When cells grow and divide out of control, they cause a group

of diseases called cancer.

The DNA prevents the cell from staying in interphase for the

normal period of time.

oUncontrolled growth may create a rapidly growing lump, or

tumour.

oTumours may be benign - generally does not affect

surrounding cells

oor malignant - cancerous.

oCancer cells that break away from original tumour to a

different part of the body and grow in this new location, a new

tumour will form. This process is called metastasis (meh.-tass-

ta-sis)

oNormal duplication of DNA in a cell is error

free.

oSometimes random changes occur in the cell’s

DNA called mutations. Changes may cause:

No noticable change in cell

Death of the cell

Cancer

oSome mutations are caused by carcinogens, environmental

factors that cause cancer.

Examples include:

Tobacco smoke Radiation Some viruses Chemicals Organic solvents.

Health Canada reports that 9 out

of 10 lung cancer cases are

caused by smoking.

Even when tobacco is

chewed it can cause

cancer – mouth, throat

and stomach cancer.

Radiation can cause skin

cancer.

Are tanning beds safer than tanning in the

sun?

ASR

121

71

62

22

20

16

14

13

12

10

ASR

106

49

41

19

14

14

12

10

8

8

ASR: age-standardized incidence rates per 100 000 per year

NHL: Non Hodgkin lymphoma

Canadian Cancer Society/NICI, 2005

ASR

63

27

26

9

9

8

7

7

6

5

ASR

40

24

17

8

7

6

4

4

3

3

ASR: age-standardized incidence rates per 100 000 per year

NHL: Non Hodgkin lymphoma

Canadian Cancer Society/NICI, 2005

1.Personal medical history

2.Hereditiy ( breast and colon cancer)

3.Exposure to carcinogens in the environment

4.Lifestyle choices: exercise and food choices

Question: Which factors are within your control?

1.At home, as part of a routine self-examination

2.By a doctor, such as a pap test or blood test

3.As genetic testing, when there is a family history of

cancer

Question: Does screening guarantee you won’t get

cancer? Prostate Cancer

Prostate Cancer

The earlier a cancer is diagnosed, the better the chances of

successful treatment.

Some diagnostic imaging techniques:

1.Endoscopy

– used mostly to diagnose cancers of the digestive tract

2. X-rays

•Bones, lungs and breast tissues

3. Ultrasound – use sound waves to take pictures of

soft tissue (heart and liver)

Baby Four chambers of heart

4. CT scan – multiple x-rays put together by

computer to generate a 3-D image

Tiny spot of lung cancer

5. MRI – radio waves and magnetic field create a 3-

D image even better than a CT scan

MRI – breast cancer

1. Surgery – Physical removal of tumour

2. Chemotherapy – Drugs spread through the body to stop cancer

cells from dividing. As they “kill” cancer cells they can damage

healthy cells.

1.Radiation therapy – Radiation damages DNA. Beams of radiation

are directed at tumour, or radioactive sources are surgically

implanted in tumour.

4. Biophotonics (NEW) - uses beams of light to detect and treat

the cancer cells.

What are the PROS and CONS of each type of treatment?