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Questions and Answers
What is the primary characteristic of cancer?
What is the primary characteristic of cancer?
Which statement best describes the nature of cancer as a disease?
Which statement best describes the nature of cancer as a disease?
What is the potential of cancerous cells to spread within the body?
What is the potential of cancerous cells to spread within the body?
Which cellular process is fundamentally disrupted in cancer?
Which cellular process is fundamentally disrupted in cancer?
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What does the term metastasize refer to in cancer?
What does the term metastasize refer to in cancer?
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Study Notes
Definition of Cancer
- Cancer is a group of diseases characterized by the uncontrolled growth and spread of abnormal cells.
- These abnormal cells originate from a specific part of the body.
- The key characteristic is the potential for these cells to metastasize, meaning they can spread to other parts of the body.
Uncontrolled Cell Division
- Cancer arises from mutations in DNA, leading to abnormal cellular processes.
- These mutations can result in the dysregulation of genes that control cell growth and division.
- Uncontrolled division surpasses the normal mechanisms for cell cycle regulation.
Abnormal Cells
- Cells in cancer are abnormal in morphology and behavior.
- These cells display distinct features under a microscope, like atypical size and shape.
- Their behavior includes inappropriate growth and division, lack of apoptosis (programmed cell death), and evasion of normal cellular processes.
Metastasis
- Metastasis is the spread of cancer cells from their original site (primary tumor) to other parts of the body.
- It happens through the bloodstream or lymphatic system.
- Metastatic cancer poses a major challenge in treatment due to the presence of the disease in different locations.
- The spread leads to new tumors in distant sites.
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Description
This quiz delves into the definition, mechanisms, and characteristics of cancer. Explore concepts such as uncontrolled cell division, abnormal cells, and metastasis. Test your knowledge of how these elements contribute to cancer as a disease.
