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Honors Biology Cancer Questions and Answers Latest Version Graded A+
What is the primary characteristic of cancer cells?✔✔ Cancer cells grow uncontrollably and do not respond to the usual signals that regulate cell division.
Which process do cancer cells bypass that typically regulates cell division in normal cells?✔✔ Cancer cells bypass checkpoints in the cell cycle that would normally stop the cell cycle if there are errors or damage.
What role does the p53 gene play in preventing cancer?✔✔ The p53 gene is a tumor suppressor gene that detects DNA damage and can halt cell division or initiate apoptosis to prevent the formation of tumors.
How does a mutation in a proto-oncogene contribute to cancer development?✔✔ A mutation in a proto-oncogene can turn it into an oncogene, which causes excessive cell division and contributes to tumor formation.
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What is metastasis in the context of cancer?✔✔ Metastasis is the spread of cancer cells from their original site to other parts of the body, forming secondary tumors.
Why are cancer cells often described as immortal?✔✔ Cancer cells are considered immortal because they evade the normal process of apoptosis (programmed cell death), allowing them to continue dividing indefinitely.
What is angiogenesis and how does it relate to cancer?✔✔ Angiogenesis is the formation of new blood vessels, which is crucial for tumors to receive oxygen and nutrients, enabling them to grow larger.
How do tumor-suppressor genes help protect the body from cancer?✔✔ Tumor-suppressor genes inhibit cell division and promote DNA repair or apoptosis, preventing uncontrolled cell growth and cancer formation.
What happens when there is a loss of function in tumor-suppressor genes like BRCA1 or
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✔✔ A loss of function in tumor-suppressor genes like BRCA1 or BRCA2 increases the risk of developing certain cancers, particularly breast and ovarian cancer, because DNA repair is compromised.
How does chemotherapy work to treat cancer?✔✔ Chemotherapy works by targeting and killing rapidly dividing cells, which includes cancer cells, though it can also affect other rapidly dividing normal cells.
What is the role of the immune system in fighting cancer?✔✔ The immune system can identify and destroy cancer cells, but cancer cells can sometimes evade immune detection through various mechanisms.
What is a biopsy, and how is it used in diagnosing cancer?✔✔ A biopsy involves removing a small sample of tissue from a tumor to examine under a microscope for the presence of cancer cells.
What is the difference between benign and malignant tumors?✔✔ Benign tumors are non-cancerous and do not spread to other parts of the body, while malignant tumors are cancerous and can invade nearby tissues and metastasize. 3 / 4
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What are carcinogens, and how do they contribute to cancer development?✔✔ Carcinogens are substances or factors that increase the risk of cancer by causing mutations in the DNA of cells, leading to uncontrolled cell division.
How does radiation therapy kill cancer cells?✔✔ Radiation therapy damages the DNA of cancer cells, preventing them from replicating and causing them to die or stop growing.
What is the significance of the Philadelphia chromosome in cancer?✔✔ The Philadelphia chromosome is a genetic abnormality that can cause leukemia by creating an abnormal fusion protein that promotes uncontrolled cell division.
How does the process of apoptosis prevent cancer?✔✔ Apoptosis, or programmed cell death, removes damaged or potentially cancerous cells, preventing them from accumulating and forming tumors.
What role do telomeres play in the life span of cancer cells?
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