Biology (cancer cells)

- cancer cells

What cancer spreads and what doesn’t?

Malignant cancer spreads, while benign cancer doesn’t spread

What are some potential symptoms of cancer?

• lumps, abnormal bleeding, unexplained weight loss, prolonged cough

How does a cell become cancerous?

to transform the genes that regulate cell growth and cell differentiation must be altered

an alteration to the DNA is called a mutation

If a cell is mutated in a certain way, it can become cancerous

What are oncogenes?

are genes that encourage cell growth and cell division

How are Oncogenes and Cancer related?

Cancer causes mutated genes to cause the over-expression of normal oncogenes

What are tumor suppressing genes? And how are they related to cancer?

Are genes associated with preventing cell division

If these genes are mutated they may cause a cell to become cancerous by under-expressing stops to cell division

What are the 3 groups that cause mutation in DNA

Chemicals, Viruses and electromagnetic radiation

What are chemicals that are associated with getting cancer called?

carcinogens

How can viruses cause cancer?

Viruses can cause cancer by inserting their DNA into your cell’s DNA, this can cause changed in your DNA

Another way, is by reducing your body’s immune system

How does radiation cause cancer?

They can break bonds, dismantle molecules

High energy radiation damages DNA

What are spontaneous mutations? And how do they occur?

There is no agent that causes a mutation, it is said to be natural

During DNA replication in the S phase of the cell cycle, errors often occur in the creation which could lead to cancer

When a person ages, the consistency of their cells’s abilities to undergo mitosis decreases

What types of cells does chemotherapy have a greater effect on?

cells that divide rapidly