Henrietta / Cancer test study guide Wright

Immortal Cell Line

Cells that divide forever.

Pap Smear

A test that catches cancer earlier, improving survival rates for cervical cancer.

Informed Consent

Patients must know and agree to what’s done to them.

Tuskegee Syphilis Study

A historical study that exploited black patients, illustrating their exploitation in medicine.

HeLa Cells

Human cells that can be grown endlessly for experiments.

Spontaneous Transformation

Cells turning cancerous on their own.

HPV

A virus that inserts DNA triggering uncontrolled cell growth, leading to cervical cancer.

National Cancer Act

A purpose to boost national cancer research and funding established by President Nixon.

Hayflick Limit

The number of times a normal somatic cell will divide before cell division stops.

Contamination in Cell Cultures

HeLa cells can contaminate other cultures due to their rapid growth and adherence.

Gardisil vaccine

Immunization for males and females against HPV.

Gene therapy

Treatment for cystic fibrosis, Parkinson's disease, ALS, Alzheimer's, and certain cancers.

Survival rate

Number of people alive after a specific amount of time after receiving a cancer diagnosis.

Cancer

Disease resulting from genetic changes over time.

Telomeres

DNA segments at end of chromosomes affecting cell age.

Biomedical researchers would most likely study what aspect of cells?

genes

Benign tumor

Non-cancerous tumor not invading nearby tissues.

50%

What is the lifetime cancer risk for men?

Mutagen

Chemical or physical agent causing genetic alteration.

Excision biopsy

Biopsy removing entire lesion.

Metastatic cancer

Cancer spreading from original site to other parts of the body.

Cell division

Cancer as the breakdown of what normal bodily process?

organ

A cancerous tumor is most like what part of the body?

Cytoplasm

Jelly-like substance inside a cell.

Incidence rate

Number of people diagnosed with cancer per 100,000 people each year.

Tumor-suppressant genes

Genes inhibiting cell division in normal cellular processes.

Fine needle aspiration biopsy

Biopsy using a thin needle without cutting through skin.

monoclonal

Origin of most malignant tumors

larger

cancer cell nucleus is _______ than normal cell nucleus.

In situ cancer

Abnormal cells found only in the tissue of origin.

Melanoma

Cancer of pigmented cells.

Richard Nixon

Who signed the National Cancer Act of 1971?

Gene mutation

Main cause of uncontrolled cell division in human cancers.

Cancer cells

Grow faster than normal cells.

cervical cancer

Type of cancer a female patient is predisposed to after HPV diagnosis.

Alleles

Most human cells contain two copies of each gene called?

Lung cancer symptoms

Chronic cough, blood-tinged sputum, and dyspnea.

Inherited predispositions

Fair skin and BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes as examples of

Hyperplasia

Pre-cancerous state where organ or tissue is enlarged due to increased cell reproduction.

diagnosis

Medical term used to document positive cancer test results.

Gene

DNA structure providing instructions for cell to make specific proteins.

Carcinogens

Examples include UV light, radium, and coal tar.

Cellular functions

mutagens change what?

Immune system

System in the human body recognizing foreign cells like cancer cells.

invasive

Phase of tumor development where mass is considered malignant.

smoking

One-third of all cancers are caused by _______ according to the American Cancer Society.

70 year old man

Highest incidence of cancer.

Avoiding sun exposure during peak hours

Best way to prevent most forms of skin cancer is

Cancer prevention

Effective noninvasive approach to address most forms of cancer.

lung

Which cancer accounts for the highest number of deaths each year.

Carcinogen

Substance causing cancer by damaging genes or disrupting metabolic processes.

carcinoma

a cancer arising in the epithelial tissue of the skin or of the lining of the internal organs.