Cancer 101

1. Carcinomas are the most common type of cancer (80-90%) and arise from epithelial cells.
2. Sarcomas arise from supporting tissues of the body and are rarer.
3. Lymphomas arise in white blood cells and are the most common cancer in children and young adults.
4. Myelomas arise from antibody-producing plasma cells in the immune system.
5. Leukemias are non-solid tumors that arise in immature blood cells growing in bone marrow.
6. Gliomas are brain cancers that arise from glial cells that support the nervous system.
7. Carcinogens that increase cancer risk include tobacco smoke, sunlight, aging, genetic predisposition, immune system compromise, body weight and diet, environment, viruses, and bacterial infections.
8. Cancer-related cell types include cancer stem cells, invasive cancer cells, endothelial cells, pericytes, cancer-associated fibroblasts, and immune inflammatory cells.
9. The six common traits essential for normal cell transformation to malignant cells are self-sufficiency in growth signals, insensitivity to anti-growth signals, evading apoptosis, limitless replicative potential, sustained angiogenesis, and tissue invasion and metastasis.
10. Cancer cells can become self-sufficient in growth signals by altering extracellular growth signals, response to growth factors, and intracellular response.

Test your knowledge of cancer types, cell types, and carcinogens with this informative quiz! From carcinomas to gliomas, learn about the different types of cancer and the cells that can become malignant. Explore the common traits essential for normal cell transformation to malignant cells and discover the various factors that increase cancer risk. Challenge yourself and see how much you know about this complex and prevalent disease.