The cancer Flashcards
what is cancer?
uncontrolled and abnormal cell growth
3 factors that contribute to cancer formation
mutated proto oncogene; inactivated tumor suppressor gene; no apoptosis
what does proto oncogene do and what happens if it’s mutated
proto oncogene regulates and differentiates cell division, a mutated proto oncogene and is called an oncogene which has the ability to transform a normal cell into a cancerous cell
what does the tumor suppressor gene do and what happens if it is inactive
slows cell growth and if it’s inactivated it increases cell growth rate leading to cancer formation
what is apoptosis?
normal cell death
how does a tumor form?
due to uncontrolled cell division
what are the 3 stages of cancer formation
initiation, promotion and progression
what types of tumors are there?
benign and malignant
what are benign tumor characteristics?
(noncancerous) slow growing, stays in original location and does not infiltrate surrounding tissue and can usually be surgically removed
what are malignant tumor characteristics?
(cancerous) cells may multiply rapidly and spread to other tissues of the body, termed metastasis
what are carcinogens
chemicals that increase the frequency of mutations and cause cancer
examples of carcinogens
alcohol, cigarettes, foods that are smoked, cured, barbecued, pickled, as well as produce and meats with pesticide residues, UV radiation, pollutants in the air, viruses (e.g. hepatitis) insert DNA and can result in mutated cell
what are cocarcinogens
stimulate tumor growth (promotion phase); e.g. hormones, growth factors, dietary fat
how do carcinogens cause cancer?
produce free radicals which can damage DNA
what do antioxidants do and where are they found?
block carcinogenic effects; found in cruciferous vegetables (e.g. broccoli, brussel sprouts, cauliflower) and some fruits
how does exercise help prevent cancer?
upregulates enzymes such as catalase that can act as antioxidants and fix damage done by free radicals
