Article+Notes+Kr

=Cancer Article=

Keaton Rye
1**. The article begins by mentioning two important people with cancer. Who is Elizabeth Edwards? Who is Tony Snow? (Include their politcal party, job, and current health status-this article was written in April-your answer should have more than what you can find in the article)** Elizabeth Edwards is a 57 year old women who is the wife of presidential candidate John Edwards. Tony Snow is the press secretary to George Bush. Both Edwards and Snow had cancer that had been treated but came back. Edwards had Colon, and Elizabeth had breast.

A metastatic cancer cell is one the spread of a disease from one organ or part to another non-adjacent organ or part.
 * 2. What is a metastatic cancer cell?**

The cells attack other cells and kill them, just so they can multiply.
 * 3. Why does the author call cancer cells barbarians and cannibals?**

Scientists have identified genetic mutations and chromosomal aberrations that prompt cells to think they are being stimulated by growth hormones when they are not.
 * 4. What do we know about the events that transform a normal cell to a cancer cell?**

It's harder to study metastatic cancer cells because the initial stages of malignant transformation can be analyzed in vitro, and they are on the move.
 * 5. Why is harder to study metastatic cancer cells?**

Primary tumors shed about a billion cells each day.The rodents have very little, and can be counted.
 * 6. How many cells do primary tumors shed each day (in a rodent)? Yet how many metastatic tumors do these rodents have?**



They make themselves like parasites. Another way the travel through the body is getting the other cells to take them to safe places, and act like they are under attack.
 * 7. Describe two ways metastatic cells can travel through the body avoiding detection from our immune system.**

The first site that metastasis generally occurs is at a wound site, which is where the cancer cells seep in and begin to feed on the growth of hormones. The cells like to attack normal cells, to turn them into cancer cells.
 * 8. Where is the first site (oasis for the cancer cell) that metastasis generally occurs? Why? Why is it an oasis? (What is an oasis?)**

Dormant micrometastasis is when malignant cells have settled into a new site of the body and their replication of more cells can either die or become dormant. Someone could have dormant cancer and not know it. They could have little or no side affects.
 * 9. What is a dormant micrometastasis? Why are they relevant to human health?**

Evidence suggests that micrometastases will not attain macro dimensions unless they adapt to things around them.Brest cancer is one example. Malignant melanoma spreads readily to the brain, causes a tumor.
 * 10. What evidence do we have that metastasis occurs in organs that are similar to the organ of the primary tumor? Give two examples.**