Biology Section 12.1: Noninfectious Diseases

What are cancers that develop from other blood cells?

leukemias

What can the use of certain illicit drugs cause?

liver failure, sterility, and Parkinson's disease

What is one of the most common and most deadly cancers that can be caused by carcinogens in cigarette smoke?

lung cancer

What are cancers that develop from mutant lymphocytes (a particular type of white blood cell) or from lymphatic tissue?

lymphomas

What is it called when rapidly dividing cells of a benign tumor undergo additional malfunctions that would allow them to leave the tumor and spread through the body?

malignant

What happens if cancer is not stopped?

malignant tumors in the vital organs will eventually damage the organs beyond repair, causing death

What refers to a diet which lacks one or more essential food elements?

malnutrition

What cancer develops from melanocytes in the skin?

melanoma

What are microscopic living creatures?

microbes or microorganisms

What are some examples of a pathogen?

microscopic creatures such as bacteria, fungi, protozoans, and viruses, and even some larger creatures such as parasitic worms

What are the most common examples of benign tumors?

moles and polyps

Are all congenital diseases noninfectious?

no

What are disease caused by other factors, such as aging, hormones, genetics, or nutrition?

noninfectious

If the chemical is not mutagenic, what might it be?

not a carcinogen

What are noninfectious diseases can be caused by an improper diet?

nutritional diseases

what can excessive consumption of alcohol cause?

nutritional diseases and cirrhosis of the liver

What is any organism which causes disease?

pathogen

What is one well known auto-immune disease in which the cells of the immune system attack the lining of the joints, causing them to become inflamed and painful?

rheumatoid arthritis

What are cancers that develop from mutant connective tissue cells?

sarcomas

Before the cancer spreads, what should you do?

see a doctor and get it treated early

If the cells malfunction because of mutations, what are they supposed to do? What happens if that doesn't work?

self-destruct/ the cell may continue to live and reproduce uncontrollably

What do the most dangerous types of malignant tumors trigger?

the production of new blood vessels that "feed" the tumor, allowing it to grow uncontrollably

What are cancers based on in order to be organized into 4 groups?

the type of tissue that becomes cancerous

Briefly describe how a high-dose rodent test is performed.

A group of special tumor-prone laboratory rats are fed extraordinary doses of the chemical being tested. Often, the dose is so high that the rats must be force-fed in order to hold it at all. Unfortunately, many substances have been erroneously labeled as "carcinogens" and banned on the basis of high-dose rodent tests; because of the way in which theses tests are performed, about half of all chemicals tested (both natural and artificial) prove to be "carcinogenic." In reality, any substance can be toxic if the dosage is high enough. That is, lifetime of exposure to extremely low levels of a particular carcinogen may not increase your risk of cancer at all, whereas a single instance of high exposure can cause cancer in a significant percentage of cases.

What are some danger signals of cancer?

1. a persistent sore that does not heal 2. a lump or mass which appears where none was previously 3. an increase in size or change in color appearance of any wart, mole, or birthmark 4. an unexplained or abnormal bleeding or discharge 5. persistent indigestion or change in bowel habits 6. persistent hoarseness or cough 7. an unexplained loss of weight

What are some ways you can prevent cancer?

1. avoid smoking 2. eat a healthy, balanced diet with plenty of vegetables 3. exercise regularly

What are some ways cancer can be treated?

1. by surgically removing the malignant cells that have spread 2. by drugs that prevent new blood vessels from growing into the tumor to supply nutrients to tumor cells 3. by destroying the cells through high doses of drugs or radiation 4. drugs that trigger damaged cells to self-destruct 5. by stimulating the immune system to destroy cancerous cells

How many servings of fresh fruit and vegetables should a person have each day?

5 or more servings

What is a more reliable test that is sometimes used instead of the high dose rodent test which involves applying a small amount of the chemical to a culture of cells in a laboratory dish and then testing the cells for genetic mutations?

Ames test

Give an example of a congenital infectious disease.

The virus associated with AIDS can also be transmitted from an infected mother to child during pregnancy or the birth process, resulting in a congenital infectious disease.

If the chemical is mutagenic (causing mutations), what might it be?

a carcinogen

What happens if out-of-control cells escape destruction from the immune system and form a mass of rapidly reproducing cells?

a tumor begins to form

What type of disease is severe but lasting only a short time?

acute

What are the most common immunological diseases and occur when the immune system overreacts to foreign substances such as pollen, dust, or certain foods?

allergies

What is a type of allergy in which the bronchial tubes constrict tightly when an irritating substance is inhaled, making exhalation difficult?

asthma

Which immunological diseases result when the immune system attacks the body it is supposed to protect?

autoimmune diseases (from the prefix auto-, "self")

Why does the systems which control the production of new cell growth fail?

because of accumulated errors (mutations) in the DNA

What is a tumor called if it shows no tendency to spread through the body?

benign (not cancerous)

How do carcinogens contribute to the development of a cancer?

by causing repeated mutations in the DNA of body cells

What is a person considered to have if he has a malignant tumor?

cancer

What is the 2nd-leading cause of death in the United States which results from the runaway growth of the body's own cells, is a group of hundreds of disease that all result from unregulated cell growth, and the majority of this disease occurs in people over the age of 50?

cancer

What is any substance that is thought to be capable of causing cancer?

carcinogen (karkinos, "cancer" + -gen, "to produce")

What are cancers that develop from mutant epithelial cells?

carcinomas

What type of disease is a long-lasting or recurring disorder?

chronic

What are noninfectious diseases which occur during the development in the mother's womb and are present at birth and may occur if the mother suffers from certain infections or nutritional deficiencies or abuses harmful substances such as tobacco, alcohol, or drugs?

congenital diseases (con-, "with" + genitus, "birth") or birth defects

What nutritional disease can be caused by a diet low in vitamins, minerals, or certain other nutrients and are commonly found in underdeveloped countries with malnutrition?

deficiency diseases

What is a noninfectious disease in which tissues and organs gradually lose their ability to function properly and is usually more common in middle-aged and older adults? Give some examples.

degenerative diseases/ many forms of heart disease; arteriosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries; osteoarthritis, degeneration of the articular cartilage in the joints; Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and dementia, which affect the brain; macular degeneration and cataracts, which affect the eyes and can cause blindness; and osteoporosis, which causes the bones to become weak and brittle

What is the most common hormonal disorder which results from defects in the hormone mechanisms that regulate blood glucose levels and can result from a shortage of the hormone insulin, or from problems with cellular insulin receptor proteins?

diabetes mellitus

What is any condition which interferes with the normal functioning of the body?

disease

What can heavy smoking cause?

emphysema and chronic bronchitis

What are congenital diseases which result from genetic or inherited characteristics such as hemophilia, sickle-cell anemia, and Tay-Sachs disease?

genetic diseases

What are the 4 major factors which together account for as many as 98% of all cancer deaths?

hereditary defects, nutrition, smoking or drug abuse, and viruses

How might a substance determined whether or not it is a carcinogen?

high-dose rodent test

What are noninfectious diseases which occurs as a result of malfunctions of the endocrine system? Give some examples.

hormonal diseases/ diabetes mellitus, Addison's disease, in which the adrenal glands cease to produce sufficient hormones, and cretinism, which is caused by inadequate secretion of hormone by the thyroid gland in newborn babies

What are infections diseases caused by malfunctions of the immune system?

immunological diseases

What are diseases caused by invading pathogens?

infectious