Deck 18: Cancer: Uncontrolled Cell Division and Differentiation

Question 1

The normal form of the p53 gene

A) is a type of proto-oncogene
B) has been linked to the development of colon cancer
C) codes for a protein that prevents damaged cells from dividing
D) is a type of oncogene that causes skin cancer
E) codes for proteins that stimulate cell growth and adhesion

Answer 1

C

Question 2

Which one of the following types of cancer is preventable by a vaccine?

A) lung cancer
B) cervical cancer
C) breast cancer
D) colon cancer
E) skin cancer

Answer 2

B

Question 3

Cancers that metastasize and invade normal tissues to impede their functions are called

A) benign tumors
B) keratosis
C) malignant tumors
D) in situ cancer
E) neoplasm

Answer 3

C

Question 4

When a cancer remains in one location, it is referred to as

A) benign
B) dysplasia
C) in situ cancer
D) hyperplasia
E) metastasis

Question 5

Tumor suppressor genes function to

A) prevent gene expression of oncogenes
B) prevent release of growth factors
C) slow down unchecked cell growth, differentiation, division, or adhesion
D) produce proto-oncogenes
E) stimulate metastasis

Question 6

Tobacco is a carcinogen that has NOT been linked to the induction of cancer in which one of the following?

A) pancreas
B) lungs
C) mouth
D) pharynx
E) liver

Question 7

All of the following statements describe characteristics of cancer cells EXCEPT which one?

A) Cancer cells may migrate to other locations in the body.
B) Cancer cells often have an enlarged nucleus.
C) Cancer cells lose the ability to control cell division.
D) Cancer cells typically are overdifferentiated.
E) Cancer cells no longer perform their specialized functions prior to becoming cancerous.

Question 8

The chance that an individual in the United States will experience some form of cancer in his or her lifetime is

A) 1 in 3
B) 1 in 10
C) 1 in 25
D) 1 in 1,000
E) 1 in 10,000

Question 9

In which one of the following ways does a proto-oncogene differ from an oncogene?

A) Proto-oncogenes code for proteins that regulate the expression of structural genes; oncogenes code for nucleic acids involved in cell division.
B) Proto-oncogenes control normal cell division; oncogenes contribute to the development of cancer.
C) When oncogenes become damaged, they become proto-oncogenes.
D) Oncogenes activate tumor suppressor genes; proto-oncogenes repress tumor suppressor genes.
E) Proto-oncogenes cause cells to self-destruct when damaged; oncogenes cause damaged cells to repair themselves.

Question 10

Which one of the following CORRECTLY represents the progression to cancer?

A) in situ, dysplasia, hyperplasia, malignancy
B) dysplasia, in situ tumor, malignancy, hyperplasia
C) hyperplasia, dysplasia, in situ tumor, malignancy
D) dysplasia, hyperplasia, malignancy, in situ tumor
E) malignancy, in situ tumor, hyperplasia, dysplasia

Question 11

Oncogenes are derived from

A) malignant tumors
B) proto-oncogenes
C) mutated keratotic cells
D) healthy tumor suppressor genes
E) benign tumors

Question 12

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommended that women who are not at risk for breast cancer wait to have yearly screening mammograms until age 50, as opposed to the previous recommendation of age 40, because

A) breast tissue is more sensitive to radiation damage before menopause than after
B) the cost of the screening is not covered by insurance until after a woman reaches menopause
C) most forms of breast cancer do not develop until later in life
D) the method of screening is more accurate in older women than younger
E) delaying the screening ensures that younger, more at-risk women, are able to schedule the preventive tests

Question 13

Any factor that can contribute to the conversion of a healthy cell into a cancerous one is known as

A) a tumor
B) a carcinogen
C) a growth factor
D) regulatory genes
E) a growth inhibitor

Question 14

Which one of the following is shown in the figure above?

A) in situ cancer
B) death of a neoplasm
C) metastatic tumor
D) benign tumor
E) precancerous mass of cells

Question 15

A diet high in red meat and saturated fat increases the risk for ________ cancers.

A) colon, rectum, and prostate gland
B) breast and liver
C) brain and lung
D) lung, stomach, and liver
E) colon, breast, and liver

Question 16

Damage to ________ greatly reduces a cell's ability to repair DNA during DNA replication.

A) mutator genes
B) proto-oncogenes
C) repair genes
D) structural genes
E) somatic genes

Question 17

Free radicals produced during biochemical reactions can serve as carcinogens if they are NOT neutralized by

A) mutator genes
B) growth factors
C) antioxidants
D) repair enzymes
E) proto-oncogenes

Question 18

The dietary carcinogen aflatoxin can be found in

A) fresh fruits
B) red meats
C) salt
D) alcohol
E) raw peanut butter

Question 19

All of the following infectious microorganisms are thought to contribute to cancer EXCEPT which one?

A) E. coli
B) Epstein-Barr virus
C) human papillomavirus
D) Helicobacter pylori
E) hepatitis B virus

Question 20

A mass of rapidly dividing cells that have potentially lost the ability to regulate cell division is called a

A) neoplasm
B) angiogenesis
C) malignancy
D) metastasis
E) keratosis

Question 21

Which one of the following statements is TRUE regarding chemotherapy?

A) This technique is used in the diagnosis of cancer.
B) This procedure kills cancer cells and normal cells that divide rapidly.
C) This is the selected technique in the treatment of cancer because there are no side effects.
D) This is a procedure used to genetically engineer an individual so cancer will not develop.
E) Most chemicals used in this procedure affect only one organ of the body.

Question 22

The use of laser light to trigger toxic reactions specific to cancer cells is referred to as

A) angiogenesis
B) molecular annihilation
C) photosynthesis
D) fluorescent microscopy
E) photodynamic therapy

Question 23

Consider an individual undergoing cancer chemotherapy, taking a drug that slows or stops cell division. Which one of the following is a likely side effect of such chemotherapy?

A) improved hair growth
B) anemia
C) weight gain
D) headaches
E) fluid retention

Question 24

Which one of the following statements is TRUE regarding photodynamic therapy?

A) It involves the use of light-sensitive drugs to target a cancer.
B) It uses magnets to attract beads coated with a chemotherapeutic drug to a cancer.
C) It is used for the treatment of cancers of the breast and ovary.
D) It inhibits angiogenesis.
E) It involves the use of antibodies to deliver treatments to a cancer.

Question 25

In which one of the following ways are antiangiogenic drugs used in the treatment of cancer?

A) These drugs stop the replication of DNA, so cancer cells cannot reproduce.
B) These drugs stop the growth of blood vessels into the tumor, so the cells "starve" to death.
C) These drugs stop metastasis.
D) These drugs stimulate the immune system.
E) These drugs stimulate the production of free radicals, which kill cancer cells.

Question 26

For women with a mutated BRCA gene, the risk of breast cancer is about 60%. However, detection of the mutated gene can occur before cancer ever develops by

A) testing of a blood sample
B) screening mammography
C) taking a biopsy of breast tissue
D) a PET scan
E) urinalysis

Question 27

The development of a cancerous condition in immature white blood cells located in bone marrow is called

A) leukemia
B) hyperplasia
C) lymphoma
D) hypoplasia
E) dysplasia

Question 28

If angiogenesis were not to occur, a tumor would reach the size of a ________ and stop growing.

A) period on a typewritten page (.)
B) baseball
C) grapefruit
D) pea
E) basketball

Question 29

Which one of the following diagnostic imaging techniques does NOT expose the patient to additional radiation?

A) X- rays and ultrasounds
B) ultrasounds and PET scans
C) ultrasounds and MRI
D) PET scans and MRI
E) PET scans and X-rays

Question 30

Using the ABCD rule for diagnosing a melanoma associated with the skin, the "D" refers to

A) darkness of the spot or region of the skin, usually varying in intensity of the color black
B) degree of irregularity of the spot from a circle
C) diameter of the spot
D) density or thickness of the melanoma
E) "damage," or the extent that the skin cells have lost normal function

Question 31

Which one of the following carcinogens accounts for 30% of all cancer deaths?

A) environmental chemicals (e.g., asbestos, pesticides, soot, coal tar)
B) tobacco smoke
C) ultraviolet light
D) ionizing radiation (X rays)
E) radon gas

Question 32

Which one of the following types of cancer kills the highest percentage of people diagnosed with the condition?

A) lung
B) breast
C) prostate
D) skin
E) colon

Question 33

Not only does smoking cause lung cancer, it also quadruples the risk of which one of the following types of cancer?

A) stomach
B) prostate
C) bladder
D) colon
E) brain

Question 34

A mutation in which one of the following genes can lead to breast cancer?

A) BT05
B) HeLa
C) BRCA1
D) BCG
E) BCG2

Question 35

One method for detecting tumors in body tissue involves the use of radioactive materials to create three-dimensional images showing metabolic activity of a specific tissue. This technique is referred to as

A) magnetic resonance imaging
B) positron-emission tomography
C) mammography
D) electrophoresis
E) photodynamic therapy

Question 36

Common side effects associated with chemotherapy are due to

A) fevers induced by the chemicals
B) death of cancer cells and their subsequent removal from the body
C) change in blood pH caused by the chemicals
D) death of normal cells caused by the chemicals
E) destruction of RNA in most normal cells

Question 37

The process by which growing tumors stimulate the growth of new blood vessels is called

A) metastasis
B) angiogenesis
C) keratosis
D) hyperplasia
E) dysplasia

Question 38

The use of cancer-specific antigens to generate antibodies that target cancer cells is a process known as

A) immunotherapy
B) radiation therapy
C) angiogenesis
D) chemotherapy
E) antigenic loading

Question 39

All of the following are risks associated with the development of colon cancer EXCEPT which one?

A) low-fiber diet
B) obesity
C) family history
D) consumption of vitamins A, C, and E
E) smoking

Question 40

Development of cancer in cells within lymph nodes is called

A) in situ
B) lymphoma
C) leukemia
D) keratosis
E) cervical

Question 41

Dysplasia occurs when an abnormal structural change occurs in a cell.

Question 42

Tumor suppressor genes function to increase the activity of cells during times of stress or when conditions do not favor cell division.

Question 43

A malignant tumor differs from an in situ tumor in that the malignant tumor has invaded the surrounding tissue and compromised the function of that tissue, whereas an in situ tumor has not compromised the surrounding tissue or spread from its original location.

Question 44

Telomerase is an enzyme characteristic of normal cells that is active in DNA repair; most cancer cells have been found to lack telomerase.

Question 45

In order for a cancer to develop, cells must be capable of breaking away from neighboring cells, and they must ignore growth-inhibitory signals from other cells, resulting in uncontrolled growth and cell division.

Question 46

A mutation in either BRCA1 or BRCA2 is the most common cause of breast cancer.

Question 47

Diet, including what is and what is not consumed, is believed to play a major role in determining whether or not an individual develops cancer.

Question 48

Unlike traditional vaccines, cancer vaccines are administered to an individual after he or she has developed the illness.

Question 49

In addition to killing cancer cells, radiation therapy results in the death of normal cells. However, unlike cancer cells, normal cells recover from exposure to the radiation more readily.

Question 50

Proto-oncogenes are genes that promote the development of tumors.

Question 51

The most important aspect in the treatment of cancer is that the cancer be diagnosed as early as possible.

Question 52

The tumor shown in the figure above is most likely malignant.

Question 53

When hyperplasia develops, signaling a loss of control of cell division, it always results in cancer.

Question 54

The process by which cells of a tumor invade normal tissue and travel via blood or lymph vessels to other parts of the body is ________.

Question 55

Damage to mutator genes increase the likelihood of cancers because the gene products of the normal genes repair DNA.

Question 56

Cells undergoing hyperplasia eventually develop into a mass called a(n) ________.

Question 57

If an entire tumor remains localized, it is said to be a(n) ________ cancer.

Question 58

Antiangiogenic drugs are designed to prevent or slow the growth of ________ into tumors.

Question 59

The human body has an incredibly efficient and powerful immune system capable of removing many potentially damaging pathogens and toxic agents that threaten the body. Knowing how efficient the human immune system is, explain why cancerous cells that threaten health can seemingly develop undetected.

Question 60

Under normal circumstances, several important types of genes control the activities of cells. Some of these genes (proto-oncogenes, tumor suppressor genes, and mutator genes) have critical roles in regulating cell growth and division, as well as repair of DNA during replication. Despite their important roles, mutations to any one of these genes alone do not induce a cancerous condition. Explain why.

Question 61

Precancerous growths in the colon are known as ________; these can usually be removed surgically.

Question 62

Cancers of the lymphoid tissues, such as Hodgkin's disease, are known in general terms as ________.

Question 63

The "ABCD" rule is used in the detection of a(n) ________.

Question 64

A technique that could possibly be used in the future for the treatment of cancer involves replacing defective genes with normal genes. This procedure is known as ________ therapy.

Question 65

The potential damaging effects of free radicals to DNA can be averted by ________.

Question 66

The diagnosis of cancer may involve the use of ________, which employs short bursts of a powerful magnetic field to produce a cross-sectional image of tissues in the body.

Question 67

If a proto-oncogene becomes damaged or undergoes a mutation, it may become a(n) ________ if it contributes to the development of cancer.

Question 68

An X-ray of breast tissue used in the diagnosis of breast cancer is a(n) ________.

Question 69

If you or a family member received the unfortunate news of cancer, why is it that being told the cancer is in situ is more encouraging in terms of treatment than a cancer that metastasizes?

Question 70

Mutated forms of the ________ gene (a tumor suppressor gene) are associated with cancers of the cervix, colon, skin, bladder, and breast.

Question 71

Vitamins A, C, and E are known as ________ because they neutralize free radicals, therefore reducing the risk of cancer.

Question 72

The presence of the enzyme ________ in a cell is an indicator that the cell may be cancerous.

Question 73

Techniques used to increase the effectiveness of the immune system in fighting cancer are collectively known as ________.

Question 74

A cell progressing toward cancer may develop an enlarged nucleus, a condition referred to as ________.