What is Cancer Lecture 1

Question 1

What is the function of the soma

Answer 1

The soma (somatic cell) is there to deliver the germ cell.

Cancer occurs when the somatic cell divides out of control.

Question 2

How many cells in the body and how many new RBCs per minute?

Answer 2

Body has 10^14 cells

In a minute makes 300million new RBCs

Question 3

Describe tumour suppressor genes

Answer 3

Induce apoptosis, or senescene (put cell to sleep)

Can be used to prevent cancer

Question 4

What are the risk factors for breast cancer

Answer 4

-Few pregnancies
-Alcohol
-Hormone replacement therapy
-Obesity
Cancers are somewhat preventable by changes in lifestyle
Treatment includes surgery, radiotherapy, hormonal therapies

Question 5

Describe acute lymphoblastic leukaemia

Answer 5

Most common cancer in children

Large survival rate

Question 6

Describe chronic myeloid leukaemia

Answer 6

-Characterised by Philadelphia Chromosome

Translocation between chromosome 9 and 22

• Produces an abnormal ‘fused protein’ which is highly activated. It is a tyrosine kinase which makes the cell proliferate
• Imatinib was designed to block the action of this abnormal fused protein

Question 7

Describe T cell co stimulation

Answer 7

• TCR binds peptides on cancer cell
• Co-stimulation is required for the T cell to then kill the cell
• The cancer cell manages to repress co-stimulation (using PD1) to stop the immune system from killing it