Study Guide Exam #1
BIO 302 Fall 2024
Things to Know; Things to Ask Yourself (Key Concepts Covered)
Cancer: The Big Picture
●What is the most common class of malignant neoplasms in human beings?
○Carcinoma
●What is the type of carcinoma that has the highest incidence in men? In women?
○Prostate Cancer in men, and Breast Cancer in women.
●What are the top 3 most common cancer killers in the USA? What is the most
common cancer killer in the world?
○The top 3 most common cancer killers in the USA are Lung Cancer, Colorectal
Cancer, and Breast/Prostate Cancer. Breast Cancer is the most common cancer
killer in the world.
●Is the cancer death rate in the USA going up or down? Why? What about the total
number of cancer deaths?
○The cancer death rate in the USA is declining. This is due to more effective
treatments, early detection and treatment, and a decline in smoking. However, the
total number of cancer deaths is still rising as the population grows.
●Is the cancer incidence rate in the USA going up or down? Why?
○The cancer incidence rate in the USA is going up due to increasing life
expectancy and the risk of cancer increases as we age.
●What is the single most common risk factor for cancer (across all cancer types)?
○Age
●What cancer risk factor that can be controlled would save the most lives if it were
eliminated?
○Smoking
Cancer as Biological Entity
●What is the root cause of cancer? How does cancer begin?
○Mutation is the root cause of cancer. Mutations have a common theme of uncontrolled
proliferation that enable expansion of clones and can further mutation. Which can then create genetic
instability. (Refer to What.Is.Cancer.5.BIO 302 online.pptx, slide 4)
○
●What’s a mutation? Name 4 different types of mutation in DNA.
○A mutation is a permanent change in the nucleotide sequence of DNA. In cells
that are capable of division, the mutation is passed onto the daughter cells. The
four types of mutations are substitution, insertion, deletion, and translocation.
●Can mutations be avoided?
○No, mutations cannot be avoided.
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BIO 302 - Cancer Biology Exam #1 Study Guide - Fall 2024
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●Are all mutations cancer-causing? What conditions must exist for a mutation to
“initiate” a cancer?
- Not all mutations are cancer-causing. Mutations like oncogenes, tumor suppressor
genes, or DNA repair genes lead to cancer. For a mutation to initiate cancer, it
must disrupt normal cell growth, evade apoptosis, and often requires multiple
mutations and environmental factors.
●What are the 3 key characteristics/capabilities all cancers have in common and
represent aberrations of normal cell capabilities that allow cancer cells to
outcompete normal cells and tissues??
- Three characteristics all cancers have in common is division, resistance to cell
death, and ability to invade and metastasize. These traits allow cancer cells to
grow unchecked, survive longer than normal cells, and spread to other tissues,
giving them a competitive advantage.
oWith which “hallmarks of cancer” do these correspond?
- Sustaining proliferative signaling (uncontrolled cell division)
