Question 1

Which of the following best describes the difference between a benign tumor and a malignant tumor?

Accepted Answer

Benign tumors do not invade surrounding tissues or metastasize, while malignant tumors can invade and spread to distant sites.

Question 2

A patient presents with a lipoma. Based on the study materials, which statement is most accurate?

Accepted Answer

Lipomas are slow-growing, usually harmless, and rarely become cancerous.

Question 3

Which hallmark feature distinguishes cancer cells from normal cells in vitro?

Accepted Answer

Cancer cells exhibit anchorage-independent growth and loss of contact inhibition.

Question 4

The HeLa cell line is famous in cell biology because it:

Accepted Answer

Is an immortalized cancer cell line that can reproduce indefinitely in culture.

Question 5

Which molecular mechanism allows cancer cells to become immortalized?

Accepted Answer

Production of telomerase, preventing telomere shortening during cell division.

Question 6

Angiogenesis is critical for tumor growth because:

Accepted Answer

It supplies tumors with a dense network of blood vessels, supporting growth beyond 1-2 mm.

Question 7

Which of the following drugs is used to inhibit angiogenesis in cancer therapy?

Accepted Answer

Avastin (bevacizumab), a VEGF inhibitor.

Question 8

During metastasis, cancer cells must first:

Accepted Answer

Invade and penetrate surrounding tissue to reach blood vessels.

Question 9

Which environmental factor is most strongly associated with lung cancer according to the study materials?

Accepted Answer

Cigarette smoking.

Question 10

The Ames test is used to:

Accepted Answer

Identify potential carcinogens by testing their mutagenic potency.

Question 11

Which of the following is a proto-oncogene that can be converted into an oncogene by mutation?

Accepted Answer

KRAS

Question 12

A mutation in which gene is most commonly detected as the earliest event in colon cancer development?

Accepted Answer

APC

Question 13

Which equation best represents the relationship between cancer risk and stem cell divisions?

Accepted Answer

Cancer risk $$\propto$$ number of stem cell divisions

Question 14

Which pathway is directly targeted by HPV oncogenes to promote cancer?

Accepted Answer

HPV E6 and E7 proteins inactivate tumor suppressor genes p53 and Rb.

Question 15

Which of the following statements about apoptosis is correct?

Accepted Answer

Apoptosis is a programmed cell death process that does not typically cause inflammation.

Question 16

Which caspase is classified as an initiator caspase in apoptosis?

Accepted Answer

Caspase-8

Question 17

Which protein acts as an anti-apoptotic factor in some B-cell leukemias and lymphomas?

Accepted Answer

Bcl-2

Question 18

A cancer cell avoids apoptosis by blocking the expression of Apaf-1. What is the likely consequence?

Accepted Answer

The intrinsic apoptosis pathway is inhibited, allowing the cell to survive despite DNA damage.

Question 19

Which therapy involves engineering a patient's T cells to recognize and kill tumor cells?

Accepted Answer

CAR-T cell therapy

Question 20

Blocking PD-L1 or PD-1 in cancer immunotherapy results in:

Accepted Answer

Enhanced T cell killing of tumor cells

Cancer Biology: Cellular Mechanisms, Causes, and Treatments

Study Guide - Practice Questions