Cancer Flashcards
(45 cards)
What is the second leading cause of death in North America?
Cancer
Why is early detection of cancer problematic?
It can spread rapidly
Why is CAUTION not particularly helpful?
It’s very vague
CAUTION stands for the following:
Change in bowel or bladder habits A sore that does not heal Unusual bleeding or discharge Thickening or lump in the breast or elsewhere Indigestion or difficulty in swallowing Obvious change in a wart or mole Nagging cough or hoarseness
CAUTION stands for the following:
Change in bowel or bladder habits A sore that does not heal Unusual bleeding or discharge Thickening or lump in the breast or elsewhere Indigestion or difficulty in swallowing Obvious change in a wart or mole Nagging cough or hoarseness
What occurs when normal body cells lose the ability to control their division?
Cancer
What are the normal processes in our body in place to prevent uncontrolled cell division in the body?
Apoptosis
How do DNA mutations in cells usually prevent cancer cells from dividing?
They trigger certain proteins to be produced that stop the cell from diving and often kills the cell
Why is it difficult for our immune system to recognize and kill cancer cells?
They are their own body cells
Is it true that everyone has cancer?
Yes
According to the conventional wisdom, what is the main/core cause of cancer?
Random genetic mutations
Which part of the cell is damaged that leads to cancer?
The DNA
What are 3 potential causes of damage to DNA?
- Uncontrolled Cell Replication
- Lack of Apoptotic Signaling
- Increased Invasive and Metastatic Properties
What percent of cancers are thought to be attributed to genetic predisposition?
60%
What percent of cancers are thought to be due to environmental causes?
40%
What are 3 environmental causes of cancer?
- Toxins
- Low antioxidant intake
- Poor diet
What are masses of cells that can be cancerous or noncancerous?
A Tumor
What are noncancerous tumors that do not spread?
Benign
What is property of spreading locally and to distant sites?
Malignant
What is the spreading of disease from the site of the original tumor to parts of body that are remote?
Metastasize
What are the 3 main ways that we treat cancer?
Surgery, Chemotherapy, and Radiation
What characteristic of cancer cells is different from most normal cells that is used to target cancer cells?
Cancer cells rapidly divide while most normal cells don’t
What uses drugs that interfere with a cell’s ability to divide?
Chemotherapy
What are the 3 common mechanisms of chemotherapy
Impair DNA synthesis, trigger cell death, and stop growth of new blood vessels
What is a side effects associated with Chemotherapy?
The treatments targets important cells for your body that also rapidly divide
