Chap 10--Fighting Fate Flashcards
(22 cards)
Mutation
A change in the nucleotide sequence of DNA
Cancer
A disease of unregulated cell division; cells divide inappropriately and accumulate, in some instances forming a tumor
Cell Cycle Checkpoint
A cellular mechanism that ensures that each stage of the cell cycle is completed accurately
Apoptosis
Programmed cell death; often referred to as cellular suicide
Tumor
A mass of cells resulting from uncontrolled cell division
Carcinogen
Any substance that causes cancer. Most (blanks) are mutagens
Mutagen
Any chemical or physical agent that can damage DNA by changing is nucleotide sequence
Allele
Alternative versions of the same gene that have different nucleotide sequences
Proto-Oncogene
A gene that codes for a protein that helps cells divide normally
Tumor Suppressor Gene
A gene that codes for a protein that monitors and checks cell cycle progression. When these genes mutate, tumor suppressor proteins lose normal function
Oncogene
A mutated and overactive form of a proto-oncogene. (Blanks) drive cells to divide continually
Benign Tumor
A noncancerous tumor whose cells will not spread throughout the body
Malignant Tumor
A cancerous tumor whose cells can spread throughout the body
Metastasis
The spread of cancer cells from one location in the body to another
Contact Inhibition
A characteristic of normal cells that prevents them from dividing once they have filled a space and are in contact with their neighbors
Anchorage Dependence
The need for normal cells to be in physical contact with another layer of cells or a surface
Angiogenesis
The growth of new blood vessels
Chemotherapy
Treatment by toxic chemicals that kill cancer by interfering with cell division
Radiation Therapy
The use of ionizing (high-energy) radiation to treat cancer
Targeted Therapy
A cancer therapy that is specific to cancer cells and not harmful to normal cells
Immunotherapy
A cancer therapy that uses the immune system to recognize and destroy cancer cells
Mammogram
A type of x-ray
