PART 4: Introduction to Cancer Treatment

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Questions and Answers

Why is cancer difficult to treat?

Cancer cells are prokaryotic and resist human treatments.

Cancer treatments are ineffective in targeting any tissue.

Cancer cells do not divide rapidly.

Cancer cells can rapidly adapt and resist treatments. (correct)

What is the principle behind anti-tumor therapies?

Use antibiotics to kill cancer cells.

Completely eradicate all cells in the body.

Target both healthy and cancer cells equally.

Exploit differences between cancer and healthy cells. (correct)

Which of the following is NOT a difference between tumor and healthy tissue?

Altered metabolism in cancer cells.

High proliferation in cancer cells.

Increased genome stability in cancer cells. (correct)

Presence of mutated proteins in cancer cells.

What makes tumor cells more visible in diagnostic imaging like PET scans?

High glucose uptake due to the Warburg effect. (C) Signup and view all the answers

What radioactive molecule is used in PET scans to detect tumors?

FDG-6P (fluorodeoxyglucose-6-phosphate). (D) Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary goal of tumor surgery?

Completely or partially resect tumors and adjacent tissues. (D) Signup and view all the answers

Which cancers are most suitable for surgery as a treatment?

Benign or localized cancers. (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is a major limitation of surgical tumor treatment?

It does not address cancer relapse if cells remain. (B) Signup and view all the answers

What analysis follows tumor resection?

Anatomopathological analysis. (B) Signup and view all the answers

Which advantage does surgery offer over chemotherapy or radiotherapy?

It is less toxic to non-cancerous tissues. (D) Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary characteristic of chemotherapy?

Targets rapidly replicating cells. (C) Signup and view all the answers

Why does chemotherapy cause side effects like hair loss and anemia?

It affects all replicative cells, including healthy ones. (C) Signup and view all the answers

Which phase of the cell cycle do alkylating agents primarily target?

S phase (B) Signup and view all the answers

What is the mechanism of alkylating agents?

Cross-linking DNA bases, leading to double-strand breaks. (B) Signup and view all the answers

Which class of chemotherapeutic agents inhibits microtubule assembly?

Antimicrotubule agents (B) Signup and view all the answers

What phase do antimicrotubule agents primarily target?

M phase (B) Signup and view all the answers

Which chemotherapeutic agent acts as a nucleotide analog?

5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) (D) Signup and view all the answers

What is a common side effect of chemotherapy due to damage to replicating cells?

Pancytopenia (low blood cell count). (C) Signup and view all the answers

Which chemotherapeutic approach is most toxic?

Alkylating agents (D) Signup and view all the answers

Which chemotherapy side effect is linked to intestinal epithelial damage?

Diarrhea and vomiting (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary goal of targeted therapy?

Selectively target cancer-specific molecules or pathways. (A) Signup and view all the answers

Which molecule class is NOT targeted by targeted therapy?

Normal metabolic enzymes (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is the action of monoclonal antibodies in targeted therapy?

Block mutated surface receptors. (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is an example of a monoclonal antibody used in breast cancer treatment?

Anti-HER2 mAb (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is a limitation of targeted therapy?

It is highly specific but can fail against highly heterogeneous cancers. (B) Signup and view all the answers

What is the main principle of immunotherapy?

Enhance the immune system's ability to fight cancer. (D) Signup and view all the answers

What are the four main types of immunotherapy?

Non-specific immunotherapy, vaccines, checkpoint inhibitors, and cellular therapy. (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is the function of immune checkpoint inhibitors?

Block immune suppression mechanisms used by tumors. (C) Signup and view all the answers

Which receptor is targeted by anti-PD1 therapies?

PD-1 (D) Signup and view all the answers

What type of immunotherapy uses engineered T cells to fight cancer?

CAR-T cell therapy (B) Signup and view all the answers

Which cancers have shown the most success with CAR-T therapy?

Leukemias and lymphomas (D) Signup and view all the answers

What molecule class is used to create CAR receptors?

Antibodies fused to signaling domains. (D) Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of cancer vaccines?

Educate the immune system to recognize cancer antigens. (D) Signup and view all the answers

What are immune checkpoint ligands expressed by tumors designed to do?

Suppress immune system function. (B) Signup and view all the answers

Which cytokine is commonly used in non-specific immunotherapy?

IL-2 (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary mechanism of action for anti-CTLA-4 therapies?

Block immune checkpoints to restore T-cell activity. (D) Signup and view all the answers

Which immune cells are directly enhanced by checkpoint inhibitors?

T cells (A) Signup and view all the answers

Why are CAR-T cells effective in blood cancers but not solid tumors?

CAR-T cells cannot penetrate the dense matrix of solid tumors. (D) Signup and view all the answers

What major challenge remains in immunotherapy development?

Finding specific antigens for solid tumors. (D) Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Cancer Treatment Challenges

Cancer cells rapidly adapt and resist treatments.
Cancer treatments are often ineffective in targeting all tissues.

Anti-Tumor Therapies

The principle behind anti-tumor therapies is to exploit differences between cancer and healthy cells.
Therapies do not target healthy cells equally with cancer cells.

Tumor vs. Healthy Tissue Differences

Cancer cells have increased proliferation (rapid cell growth).
Cancer cells have altered metabolism, particularly high glucose uptake (Warburg effect).
Cancer cells often have mutated proteins that healthy cells do not.
Cancer cells have reduced genome stability.

Tumor Detection in Imaging

PET scans use radioactive molecules, like FDG-6P (Fluorodeoxyglucose-6-Phosphate), to detect tumors by highlighting high glucose uptake.

Tumor Surgery

The primary goal of tumor surgery is to remove or partially remove a tumor and any adjacent tissues.
Localized and non-metastatic tumors are ideally suited for surgery.

Limitations of Surgical Treatment

Surgical treatment may not address cancer relapse if some cancer cells remain.
Surgery may not work on cancers that are not easily accessible or that have spread (metastasized).
Surgery may be toxic to surrounding healthy tissues.

Chemotherapy Advantages

Chemotherapy is less toxic to healthy tissue than other treatment options compared to other options like surgery.

Chemotherapy Mechanisms

Alkylating agents damage DNA causing double-strand breaks.
Antimetabolites interfere with DNA replication.

Chemotherapy Targets

Chemotherapy targets rapidly replicating cells.
Different chemotherapy agents have different specific targets within cells.
Some chemotherapy agents target microtubule formation.
Types of therapies include alkylating agents, antimetabolites, anti-microtubules and other chemotherapeutic agents.

Immunotherapy Principles

Immunotherapy aims to enhance the immune system's ability to fight cancer.

Immunotherapy Types

Immunotherapy methods include CAR-T cell therapy, checkpoint inhibitors, vaccines, and other cellular therapies.

Targeted Therapy

Targeted therapies are designed to selectively target cancer-specific molecules or pathways within cells.

Monoclonal Antibodies in Targeted Therapy

Monoclonal antibodies can block mutated surface receptors.

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Description

This quiz explores the complexities of cancer treatment challenges, the principles of anti-tumor therapies, and the differences between tumor and healthy tissues. Additionally, it covers methods for tumor detection using imaging techniques like PET scans, and the goals of tumor surgery.