Course Name: Health & Society
GHSO100
Lesson 5: Cancer and Mutations
Instructor : Rina Salhab
•10 million people die from cancer
every year.
•At least one third of common cancers
are preventable.
•Cancer is the second-leading cause of
death worldwide.
•70% of cancer deaths occur in low-tomiddle income countries.
•Millions of lives could be saved each
year
by
implementing
resource
appropriate strategies for prevention,
early detection and treatment.
Let’s Discuss
1. What is Cancer?
2. What are the factors that
increase the chances of
cancer?
3. If someone gets cancer can
he/she be cured?
1. I can explain the stages of cancer
& how it develops.
2. I can understand the differences
between somatic and germline
mutations.
3. I can explain carcinogens and
mutagens,
mutations
and
abnormal growth.
4. I can explain examples of cancer
such as skin, lung, breast, and
prostate.
#1
I can explain the stages of
cancer & how it develops.
Let’s Discuss
1. Have you ever seen a person
with a lump and wondered
what is it?
2. Are all tumors dangerous?
3. How are tumors diagnosed?
Let’s Explore Tumors
• A tumor is an abnormal lump or growth
of cells. There are two types of tumors:
1. Benign Tumor:
 Cellular lumps that are not
cancerous.
2. Malignant Tumor:
 Abnormal cells and can grow
uncontrollably and spread to
other parts of the body
 They are cancerous cells and
can spread to other parts of the
body. This spreading process is
called ”metastasis”.
Challenge Yourself!
• Compare Benign and Malignant Tumor
Let’s Explore Tumors
Let’s Explore Cancer
• Cancer is a condition characterized by the
uncontrolled growth of cells.
• Develops from a single cell that goes awry; but
a combination of events must occur before the
cell turns into a tumor.
• Multicellularity requires social cohesion of
cells: All cells must die at some point in
multicellular
organisms
(apoptosis,
programmed cell death).
• Cancer cells are immortal, and fail to die 
tumor
• Cancer cells behave in this abnormal manner
because of changes in the DNA sequence of
key genes, which are known as cancer genes.
• Cancers are genetic diseases.
It’s your turn to practice !
• Create a Van Diagram comparing between cancer and normal cells.
• Challenge : Draw a cancerous cell.
It’s your turn to practice !
Our Bodies Have Checkpoints too!
• Healthy cells have a complicated
system of checks and balances that
control cell growth and division.
• Healthy cells divide when needed to
replace cells that have died or been
sloughed off.
• Each time a cell divides, there is the
possibility of mutation or an error
in DNA replication, but the risk of
this mutation increase due to many
factors (age, smoking...)
So, What Causes this Cancerous Cells?
Mutations:
Mutations are changes in DNA
that may or may not affect
phenotype.
• DNA RNA protein  trait
• Genes contain the instructions
necessary for a cell to work.
• If some of the instructions to
the cell are wrong, then the cell
may not know what to do!
• Mutated DNA   ?
So, What Causes this Cancerous Cells?
• Permanent change
sequence of a gene.
• Inherited
lifetime.
or
in
acquired
the
DNA
during
• Single
mutations
are
often
harmless but multiple mutations
can result in cancer.
• What causes mutations in DNA?
Cancer Cell Growth
• Cancer starts from a single cell that undergoes a critical
mutation.
• An initiating event in the cell’s DNA allows a cell to evade
normal cell restraints.
• Error in duplication.
• Exposure to a carcinogen (cancer-causing substance such as
Physical or chemical agent that cause mutation in DNA, UV
light, tobacco, chemicals, x-rays, radiation.
• Escaping all the control mechanisms to become a cancer may
take many years.
#1
I can explain the stages of
cancer & how it develops.
#2
I can understand the differences
between somatic and germline
mutations.
Somatic and Germline Mutations
• Somatic Mutations:
Occur in a single body cell and
cannot be inherited (only tissues
derived from mutated cell are
affected).
• Germline Mutations:
Occur in gametes and can be
passed onto offspring (every cell in
the entire organism will be affected).
Let’s Explore Types of Mutations
• Some mutations affect a single gene and are called small scale mutations.
• Other mutation affect an entire chromosome and are called large scale
mutation.
• A point mutation substitutes one nucleotide for another.
Examples of Small-Scale Mutations
Large-Scale Mutations
• Affect entire portions of the chromosome
• Entire genes or sets of genes are
altered rather than only single
nucleotides of the DNA.
• Mutations
involving
multiple
chromosomes are likely to occur in
meiosis, during the prophase I.
• Translocation
results
from
the
exchange of DNA segments between
nonhomologous chromosomes.
Let’s Explore DNA Transcription and
Translation
Let’s Explore DNA Transcription and
Translation
ALWAYS REMEMBER!!!!!!
To Transcribe DNA to RNA:
A -> U
T -> A
G -> C
C -> G
It’s your turn to practice !
1. Transcribe and Translate this DNA Strand
2. Which part is transcription Which is
translation ?
DNA Strand: TAC AGT ACC ATA ATC
MRNA:
Amino Acid:
It’s your turn to practice !
Transcribe and Translate this DNA Strand
DNA strand: TAC AGT ACC ATA ATC
MRNA:
AUG UCA UGG UAU UAG
Amino Acid: Met SER-TRP-TYR-STOP
#2
I can understand the differences
between somatic and germline
mutations.
#3
I can explain carcinogens and
mutagens, mutations and
abnormal growth.
Let’s Compare Mutagen and Carcinogen
1. Mutagen:
• A physical, biological or chemical agent
that can harm the DNA and cause
genetic mutations in an organism.
2. Carcinogen can be mutagens.
• Substance that cause cancer by
inhalation, skin contact or ingestion.
• Trigger mutations and increase the rate
of cellular division without affecting
DNA.
• E.g., Smoking- UV radiation – chemical
agents-
Let’s Explore Stages of Cancer Progression
• The stage of the disease is a
description of how far the cancer has
spread.
• One common staging system:
1. Stage 0: cancer in situ (present only in
the layer of cells where it began).
2. Stage I: small and localized.
3. Stages II and III: locally advanced;
may involve lymph nodes.
4. Stage IV: metastasized to distant sites.
31
#3
I can explain carcinogens and
mutagens, mutations and
abnormal growth.
#4
I can explain examples of cancer such as
skin, lung, breast, and prostate.
Types of Cancer
Carcinomas: arise from epithelial
tissue (skin, lining of the intestines
and body cavities, surface of body
organs, outer portions of glands).
Sarcomas: arise in connective tissue
(bone, tendon, cartilage, muscle, fat
tissues).
Leukemias: cancers of the blood
that originate in the bone marrow or
the lymphatic system.
Lymphomas: cancers that originate
in lymph nodes or glands.
34
Skin Cancers
• The three forms of skin cancer are basal
cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma,
and melanoma.
• Basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas
are often curable.
• Melanoma is more likely to be fatal.
• All forms are linked directly to ultraviolet
light exposure—both UVA and UVB.
• Stay out of the sun during midday.
• Wear protective clothing.
• Use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with a
sun-protective factor (SPF) of 30 or
higher.
• Wear sunglasses with UV protection.
35
Lung Cancer
• The second most diagnosed cancer and the
leading cause of cancer death in the United
States.
• Risk factors:
 Use of tobacco products in any form.
 Exposure to carcinogenic chemicals,
arsenic, radon, asbestos, radiation, air
pollution, and environmental tobacco
smoke.
• Signs and symptoms:
 Coughing; blood-streaked sputum; chest
pain; difficulty breathing; recurrent lung
infections.
36
Breast Cancer
• The second leading cause of cancer death in women.
• Risk factors:
 Older age and being female.
 Early first menstruation.
 Late onset of menopause.
 Family history.
 Having no children or having children after 30.
 Obesity.
 Tobacco use
37
Breast Cancer
• Signs and Symptoms:
 Persistent lump; skin swelling, redness, or bumpiness; change in nipple
appearance or discharge.
• Screening and detection:
 Breast self-exam; mammogram screening; biopsy.
• Treatment:
 Lumpectomy: removal of the tumor and some breast tissue around.
 Mastectomy: removal of the entire breast.
• The 5-year survival rate for all stages is 90%.
38
Prostate Cancer
• The most diagnosed cancer in men
and the second most common cause of
cancer death in men.
• Screening and detection:
• Risk factors:
 Age, family history; being Black.
 Possibly a high-fat diet.
• Treatment:
• Signs and symptoms:
 In early stages, usually none.
 In advanced prostate cancer,
difficulty urinating; pain in the
pelvic region; pain with urination;
or blood in the urine.
 Digital rectal exam; prostate-specific
antigen (PSA) test.
 In early stages and younger men:
surgery and radiation, sometimes in
combination with chemotherapy; and
hormonal medication.
 In
later
stages:
chemotherapy,
radiation, and hormonal medication.
 Vaccine approved in 2010 appears to
prolong life.
• The 5-year survival rate for all
stages is 98%.
39
Let’s Reflect!
#4
I can explain examples of cancer such as
skin, lung, breast, and prostate.
Classwork Activity
• Go to Moodle.
• Download the worksheet “Classwork Activity Cancer”
• Work in Pairs and submit it !
Extra Revision Work!
• Go to your smart book and Click on
Lesson 5 Check.
• Read Chapter 15 and then start
with the activity!
So, what did we learn today?
1. I can explain the stages of cancer &
how it develops.
2. I can understand the differences
between somatic and germline
mutations.
3. I can explain carcinogens and
mutagens, mutations and abnormal
growth.
4. I can explain examples of cancer
such as skin, lung, breast, and
prostate.
Thank
You