48 Questions
What type of cells do most cancer-causing mutations occur in?
Somatic cells
What is the main difference between cancer and many genetic diseases?
Cancer develops from multiple gene mutations, genetic diseases result from single mutations.
In the context of cancer, what is apoptosis?
Cell death
Which of the following is a common property shared by all cancers?
Abnormal cell proliferation
What kind of mutations are responsible for only a small percentage of cancers?
Inherited mutations
Which of the following is NOT influenced by mutations in cancer according to the text?
Cell fusion
What is the range of genetic changes that can occur in cancer cells?
From single-nucleotide substitutions to larger-scale chromosome changes
Which term describes the spread and formation of metastases in cancer cells?
Metastasis
Why are malignant tumors more challenging to treat compared to benign tumors?
Malignant tumors contain cells that can spread and form secondary tumors.
What is the significance of knowing that cancer cells are clonal?
It helps in diagnosing and treating cancer effectively.
What is the defining characteristic of clonal cancer cells within a tumor?
They have identical translocation breakpoints.
What type of genetic mutations do cancer cells accumulate?
Specific genetic mutations that cause abnormal behavior.
How do benign tumors differ from malignant tumors?
Malignant tumors have cells that can metastasize, unlike benign ones.
In which type of cancers are Reciprocal Chromosomal Translocations common?
Leukemia and lymphomas
What is the role of X-chromosome inactivation pattern in cancer cells?
Confirm clonal origin
In females, why do all cancer cells within a tumor have the same inactivated X chromosome?
Random X-chromosome inactivation
What is the main characteristic shared by Cancer Stem Cells (CSCs) and normal stem cells?
Self-renewal ability
Which hypothesis proposes the presence of Cancer Stem Cells (CSCs) as the origin of cancer cells?
Cancer Stem Cell Hypothesis
How do stem cells divide during the self-renewal process?
Asymmetrically
What is a key factor contributing to tumor growth according to the text?
Cancer Stem Cells (CSCs)
What process occurs randomly in cells during early development?
$X$-chromosome inactivation
Which cells within tumors proliferate and give rise to various cell types?
$W$-Cancer Stem Cells (CSCs)
What makes tumors heterogeneous according to the text?
$W$-Cancer Stem Cells (CSCs)
Which cells within tumors do not proliferate according to the text?
Z-Chromosome Non-proliferating Cells
What is the main reason why cancer is classified as a genetic disease?
It involves changes in the genes of cells.
Which cellular functions can be influenced by mutations in cancer cells according to the text?
Repairing damaged DNA
What distinguishes cancer development from many genetic diseases?
Arises from the accumulation of many mutations in different genes
How do most cancer-causing mutations differ from those causing inherited diseases?
They occur in somatic cells.
What is the primary property shared by all types of cancers?
Defects in normal cell proliferation controls
How do cancer cells differ from normal stem cells?
Cancer cells have unlimited self-renewal potential.
What is the main challenge in treating a diverse group of cancers, as mentioned in the text?
Targeting the accumulation of multiple mutations
Why are most cancers caused by somatic mutations rather than inherited mutations?
Somatic mutations accumulate over time in non-reproductive cells.
What characteristic distinguishes malignant tumors from benign tumors?
Benign tumors can be removed without serious harm, while malignant tumors can spread and form secondary tumors.
Why is it significant that cancer cells are clonal within a tumor?
It aids in treating cancer effectively.
In which type of cancers are reciprocal chromosomal translocations commonly observed?
Leukemia and lymphomas
What makes malignant tumors more challenging to treat compared to benign tumors?
Malignant tumors can break away, spread, and form secondary tumors.
What is the defining characteristic of clonal cancer cells within a tumor?
They come from a single cell that contained a number of mutations.
How do malignant tumors differ from benign tumors?
Malignant tumors can spread and form secondary tumors, while benign tumors cannot.
What role do reciprocal chromosomal translocations play in Burkitt lymphoma?
Resulting in identical translocation breakpoints in lymphoma cells
What does X-chromosome inactivation in cancer cells confirm?
Their clonal origin
What process occurs randomly in cells during early development?
X-chromosome inactivation
Which cells within tumors are responsible for tumor growth and share traits with normal stem cells?
Cancer Stem Cells (CSCs)
What characteristic do Cancer Stem Cells (CSCs) share with normal stem cells?
Ability to generate various cell types
What makes tumors heterogeneous according to the text?
Contain CSCs and non-proliferating cells
Which concept is related to cancer cell origins and suggests the presence of Cancer Stem Cells (CSCs)?
Cancer Stem Cell Hypothesis
How do stem cells divide during the self-renewal process?
Asymmetrically, generating one differentiated cell and one stem cell
What is the defining characteristic of clonal cancer cells within a tumor?
Their shared inactive X chromosome origin
What is the role of Cancer Stem Cells (CSCs) within tumors?
To contribute to tumor growth and heterogeneity
Study Notes
X-Chromosome Inactivation
- X-chromosome inactivation occurs randomly in cells during early development
- In females, all cancer cells within a tumor, including primary and metastatic tumors, have the same inactivated X chromosome
- X-chromosome inactivation pattern in cancer cells confirms their clonal origin
Cancer Stem Cell Hypothesis
- Cancer Stem Cells (CSCs) are cells within tumors that proliferate and give rise to various cell types in the tumor
- CSCs share traits with normal stem cells, such as self-renewal ability and undifferentiated state
- Tumors are heterogeneous, containing non-proliferating cells and CSCs responsible for tumor growth
Cancer as a Genetic Disease
- Cancer is a genetic disease, meaning it involves changes in the genes of cells
- Genomic alterations can range from small changes in the DNA sequence to larger-scale changes in chromosomes
- Most cancer-causing mutations occur in somatic cells, which are the non-reproductive cells in our body
- Cancer typically develops from the accumulation of many mutations in different genes over time
Characteristics of Cancer
- Cancer is a complex group of diseases, possibly up to a hundred, each behaving differently based on their cellular origin and genetic alterations
- All cancers share two fundamental properties: abnormal cell growth and division (proliferation), and defects in the normal controls that prevent cells from spreading and forming metastases (metastasis)
- These properties arise from mutations or inappropriate expression of genes that control cell growth and metastasis
Clonal Origin of Cancer Cells
- Cancer cells in both primary and secondary tumors are clonal, meaning they originate from a single cell that contained a number of mutations
- All cancer cells within a tumor come from one common ancestral cell
- Specific genetic mutations cause cancer cells to behave abnormally
- Knowing that cancer cells are clonal aids in diagnosing and treating cancer effectively
Learn about cancer as a genetic disease, involving changes in cell genes, genomic alterations like DNA sequence changes and chromosomal rearrangements, and the occurrence of somatic mutations in non-reproductive cells.
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