Cancer Flashcards
Organisation (11 cards)
What is the result of uncontrolled growth and division of cells?
Formation of a tumour
Tumours can be benign or malignant.
What characterizes a benign tumour?
Grows until there’s no more room and stays in one place
Not normally dangerous and not cancerous.
What is a malignant tumour?
Grows and spreads to neighboring healthy tissues
Can invade healthy tissues and form secondary tumours.
True or False: All tumours are cancerous.
False
Tumours can be benign (non-cancerous) or malignant (cancerous).
What do risk factors indicate about developing cancer?
Increased risk of developing the disease
Having risk factors does not guarantee cancer development.
What has contributed to increased cancer survival rates?
Medical advances such as improved treatment and earlier diagnosis
Increased screening for the disease has also played a role.
What lifestyle factor is well known to be linked to lung cancer?
Smoking
Smoking is also linked to other types of cancer including mouth and cervical cancer.
What is the second biggest preventable cause of cancer after smoking?
Obesity
Linked to various cancers including bowel, liver, and kidney cancer.
How does UV exposure relate to cancer risk?
Increased chance of developing skin cancer
Higher risk for those living in sunny climates or using sunbeds.
What type of infections can increase cancer risk?
Viral infections
For example, hepatitis B and C viruses increase liver cancer risk.
What can sometimes be inherited that increases susceptibility to cancer?
Faulty genes
Mutations in BRCA genes are linked to breast and ovarian cancer.
