Biology Cancer unit

Cancer

A disease in which some body cells grow and divide uncontrollably, damaging the parts of the body around them.

Can have genetic and environmental causes

Different types named after tissues they effect

Men have a 1/2 chance, women have a 1/3 chance

Forms of cancer

Melanoma- skin

Leukemia- white blood cells

Carcinoma- internal organ lining

Sarcoma- connective tissue

Lymphoma- immune cells

melanoma

What type of cancer is skin cancer?

Characteristics of normal cell

Characteristics of a normal or cancer cell?

Reproduce themselves exactly, and stop reproducing at the right time

Stick together in the right place

Self-destruct if they are damaged

Become specialized or "mature"

Characteristics of cancer cells

Characteristics of a normal or cancer cell?

lack differentiation, abnormal nuclei, form tumors, undergo angiogenesis and metastasis.

Angiogenesis

growth of new blood vessels that allow cancer cells to grow

metastasis

The spread of cancer cells to locations distant from their original site.

Functions of proteins

Structure, movement, signaling, transport, defense

DNA is composed of 5-carbon sugar, a phosphate group, nitrogenous base

What is DNA composed of?

Transcription

(genetics) the organic process whereby the DNA sequence in a gene is copied into mRNA

Translation

(genetics) the process whereby genetic information coded in messenger RNA directs the formation of a specific protein at a ribosome in the cytoplasm

1. Primary- linear

2. Secondary- interact with weak chemical reactions

3. Tertiary- 3D functional

4. Quaternary- Multiple chains that form molecules

What are the 4 protein structures?

G1, S, G2 (interphase), mitosis, cytokinesis

what are the Cell cycle stages?

cell cycle checkpoints

mechanisms that monitor the preparedness of a eukaryotic cell to advance through the various cell cycle stages

Includes G1, G2, and M

46, 23 from each parent

Humans have how many chromosomes?

Telomeres

Repeated DNA sequences at the ends of eukaryotic chromosomes. Shorten with age

sister chromatids

Identical copies of a chromosome; full sets of these are created during the S subphase of interphase.

prophase, metaphase, anaphase, telophase

what are the Mitosis stages

DNA mutations

base-pair substitution; insertion/deletion; frameshift:

1) missense = different protein

2) nonsense = codes for a stop signal prematurely

3) silent = no harmful change

tumor suppressor genes

A gene whose protein product inhibits cell division, thereby preventing the uncontrolled cell growth that contributes to cancer. EX- p53 and BCRA 1

porto-oncogenes

a gene that codes for a protein that helps cells divide normally

Turn into oncogenes when they are stuck "on"

Tumors take up space in body and push on organs, can block vital pathways in the body, and use the body's nutrients

How does cancer interrupt homeostasis?

PCR (polymerase chain reaction)

what is the technique that allows molecular biologists to make many copies of a particular gene

DNA sequencing

What determines the exact order of the base pairs in a segment of DNA?

Microarrays

• Thousands of nucleic acid sequences are arranged in grids on glass or silicon.

• DNA or RNA probes are hybridized to the chip, and a scanner detects the relative amounts of complementary binding.

• Used to profile gene expression levels or to detect single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs).

Blood cancer

Extra white blood cells and tumor cells are present in blood, AKA leukemia, proteins involved are CA 15-3 and CA 125

Cancer Testing Methods

Screen mammogram, diagnostic mammogram, computer tomography, positron emission tomography, magnetic resonance imaging

Chemotherapy

The use of drugs to treat diseases such as cancer

radiation therapy

treatment of cancer with a radioactive substance, x-ray, or radiation

immunotherapy for cancer

~ Treatment of cancer using immunologic methods.

~ Tumor necrosis factor, IL-2, and interferons may kill cancer cells.

~ Immunotoxins link poisons with a monoclonal antibody directed at a tumor antigen.

~ Vaccines contain tumor-specific antigens.

Leukemia

what cancer has white blood cells

carcinoma

what cancer has internal organ lining

sarcoma

what cancer has connective tissue

lymphoma

what cancer has immune cells