Tumours Flashcards
Definition of a malignant tumour.
Cancerous, divides rapidly and spreads via the blood system.
Definition of a benign tumour.
Not cancerous, slow growth and doesn’t spread.
What are tumour suppressor genes?
They repress the cell cycle (stop the division of cells) and promote the self destruction of cells
What happens if there’s a mutation in the tumour suppressor gene?
The cells will be able to divide uncontrollably, and form a tumour
What happens if there’s a mutation in the proto-oncogene?
The cells will divide uncontrollably, forming a tumour.
What are Porto-oncogenes?
They promote the cell cycle (encouraging the division of cells)
How are tumour cells different to normal cells?
They’re larger, darker and contain multiple nuclei.
How do tumour suppressor genes work?
They produce proteins which stop/destruct cells.
What are the different mutations which can occur to the bases in DNA?
Substitution. Deletion. Duplication. Translocation. Addition. Inversion.
What do mutagenic agents do? How do they work? What’s an example of one?
They increase the rate of mutations.
They can act as bases, alter bases and change the structure of DNA.
Chemicals in cigarettes and radiation.
Definition of methylation.
Adding a methyl group to a molecule.
What are the two types of methylation? Which has to occur to the tumour suppressor gene to cause a tumour to grow? Which has to occur to the proto-oncogene to cause a tumour to grow?
Hypermethylation: too much methylation - causes a tumour to growth if happens on the tumour suppressor gene.
Hypomethylatio: too little methylation - causes tumour growth if happens on the proto-oncogene.
Definition of a risk factor.
Something which increases the chance of getting a disease.
What does incidence refer to?
The number of people diagnosed with a disease in a certain population time.
What does prevalence refer to?
The number of people who have a particular condition - regardless of diagnosis.
