatively small and contained within the organ itself

Question 2

cancer stage 2

Answer 2

cancer larger than stage one but not spread into surrounding tissue. sometimes spread into lymph nodes.

Question 3

cancer stage 3

Answer 3

cancer starting to spread into surrounding tissue and cancer cells present in lymph nodes.

Question 4

cancer stage 4

Answer 4

cancer has spread from where it started, it has metastasised.

Question 5

cancer stage 0

Answer 5

carcinoma in situ, a group of abnormal cells which may develop into cancer.

Question 6

initiation of cancer

Answer 6

• chemical carcinogens
• physical carcinogens
• viral carcinogens
• inherited mutation
• age

Question 7

examples of chemical carcinogens

Answer 7

• alcohol
• chemicals in cigarettes
• alkylating agents eg. nitrogen mustard
• aflatoxin
• oxidising agents

Question 8

examples of physical carcinogens

Answer 8

ionising radiation, dose-response mechanism

Question 9

examples of viral carcinogens

Answer 9

• herpes virus-
• human papillomavirus- cervical cancer
• hepatitis B - liver cancer
• EBV (epstein-barr virus) causes burkitt’s lymphoma

Question 10

ways in which cancer growth is promoted

Answer 10

• activation of oncogenes
• increase in growth factor levels
• inhibition of tumour suppressor genes

Question 11

current cancer therapies

Answer 11

• surgical removal
• radiotherapy
• chemotherapy
• imunotherapy

Question 12

radiotherapy

Answer 12

high doses of radiation kills cancer cells and shrinks tumours

Question 13

chemotherapy

Answer 13

drugs are used to kill cancer cells

Question 14

immunotherapy

Answer 14

methods used that help the immune system fight the cancer