Biol 1004: Biology 2: Molecular and Cell Biology

Cancer 1
What is Cancer?

Cancer = malignant NEOPLASIA

Tumour = NEOPLASM
-benign
-malignant (metastasising)

Oncology (from Greek Oncos=tumour) is the study of cancer.

Transformation = a change in a cell, allowing uncontrolled growth.

Tumours are clonal.

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Cancer is primarily a disease of developed countries.

Interpretation of statistics

The incidence of cancer increases with age.

Cancer as a leading cause of death in Australia.

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Cancer is caused by changes in DNA, increased cell proliferation

Causes of Cancer:
-Genetic Factors
always interact
-Environmental factors
Carcinogenic Chemicals
Radiation
Microbes
Obesity (reason unclear)

-Random mutations (bad luck)

9
human genome 3x10 bases
9
have DNA proofreading and DNA repair mechanisms; error rate:1/10 bases
inherited defective DNA repair syndromes
e.g. xeroderma pigmentosum - skin cancers

Examples of environmental Factors.

Robbins and Cotran, Pathologic Basis of Disease 7th ed. Fig 7-12
(8th ed. Fig 7-24)

Australian bureau of statistics: 3303.0 Causes of Death, Australia, 2020

https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/health/causes-death/provisional-mortality-statistics/jan-jun-
2022#mortality-by-selected-causes-of-death
Souce: AIHW Australian Cancer Incidence and Mortality books (AICM) Dec, 2010.

Alberts, Molecular Biology of the Cell, 6th edition, Fig 20-6.

Top two figures from: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare
www.aihw.gov.au/cancer-publications/ Cancer in Australia 2017

Plotted from 2017 data. 2020 data similar, except liver cancer is in 7th spot.
AIHW 2020 data lists cancers of unknown primary in 6th spot
Alberts, Molecular Biology of the Cell, 6th edition, Fig 20-39

“The bad luck of cancer” Couzin-Frankel J. Science 2015 347(6217):12

Commentary on controversial paper:
Cancer etiology. Variation in cancer risk among tissues can be explained by the number of stem
cell divisions. Tomasetti C, Vogelstein B. Science. 2015 347(6217):78-81