1. What is cancer?
A malignant tumour caused by an uncontrolled cell division.
2. What is the difference between benign and malignant tumour?
A benign tumour is enclosed by a fibrous sac and will not spread. There is no protective sac enclosing a malignant tumour, and a malignant tumour
will spread.
3. List the current three ways of curing cancer.
(1) Surgical incision
(2) radiotherapy
(3) chemotherapy
4. List the limitation while using surgical incision to treat cancer.
Not suitable for cancers that have already spreaded.
5. List the limitation of radiotherapy.
Normal cells around the tumour may be killed or mutation may be induced in other cells.
6. List the limitation of chemotherapy.
Other quick dividing cells will be harmed. E.g. hair follicles.
7. List the high risk factors causing cancer.
(1) Heredity
(2) Old age
(3) Contact with carcinogens
(4) Unhealthy lifestyle
8. Describe the reasons for old age being a high risk factor of cancer.
(1) Cumulative mutation up to a disease causing level.
(2) Weak immune system causes cancerous cells difficult to be eliminated.
9. List the frequently seen carcinogens.
Chemicals: Tar, nitrosamine, asbestos
Radiations: Ultra-violet light from sunlight, X-ray
Virus: Human papilloma virus; HPV (Cervical cancer), Hepatitis B virus (Liver cancer)
10. What kinds of cancer will smoking probably induce?
Lung cancer, oral cancer, throat cancer, stomach cancer, pancreas cancer, kidney cancer
11. What kinds of cancer will heavy drinking probably induce?
Oral cancer, throat cancer, oesophagus cancer, breast cancer, liver cancer and colon cancer.
12. What kind of food is likely to increase the chance of having colon cancer?
Red meat (e.g. beef), preserved meat (e.g. ham)
13. What kind of cancer would a lack of exercise cause?
Breast cancer, colon cancer.
14. What is cardiovascular disease?
Diseases that is related to the heart or the blood vessels. (e.g coronary heart disease)
15. Describe the cause of coronary heart disease.
Cholesterol or other substances accumulate in the inner wall of coronary artery,
creating a plague.
The plague becomes thicker and thicker as time goes by causing the lumen of the artery to become narrower and narrower.
Less blood goes towards the heart muscles, causing coronary heart disease.
16. List the methods of curing coronary heart disease.
(1) Medicine: prevent the formation of the plague.
(2) Surgery: Angiography or coronary artery bypass surgery
17. List the high risk factor of coronary heart disease.
(1) Heredity
(2) Old age
(3) Unhealthy lifestyle
(4) Health situation: heavy weight, high blood pressure.
18. What kind of lifestyle is likely to cause coronary heart disease?
(1) Smoking: Nicotine constricts the blood vessels.
(2) Frequent intake of food with a high level of cholesterol, saturated fat or trans fat.
(3) Lack of activities.
19. What are the two types of diabetes?
(1) Type I diabetes / insulin dependent diabetes
(2) Type II diabetes / non-insulin dependent diabetes
20. What is the cause of type I diabetes?
Lack of or unable to produce insulin. Mainly due to heredity.
21. What is the cause of type II diabetes?
Body cells become less sensitive to insulin. This happens at old age.
22. What are the symptoms of diabetes?
Frequent urination, feeling of thirst, decrease in weight, tiredness, unclear vision.
23. What is/are the high risk factor(s) for type I diabetes?
Heredity (family history of the disease)
24. What is/are the high risk factor(s) for type II diabetes?
(1) heredity
(2) old age
(3) heavy weight
(4) lack of activities
25. List the methods of controlling diabetes.
(1) frequent monitor of blood glucose level.
(2) frequent eat and drink, and reduce intake of high sugar food.
(3) frequent exercise.