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7 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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What is cancer |
Cancer is a disease characterised by uncontrolled/continued growth, multiplication and spread of abnormal forms of the body’s own cells. |
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Types of cancer |
There are two types of neoplasm benign and malignant. A benign tumor lacks the power of invasiveness and metastasis unlike a cancerous tumor. |
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Cause of cancer |
Cancer is caused by the interaction between genetic susceptibility and environmental factors. These factors lead to accumulations of genetic mutations in oncogenes (genes that control the growth rate of cells) and tumor suppressor genes (genes that help to prevent cancer), which gives cancer cells their malignant characteristics, such as uncontrolled growth. A normal cell turns into a cancer cell because of two or more mutations in its DNA, which can be inherited or acquired, usually through exposure to viruses or other carcinogens. |
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What are epigenetic factors |
Epigenetic factors, do not themselves produce cancer but they increase the likelihood that the genetic mutation(s) will eventually result in cancer. |
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What is carcinogenesis |
Carcinogenesis is a process by which normal cells become cancerous. |
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Two main genetic changes are implicated in carcinogenesis thus; |
Activation of proto-oncogenes (growth promoting genes) to oncogenes andInactivation of tumour suppressor genes (TSG)/ anti-oncogens. Proto-oncogenes are normal genes that control cell growth, division, and differentiation but which can be converted to oncogenes that induce malignancy by mutations (with gain of function). TSG/antioncogenes are genes in normal cells that suppress undully growth but mutations (with loss of function) in TSG are involved in many cancers and it is a critical event in carcinogenesis. |
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Difference between normal cells and cancer cells |
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