Cancer Biology Quizzes: Test Your Knowledge

Question 1

Which of the following molecular events is crucial for initiating cancer?

Accepted Answer

Activation of oncogenes

Accepted Answer

Inactivation of tumor suppressor genes

Answer

Loss of cell cycle checkpoints

Question 2

How do molecular biomarkers contribute to cancer management?

Accepted Answer

They guide personalized medicine by aiding early detection, risk assessment, and tailored treatment plans.

Answer

They solely determine the effectiveness of cancer therapy.

Answer

They have no role in selecting appropriate treatment options.

Answer

They are useful for predicting cancer prognosis but have no diagnostic value.

Question 3

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of cancer cells?

Accepted Answer

Maintenance of cell-to-cell contact

Answer

Uncontrolled proliferation

Answer

Evasion of apoptosis

Answer

Enhanced glucose uptake

Question 4

Which proto-oncogene is commonly amplified and overexpressed in breast cancer?

Accepted Answer

c-Myc

Answer

p53

Answer

Rb

Answer

BRCA1

Question 5

The loss of function of which tumor suppressor gene is frequently associated with colorectal cancer?

Accepted Answer

APC

Answer

p53

Answer

Rb

Answer

BRCA2

Question 6

Which technique is primarily used to identify and isolate cancer stem cells?

Accepted Answer

Flow cytometry cell sorting

Answer

Immunofluorescence staining

Answer

Western blotting analysis

Answer

Microarray gene expression profiling

Question 7

Which targeted therapy is specifically designed to inhibit the BCR-ABL tyrosine kinase in chronic myeloid leukemia?

Accepted Answer

Imatinib

Answer

Trastuzumab

Answer

Rituximab

Answer

Bevacizumab

Question 8

Cancer stem cells play crucial roles in tumor development. Explain their involvement in tumor initiation and progression, and discuss the potential therapeutic benefits of targeting cancer stem cells.

Accepted Answer

Cancer stem cells are a distinct population within tumors with self-renewal and differentiation abilities, driving tumor initiation and growth.

Answer

Cancer stem cells are exclusively found in blood cancers and have no role in solid tumors.

Answer

Targeting cancer stem cells is not a viable therapeutic approach due to their resistance to conventional cancer treatments.

Answer

Cancer stem cells are solely responsible for cancer recurrence and metastasis.

Question 9

How do mutations in oncogenes contribute to cancer development and progression?

Accepted Answer

Oncogene mutations lead to their constitutive activation, driving uncontrolled cell growth and proliferation.

Answer

Oncogene mutations result in the loss of tumor suppressor gene function, contributing to cancer progression.

Answer

Oncogene mutations do not play a significant role in cancer development and progression.

Question 10

How does precision medicine personalize cancer treatment?

Accepted Answer

Precision medicine uses biomarkers to identify specific molecular changes in cancer cells, leading to targeted therapies.

Answer

Molecular profiling is not essential for precision medicine approaches.

Answer

Precision medicine is mainly used for treating late-stage cancers resistant to standard treatments.

Answer

Precision medicine replaces traditional chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

Question 11

Identify the key molecular changes associated with epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and explain its significance in cancer metastasis.

Accepted Answer

Loss of epithelial markers (e.g., E-cadherin) and gain of mesenchymal markers, enabling cell migration and invasion.

Answer

Activation of WNT and TGF-β signaling pathways, leading to cell proliferation inhibition.

Answer

Increased integrin expression, enhancing cell adhesion and reducing metastasis.

Answer

Suppression of miRNA let-7, promoting cell differentiation.

Question 12

What primary function do tumor suppressor genes serve in cells?

Accepted Answer

Inhibit uncontrolled cell growth

Answer

Promote cell death

Answer

Repair damaged DNA

Answer

Regulate the cell cycle

Question 13

Which type of mutation is commonly associated with tumor suppressor genes in cancer?

Accepted Answer

Loss-of-function mutations

Answer

Gain-of-function mutations

Answer

Missense mutations

Answer

Synonymous mutations

Question 14

Cancer cells often become reliant on a single oncogene for survival. What is this phenomenon called?

Accepted Answer

Oncogene addiction

Answer

Tumor suppressor gene inactivation

Answer

Targeted therapy resistance

Answer

Cancer stem cell proliferation

Question 15

Which characteristic is a hallmark of cancer stem cells?

Accepted Answer

Resistance to conventional treatments

Answer

Non-proliferative nature

Answer

Ubiquitous presence in all cancers

Question 16

Which of the following is a defining characteristic of cancer cells?

Accepted Answer

Uncontrolled proliferation

Answer

Differentiated function

Answer

Apoptosis sensitivity

Answer

Limited invasion

Question 17

Which of the following oncogenes encodes a protein that inhibits the function of the p53 tumor suppressor?

Accepted Answer

MDM2

Answer

MYC

Answer

RAS

Question 18

Which statement accurately describes cancer stem cells?

Accepted Answer

Possess the ability to self-renew and differentiate into multiple cell types

Answer

Are responsible for initiating tumor formation but not for maintaining its growth

Answer

Exhibit high metabolic activity but lack self-renewal capacity

Question 19

Which of the following is an emerging therapeutic strategy in cancer treatment that targets immune checkpoint molecules?

Accepted Answer

PD-1 blockade

Answer

KRAS inhibition

Answer

EGFR inhibition

Answer

HER2 inhibition

Question 20

Which molecular technique is primarily used to identify and characterize cancer-specific mutations in clinical settings?

Accepted Answer

Next-generation sequencing

Answer

Western blotting

Answer

Immunohistochemistry

Answer

Flow cytometry

Question 21

Which of the following can be a direct consequence of uncontrolled cell proliferation in cancer?

Accepted Answer

Tissue invasion and metastasis

Answer

Immunosuppression

Answer

Anemia

Answer

Cachexia

Question 22

Which of the following is a well-established risk factor for developing cancer?

Accepted Answer

Tobacco use

Answer

Sufficient sleep

Answer

Regular physical exercise

Answer

Adherence to a healthy diet