Grade 10 Biology- 2.5 Cancer and Cell Cycle

What are checkpoints?

A point in the cell cycle which prevents damaged or mutates cells from proceeding to the next phase.

Apoptosis

The process a damaged cell goes through- it self destructs.

What is checked for at the G1 checkpoint?

Cell size, nutrients, growth factors, DNA damage

What is checked for at the G2 checkpoint?

Cell size, DNA replication

What is checked for at the Spindle Assembly checkpoint?

Chromosome attachment to spindle

What is G0 phase?

What happens if a damaged cell passes though the checkpoint (it’s supposed to die)?

It’s a cancer cell

What do chemotherapy drugs target?

Fast multiplying cells

Benign tumour

Grow slowly and don’t spread throughout the body. Are usually harmless.

Malignant tumour

Cancerous, they do mitosis very quickly, with little time in interphase. They damage and destroy healthy cells.

Metastasis

Malignant cells spreading to other body parts.

Carcinogen

Anything that causes cancer

List 6 carcinogens:

Hereditary, UV radiation, Chemicals, Viruses, Smoking, Cells dividing

Is a mole benign or malignant?

Benign

Is a melanoma benign or malignant?

Malignant (and cancerous)

ABCDEs of identifying skin cancer

Asymmetry, Border, Colour, Diameter, Evolving