KNOWLEDGE CHECK

How can cancer be prevented?

How is cancer treated?

How are cancer cells different from normal cells?

What causes cancer? How does this happen?

What is cancer?

CANCER RECAP

• Uncontrolled cell growth that prevents healthy tissue from functioning correctly

What is cancer?

• Mutations of genes that control cell division and of genes that correct DNA replication errors

• p53 protein

What causes cancer?

• UV light, viruses, tobacco products, pollutants, radiation exposure, genetics

What causes these

mutations?

CANCER RECAPNormal

CellsRequire external growth factors to divide

Contact with other cells stops cell division

Age and die after a limited amount of times (usually 50)

Cancer Cells

Divide whether or not growth factors are present

Cells continue to grow after touching other cells

Cells divide infinitely

CANCER RECAP • Surgery for solid tumors

• Radiation kills cancer cells with high-energy rays that damage DNA to prevent replication – can also kill normal cells

• Chemotherapy drugs are toxic compounds that target rapidly growing cells by severely damaging DNA

How is cance

r treate

d?

CANCER RECAP • Minimizing exposure

to tobacco products, sunlight, and pollution

• Eating a diet with large amounts of colorful fruits and vegetables

• Vaccinations (Hepatitis B, human papillomavirus)

How can cancer

be prevente

d?