Overview of Cancer Flashcards
What is cancer?
Uncontrolled division of abnormal cells in the body.
What are the SIX hallmarks of cancer?
- Sustaining proliferative signalling.
- Evading growth suppressors.
- Resisting cell death
- Enabling replicative immortality
- Inducing angiogenesis
- Activating invasion and metastasis
What are the main lifestyle risk factors for cancer? (5)
- Smoking
- Alcohol
- UV exposure
- Processed foods
- Obesity
What virus is linked to liver cancer?
Hepatitis B&C
What is a proto-oncogene?
A normal gene that regulates cell growth, but can become oncogenic when mutated.
How do oncogenes contribute to cancer?
They drive uncontrolled cell proliferation when mutated or overexpressed.
What are THREE ways a proto-oncogene can become an onco-gene?
- Point mutation (gene always active)
- Gene amplification (overproduction of protein).
- Chromosomal translocation (misregulation from gene relocation).
What is a tumour suppressor gene (TSG)? (3)
A gene that restrains cell growth, promotes apoptosis, and repairs DNA.
What happens when tumour suppressor genes are lost or mutated?
Unregulated cell growth and increased cancer risk.
What is Li-Fraumeni Syndrome?
A hereditary cancer syndrome caused by p53 mutations, increasing cancer risk.
What are the main cancer treatments? (5)
- Surgery
- Radiation
- Chemotherapy
- Targeted therapy
- Immunotherapy
How does chemotherapy work?
It targets rapidly dividing cells to kill cancer cells, but also affects healthy cells.
What is targeted therapy?
Drugs that block specific cancer pathways (e.g., kinase inhibitors, monoclonal antibodies).
How does immunotherapy work in cancer treatment?
IT boosts the immune system to recognise and kill cancer cells (e.g., checkpoint inhibitors, CAR-T therapy).
